YearToAvoid

2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450 Electrical System Problems

Electrical System issues account for 18 of 36 complaints (50%) on the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450, the highest share of any listed year. Median mileage at failure was 6,550 miles, and one complaint involved a fire and another a crash. Multiple related recalls address 48-Volt system and software faults.

Electrical System complaints
18
50% of 36
Crashes reported
1
Fires reported
1
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
6,550 mi
Related recalls
5

Typical electrical symptoms owners report

  • Owners report sudden 48V system malfunction warnings followed by loss of power or acceleration while driving, sometimes at highway speed.
  • Some describe the dashboard instrument screen going blank or randomly shutting off, leaving no speedometer, RPM, or fuel display while driving.
  • Several report the vehicle's MBUX infotainment and electronics shutting down after water intrusion near the front passenger seat area.
  • Owners describe engine wiring harness insulation deteriorating near the ignition coil or exhaust area, exposing conductors and causing misfires or fault codes.
  • Some report the 48V battery failing or triggering warnings not to drive, occurring even after recent dealer inspections.
  • A few describe a complete electrical control system failure where the vehicle would not turn off after being parked or backed out of a garage.

When 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450 electrical complaints were filed

First complaint Aug 6, 2020, latest Jun 3, 2026.

2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450 electrical system complaints: complaints filed per month2Aug 2020Oct 2021May 2022Dec 2023Apr 2025May 2026
18 complaints filed with NHTSA from Aug 2020 to Jun 2026; peak Apr 2025 (2).

Electrical System recalls for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450

  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 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.

  5. 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 Gls450 model year

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

  1. 20160 (0%)
  2. 201713 (37%)
  3. 20183 (21%)
  4. 20193 (13%)
  5. 202018 (50%)
  6. 202114 (47%)

Frequently asked questions

How common are electrical problems in the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450?
NHTSA lists 18 Electrical System complaints out of 36 total complaints for the 2020 Gls450, or 50% of all complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Gls450 electrical system?
Yes. NHTSA lists several related recalls, including campaign 22V231000 for a loose 48V ground cable bolt and campaign 24V207000 for the same 48V ground connection needing to be tightened.
At what mileage do these electrical failures usually happen?
NHTSA data shows a median mileage of 6,550 miles at the time of failure for Electrical System complaints on the 2020 Gls450.
Did the 2020 Gls450 electrical issues cause any crashes or fires?
NHTSA records show one crash and one fire among the Electrical System complaints for the 2020 Gls450, with no reported injuries.
How does the 2020 Gls450 compare to other years for electrical complaints?
The 2020 model year had the highest share of Electrical System complaints among the years listed, at 50%, compared to 47% for 2021 and lower percentages in 2017-2019.

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.