Owners have filed 29 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the transmission, body and structure, and fuel system. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2023Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE: inspection sheet
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/3
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/2
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/2
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 2023's design and most of its parts, so their problems are the ones to look for on this car too.
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
Worth adding to your 2023 checks
EPA figures for each version of the 2023 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2.0L 4-cylGas | AWD, RWD | 21–22 mpg |
| 3.0L 6-cylHybrid | AWD | 22 mpg |
| 4.0L 8-cylHybrid | AWD | 18 mpg |
NHTSA complaints for the 2023 Mercedes-Benz GLE, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
The transmission drops into neutral on its own. It happens while cruising, while slowing down, or at a stoplight, even with the display still showing drive. Drivers have to pull over and shift again or restart the car to get moving. Other reports describe the engine revving for several seconds before the transmission engages, and stalling at various speeds around 20,000 miles that persisted after a dealer repair. In one crash report, the car accelerated out of control in reverse and hit a tree. Dealers often find no error codes.
Most of these filings are about a parts shortage, not a failure. Half come from owners who received a structural recall notice but cannot get the repair done because parts are unavailable, and dealer appointments keep getting rescheduled. Those owners report no failure on their own cars. The remaining reports describe the rear hatch opening by itself while the car sits unattended, which leaves it unsecured and risks hitting a garage door. One owner reports that the roof panel between the windshield and the panoramic roof shattered.
The engine shuts off without warning while driving, and dealers have diagnosed fuel contamination. One owner smelled fuel strongly enough in a closed garage that the fire department came to air it out. A dealer traced that leak to the fuel pump delivery module at about 28,000 miles. Other reports describe loud revving at startup and clicking from the engine bay that returns at 45 mph or higher. Owners say they received a fuel system recall notice. Some report the problem came back after the repair, and others say parts were unavailable.
The car loses all power right after warnings about the 48V and 12V batteries. Drivers get stranded on the road and need a flatbed tow, sometimes before 4,000 miles. Other reports describe low 12V charge warnings that appear daily, even while driving, telling the driver to pull over. Remote services shut off and starting may be restricted. The instrument cluster can also go black for hours, taking out the speedometer, fuel gauge, blind spot monitoring, and front parking sensors. Some dealers say they cannot find a fault.
Automatic emergency braking fails in both directions. In a crash report, the system gave no alert and applied no brakes before the car rear-ended another vehicle at a red light. In another case, it braked hard and locked the seat belt during a slow left turn at 15 to 20 mph with nothing in the way. That car had about 6,000 miles. Neither report describes a completed repair. One car was still waiting for a dealer diagnosis.
With cruise control set at 55 to 70 mph, the car brakes hard when nothing is ahead. It can drop to 15 or 20 mph, and following drivers have had to slam on their brakes. The car also brakes in the middle of automatic lane changes, especially on curving interstates. Lane keeping can push the car hard toward an exit lane the driver did not choose, and one owner nearly hit the median. Dealers who inspected these cars have not found the cause.
Excerpts from complaints GLE owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
After driving the car about 5 miles at about 10 miles per hour while decelerating the transmission shifted into neutral requiring me to need to pull over to the side of the road, put the car in park, turn it off and back on again, this has now happened 3 times in the span of about 1 week.
Filed with NHTSA, May 2024
For the Engine problem While driving the car there was a warning about the battery and asked to check the manual, immediately after that another warning was coolant too hot and the car shut down in the middle of the road For the transmission problem While driving the gear went to Neutral by itself. I put it back in drive about 4 minutes later it went back to neutral by itself and I had to put it back in drive No dashboard warning
Filed with NHTSA, March 2023
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2023 ranks sixth 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 2023 is the fourth model year of the GLE's fourth generation (2020–2023).
Mercedes-Benz updated the GLE for 2024, so a 2023 does not have those changes.
What changed for 2024 (not on a 2023)
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 2023-2024 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.
Fix: 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.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2023 GLE 450 and GLS 450 vehicles. The transmission may not fully downshift in certain conditions, causing the engine to stall.
Risk: An engine stall increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the transmission control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2024 GLE, GLS, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL, GLC, CLS, AMG GT, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, causing a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 28, 2024. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on February 23, 2024, April 19, 2024, June 28, 2024, August 9, 2024, October 1, 2024, and December 2, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of NHTSA recall number 23V-445.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS, SL, GT, GLC, GLE, GLS, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070012.
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2022-2023 GLE350, GLE450, GLE580, GLS450, GLS580, Maybach GLS600, AMG GLE53, AMG GLE63 S, and AMG GLS63 vehicles. The rear door window trim bars may detach from the vehicle while driving.
Risk: Detached trim bars may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and secure the rear window trim bars, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 5, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-680. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023040011.
Cars shoppers compare with the Mercedes-Benz GLE, with their own 2023 checklists.
2023 owner complaints, side by side
