Owners have filed 22 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the body and structure, transmission, and steering. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2019Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/2
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
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.
These years share the 2019's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2019 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6-cyl | 4WD | 20 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLE, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The glass panel between the windshield and panoramic sunroof can come off at highway speed when its adhesive fails. Drivers describe a whistling sound from the roof first, then a loud crash as the panel lets go. Some panels shatter on the road and nearly hit cars behind, and drivers report swerving. A separate problem stops the sunroof on coupe versions from opening because the rail system fails. Fixing it means removing the headliner. One complaint reports an engine compartment fire that the fire department put out.
After a pothole, the vehicle can jump and move side to side without warning. In one case a dealer found no fault, the problem came back, and the car went into a ditch with the airbags deploying and the driver hurt. Other complaints describe a noise and rough, sluggish acceleration around 35 to 38 mph. Mechanics point to a control valve and wiring harness, though one dealer blamed tire noise. Water in the spare tire well and a failed fuel pump also appear.
Two separate problems show up here. The first is poor control in the rain. One driver reports severe hydroplaning at highway speed that ended in a crash into a concrete divider and says other GLE 43 AMG owners report the same thing. The second is intermittent failure to shift, especially from reverse to drive. It gets worse over time and can leave the car stuck in the road. Dealer and independent shops trace it to the shift column control module, and the replacement part is reported as unavailable with no delivery date.
Seat belt faults show up in two ways. Up front, the seat belt warning light stays on with the belts fastened, and a scan finds hard fault codes from both powered pretensioners at about 51,000 miles. In the back, a belt can lock and refuse to extend far enough to buckle a child. Both owners ask whether an existing recall covers their problem. Neither report describes a crash.
Weak headlights are the complaint here. Owners say the halogen headlights are too dim to see the road at highway speed or to stop in time, and rain or snow makes them almost useless. A dealer inspection at 9,500 miles found no fault and no repair was made. According to one report, the manufacturer says the lights meet specifications. The risk comes from driving at night with too little light, not from a part breaking.
Phone and CarPlay connections fail on cars with the SIM card communication problem. Most of what owners file here is about the recall repair process, not a breakdown. The part for the fix was unavailable, the dealer did not do the software update, and the wait ran longer than the owner thought reasonable. Neither report describes a failure beyond lost connectivity.
Excerpts from complaints GLE owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
Body panel above windshield that is attached with adhesive had an adhesive failure and broke in half while driving. My insurance company concluded that it was not impact related, and that it was caused by an adhesive failure. This is a known issue, but no recalls were issued for the 2019 GLE model. Documentation available upon request.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2023
The glass panel between the windshield and sunroof became detached wile driving on the highway appears to be a factory defect where that the adhesive used failed and allowed this to fall off . This narrowly missed a vehicle behind me avoiding a catastrophic accident. This should be replaced and recalled by the Dealer . Thank you
Filed with NHTSA, July 2024
Having issues with my car upon accerlation. 35-38 mph I hear a noise briefly that is hard to pin point as it doesn't happen every time I accelerate. Took it in to find the cause and was told that its just my tires making a noise. however I have taken to a few mechanics and tire shops and told me that it wouldn't cause my car to be sluggish. tires are basic wear and tear.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2023
Water is getting into my spare tire wheel in the truck, Board is wet and causing moisture in truck. I took my car in as this was a recall and they said they already closed it and they refused to inspect it. This also damages the fuel pump which I just had to replace which is defected as well. Costumer service is really going down with Mercedes.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2024
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2019 ranks seventh for owner complaints among 8 GLE years, well under the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
Redesigns and mid-cycle updates change what can go wrong.
The 2019 is the eighth model year of the GLE's third generation (2012–2019).
It includes the 2016 update.
What changed for 2016
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 2014-2020 C-Class, CLA, GLA, S-Class, GLC, and GLE vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair, allowing the front panel to detach from the vehicle.
Risk: A detached roof panel can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the front panel, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on August 2, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on, March 22,2024, and August 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 21V-197.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML550, 2012-2015 ML350, AMG ML63, 2015 ML250, ML400, 2016 GLE450, GLE300, 2016-2018 GLE350, GLE550, 2016-2019 GLE400, 2017-2019 AMG GLE43, and 2016-2020 AMG GLE63 vehicles. Water might accumulate in the spare tire wheel well and damage the fuel pump control unit, which could cause an engine stall while driving.
Risk: An engine stall while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a water drain plug, inspect for water intrusion, and replace the fuel pump control unit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010002 and 2023010003.
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.
Fix: 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.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2020 C300 Coupe, C43 Coupe AMG, C43 AMG, 2015-2020 C300, GLA250, 2016-2018 C350e, CLA45 Coupe AMG, 2015 C400, S65 AMG, 2015-2019 C63 AMG, 2016 C450, 2015-2016 GLA45 AMG, S600, 2016-2020 GLC300, 2017-2019 GLC43 AMG, GLE43 Coupe AMG, 2014-2019 CLA250 Coupe, 2014-2015 CLA45 AMG, 2018 GLC63 AMG, 2014-2017 S550, 2018-2020 S450, 2016-2019 GLE63 Coupe AMG, 2016 GLE450 Coupe, 2014-2020 S63 AMG, 2018-2019 S560, and 2019 GLC350e vehicles equipped with a panoramic sunroof. The front roof panel located between the windshield and the panoramic sunroof may not have been bonded correctly to the vehicle during a prior repair.
Risk: The adhesive bonding of the front panel might deteriorate, possibly causing the front panel to detach from the vehicle and become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Mercedes-Benz dealer will remove the bonded panel and will install a new front panel by following the detailed repair instructions and using the approved primer, cleaner and adhesive, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on September 3, 2021 and October 26, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2019 C300, E300, 2018-2020 CLA250, 2020 CLS450, AMG E53, AMG GT53, GLE450, 2018 AMG E63, AMG GTA, 2017-2020 GLA250, GLC300, 2019 GLC350, AMG GLC43, 2017-2018 GLE350, 2019 AMG GLC 43, GLC350, GLE400, 2017 GLS450, S550, C300 Cabrio, and 2018-2019 S560 vehicles. On June 18, 2021, an additional 9 vehicles were added, including certain 2021 GLA250, GLC300, 2018 S450, E400, and 2017 CLA250 vehicles. The communication module might have been inadvertently deactivated during a service visit, which could have disabled the Emergency Call (eCall) function.
Risk: A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting emergency services through the call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the communication module and activate it, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2021. Letters for the owners of the 9 additional vehicles were mailed July 9, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021030005.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 - 2021 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS-Class, SL-Class, B-Class, GLB-Class, GLC-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to the Part 573 report for specific vehicle model details. The software design of the communication module may fail to communicate the correct vehicle location for the emergency call system (eCall) in the event of a crash.
Risk: Failure of the eCall system may result in emergency responders being dispatched to the wrong location, increasing the risk of injury following a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and the communication module software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. The recall began March 12, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021020025.
Cars shoppers compare with the Mercedes-Benz GLE, with their own 2019 checklists.
2019 owner complaints, side by side
