YearToAvoid

2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450 Electrical System Problems

NHTSA lists 15 Electrical System complaints for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450, 58% of all 26 complaints filed for that year. Median mileage at failure is 4,950 miles. Six related electrical recalls have been issued for this model year, including a 48-Volt ground connection fix.

Electrical System complaints
15
58% of 26
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
4,950 mi
Related recalls
7

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report a '48V battery malfunction' warning appearing along with a coolant-overheat message and a complete loss of power while driving, sometimes at highway speed.
  • Some drivers describe total electrical failure with all warning lights and exterior/brake lights stuck on, followed by the vehicle failing to restart.
  • Several report the engine shutting off unexpectedly while in motion, in one case nearly causing a collision on a busy street.
  • Owners describe the command control unit failing and disrupting navigation, voice control, Bluetooth, and vehicle apps, sometimes present from the time of purchase.
  • Some report water intrusion through the driver-side floor reaching electrical components underneath the seat.
  • A few describe headlamp and turn signal control modules failing repeatedly, along with infotainment error messages, requiring repeated replacement.

When 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Jul 18, 2019, latest Apr 21, 2026.

2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450 electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month1Jul 2019Sep 2020Oct 2021Feb 2022Aug 2024Mar 2025Oct 2025Apr 2026
15 complaints filed with NHTSA from Jul 2019 to Apr 2026; peak Jul 2019 (1).

Electrical System recalls for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450

  1. NHTSA 24V207000Mar 15, 2024Electrical System116,020 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 GLE 350, 2020-2024 GLE 450, 2020-2023 GLS 580, GLE 580, 2019-2023 GLS 450, 2021-2023 Maybach GLS 600, AMG GLS 63, 2021-2024 AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 53 Coupe, and AMG GLE 63 S vehicles. A 48-Volt ground connection under the passenger seat may not be secured properly, resulting in the ground connection overheating.

    Risk: An overheated ground connection can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the 48-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024040002.

  2. NHTSA 22V365000May 20, 2022Electrical System242,722 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Electrical system:software

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.

    Risk: A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.

    Remedy: The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.

  3. NHTSA 22V231000Apr 8, 2022Electrical System21,306 vehicles

    Electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2022 GLE450, GLS450, 2021-2022 AMG GLE53, 2020-2021 GLE580, GLS580, 2021 AMG GLE63, Maybach GLS600 and AMG GLS63 vehicles. A ground cable bolt for the 48V ground connection under the front passenger seat may not be secured properly, which can cause the electrical cable to overheat.

    Risk: An overheated electrical cable can increase the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Dealers will inspect and tighten the ground cable bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040017.

  4. NHTSA 21V509000Jul 2, 2021Electrical System1,467 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:headlights

    Mercedes-Benz LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2020 C300, 2019-2020 A220, AMG C43, AMG C63, 2020 GLE580, GLB250, 2020-2021 GLE450, GLE350, 2021 AMG GLE63, and AMG GLE53 vehicles. The LED headlights may have been incorrectly adjusted during a vehicle repair. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: Incorrectly adjusted headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.

  5. NHTSA 21V354000May 14, 2021Electrical System343,191 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Electrical system:software

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 CLA-Class, GLE/GLS-Class, A-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe and Convertible, GLA/GLB-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, and AMG GT-Class 4-door Coupe vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."

    Risk: A backup camera that displays a blank image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

    Remedy: The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021050012.

  6. NHTSA 21V056000Feb 5, 2021Electrical System8,199 vehicles

    Exterior lighting:back up lights

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 GLE350 and GLE450 vehicles. The lighting control unit may malfunction and cause the left exterior reverse light to remain illuminated after the transmission is shifted into a different gear. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."

    Risk: If the reverse light remains illuminated in a gear other than reverse, it may cause confusion about the driver's intention to other motorists, and increase the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the lighting control unit, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 10, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022050004.

  7. NHTSA 20V089000Feb 14, 2020Electrical System2,101 vehicles

    Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel

    Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 CLA250, CLA250 4MATIC and CLA35 AMG 4MATIC, 2020-2021 GLE350, GLE350 4MATIC, GLE450 4MATIC, GLS450 4MATIC and GLS580 4MATIC and 2021 GLE53 AMG Coupe, GLE63S AMG 4MATIC, GLS63 AMG 4MATIC and Maybach GLS600 4MATIC vehicles. The instrument cluster software may deactivate the illumination of certain interior switches (switch bar, overhead control unit, steering wheel) if the hazard lights are turned on and the ignition switch is in the 'off' position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Control and Displays."

    Risk: If the interior switches are not illuminated, they may be more difficult to find and operate, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update the instrument cluster software, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2020. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2020030019.

Electrical System complaints by Gle450 model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 20168 (32%)
  2. 20170 (0%)
  3. 202015 (58%)
  4. 20219 (60%)
  5. 20223 (21%)
  6. 20231 (14%)
  7. 20242 (20%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are electrical problems in the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gle450?
NHTSA lists 15 Electrical System complaints for the 2020 Gle450, which makes up 58% of all 26 complaints filed for that model year.
At what mileage do electrical failures typically show up?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this issue is 4,950 miles.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Gle450 electrical system?
Yes. NHTSA lists multiple related recalls, including campaign 24V207000 for a 48-Volt ground connection, 22V231000 for a ground cable bolt, and 20V089000 for instrument cluster software.
Have these electrical issues caused any crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes and 0 fires reported among these Electrical System complaints for the 2020 Gle450.
Do other Gle450 model years have similar electrical complaint rates?
NHTSA shows electrical complaints made up 60% of complaints for 2021, 32% for 2016, 21% for 2022, and lower shares for 2017, 2023, and 2024.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.