Owners have filed 20 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the transmission, electrical, and automatic emergency braking. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2024Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/1
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/1
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/4
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Nearby years usually share most parts, so their problems are worth checking on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2024 checks
Worth adding to your 2024 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cyl | AWD, RWD | 27–29 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2024 Mercedes-Benz GLC, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Sudden loss of power and unexpected downshifts are the main complaints. Owners describe the transmission dropping to 2nd gear on the freeway with an unresponsive accelerator, rough downshifts from 9th to 8th, the car jerking forward while stopped, and a numb, hesitant launch in first gear. One report describes sudden shutdowns that took away power steering and braking. A check engine light tied to the 48V battery keeps returning after dealer resets, and dealers say no permanent fix exists. Owners say these problems put them at risk of a collision in traffic.
The main complaint is a check engine light that keeps coming back, sometimes with a low-battery warning or a turtle symbol. Dealers trace it to the 48V battery. Their temporary fix is to drain the battery and recharge it, but the light returns and owners are told no permanent fix exists. Problems start early, between about 1,100 and 2,174 miles. Other reports describe an alarm with several warning lights, failed digital lighting, a car that will not start, and repeated dealer visits that keep the car for weeks.
The core problem is the car braking hard on its own when nothing is in the way, and one report lists an injury. It happens at random while driving forward and also while reversing on flat, clear driveways. Dealer technicians reproduced the reverse braking on a second GLC300 even after calibration. With a bike carrier on the rear hitch, the car brakes violently and swerves again and again, and replacing the trailer recognition module did not fix it. Sudden stops like these raise the risk of being hit from behind.
An "Attention Assist System Suspended" message appears at random. It turns off driver aids such as blind spot assist and stays on after restarts until a dealer visit. In a separate complaint, the left front headlight casts a thin dark shadow 50-75 feet ahead. The shadow moves with the steering and looks like a pedestrian, and the dealer called it operating as designed. Both problems appear early in ownership. Neither report describes a crash, but both make it harder for the driver to spot hazards.
Excerpts from complaints GLC owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
•Incident Details: •Both sudden shutdown incidents •“12V Battery” warning (first incident) •“Stop - Switch Off Vehicle” warning (second incident) •That it happened with children in the car on a tollway Safety Concerns: •Loss of power steering/braking •Risk of collision •Repeated failures on a 1-year-old vehicle
Filed with NHTSA, August 2025
Check engine light appears, also a blue engine and a turtle. The dealer is aware, they have had it 3times for the same issue and this time 23 days and counting. Currently Mercedes has no fix. I purchased the veh 30 Nov 23- first appeared 16 dec and continued going on and off.
Filed with NHTSA, March 2024
I am experiencing auto braking when there are no obstructions near or around the vehicle. The auto braking is random but occurs fairly often. It is very unsettling and makes me very nervous while driving my brand new vehicle. This happens without warning and can definitely put myself and my passengers as well as passengers in the vehicles around me at great risks of collisions.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2025
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2024 ranks seventh for owner complaints among 8 GLC years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Recall repairs are free at any Mercedes-Benz dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2026 EQE and GLC vehicles. Please see the recall report for a complete list of models. The steering coupling bolt may have been improperly tightened, allowing the steering coupling to loosen from the steering rack.
Risk: A loose steering coupling can cause a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will tighten the steering coupling bolts as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2025 GLC 300, GLC 300 4MATIC, 2024-2025 AMG GLC 43 4MATIC, 2025 GLC 350E 4MATIC, and AMG GLC 63 S E vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. In certain crash scenarios, where the rear occupant's head contacts the C-pillar, the pillar may not absorb an adequate amount of the impact. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 201, "Occupant Protection in Interior Impact.".
Risk: In the event of a crash, insufficient impact protection can increase the risk of injury.
Fix: Dealers will modify the roof lining and C-pillar trim, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 9, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, EQE SUV, EQE, EQS SUV, and EQS vehicles that were incorrectly repaired under recall 24V-115. An incorrect fuse box that was not designed for the vehicle may have been installed.
Risk: An incorrect fuse box can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 6, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2025050003/4.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2024 GLC 300 4MATIC, and S 580 4MATIC vehicles. The bolts that secure the rear axle differential to the rear axle carrier may come loose, which can result in a separation of the drive shaft from the rear axle differential.
Risk: Driveshaft separation can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair the rear axle differential bolt connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 10, 2025. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024120005.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2024 GLC 300 and AMG GLC 43 vehicles. The integral carrier that supports the engine may fail due to improper welds, which can cause a loss of vehicle control.
Risk: A loss of vehicle control increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the integral carrier, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 11, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-496-3691. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024090013.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 C300, AMG C43, S580e, S580, Maybach S580, Maybach S680, AMG SL43, AMGSL63, GLC300, EQE350, EQE500, EQS450, EQS580, AMG EQS, 2023 S500, AMG SL55, AMG EQE, 2024 E350, E450, AMG C63e S, CLE300 Coupe, CLE450 Coupe, and GLC300 Coupe vehicles. The 80-Amp fuses may have been manufactured incorrectly, which can cause the fuses to fail.
Risk: An 80-Amp fuse that fails can result in a sudden loss of drive power or a loss of critical safety functions such as the restraint systems or instrument cluster, increasing the risk of a crash or injury. Additionally, there could be an increased risk of a fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the main fuse boxes, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 5, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024030008.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2024 GLC 300 vehicles. The front, rear, and fixed side windows may not be properly secured and can detach. In addition, the front air bags may not be properly supported by the windshield during deployment.
Risk: Detached windows may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury. Improperly supported air bags can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the front, rear, and fixed side windows, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 15, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023110003.
Cars shoppers compare with the Mercedes-Benz GLC, with their own 2024 checklists.
2024 owner complaints, side by side
