2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450

' '['? /The right front headlight was replaced (after receiving a headlight warning) approximately about a year after the warranty expired. The dealership claimed this was due to moisture in the headlight. In August 2021, the left front headlight showed to be having issues with the same error message. Upon further inspection, the mechanic noticed that it was not moisture in the headlight that was causing the short, but an oily substance. The mechanic believes that there might be a bushing in the headlight that might be melting/breaking down due to the heat. This is causing the headlight to short and require a $3500 replacement

The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary, she noticed moisture inside the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle filled up with water while it was raining. The contact took the vehicle to an independent mechanic, who stated that the rear hatch was faulty and allowed water to enter the vehicle, but no leaks were found. The independent mechanic had to replace the rubber casing on the rear door hatch, the electrical wiring, and replace the floor carpet. The vehicle was repaired. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 124,315.

Oil leaking and wicking into camshaft position sensors, camshaft magnets, O2 sensors, engine wiring harness and ultimately, the ECU is destroying all electronic components connected to the engine causing misfiring and seizing. The issue is quite prevalent via internet research as potentially thousands of owners with my engine (M278) all experience the same issue. Mercedes Benz advises a $11,000 temporary fix by replacing all engine electronic components but the problem will occur again since the root cause of the oil leak is unknown. Be advised that this is NOT a normal wear and tear issue. This is a design flaw of the engine that placed these components in locations predisposed to contact with engine oil. The root cause of the oil leak is unknown and even Mercedes Benz can not tell why the oil is leaking on these components. If this issue is so prevalent with thousands of owners with the M278 engine in the GL450's, as evidenced by internet searches via Mercedes Benz fan sites, why has no service bulletin or recall been instituted? I am sure your agency can discover numerous examples of this same issue by researching service tickets from Mercedes Benz service centers nation wide. An $11,000 fix is not routine maintenance and Mercedes Benz should be made to fix this prevalent issue via a recall or a service bulletin.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE BOUNCED AND PULLED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT WHILE DRIVING WITH AN UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN MERCEDES-BENZ OF CORAL GABLES (300 ALMERIA AVE, CORAL GABLES, FL 33134), AND WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FOUR-WHEEL SUSPENSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE OCCURRED TWICE. THE FIRST FAILURE WAS REPAIRED AT AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT, OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 55,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE, SEVERAL MESSAGES DISPLAYED REGARDING THE PARKING BRAKE RELEASE, TRANSMISSION, AND THE VEHICLE BEING INOPERABLE. ALSO, SEVERAL ELECTRICAL FEATURES MALFUNCTIONED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WORLD WIDE MOTORS INC. (3900 EAST 96TH ST, INDIANAPOLIS, IN) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE MAIN VEHICLE WIRE HARNESS WAS DAMAGED DUE TO WATER THAT DRAINED FROM THE SUN ROOF INTO THE PANELS OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000.

TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE - CERTAIN HIGH END GL MODEL HAVE OPTIONAL EASY THIRD ROW ENTRY. THE SECOND ROW IN SUCH MODELS FOLDS WITH A TOUCH OF A BUTTON. HOWEVER WHEN FULLY DEPLOYED - THE SECOND ROW SEAT'S HEAD REST IN SUCH MODELS PREVENT PROPER INSTALLATION OF KID'S CARSEAT ' SUCH THAT THE UPPER PART OF THE CARSEAT IS PROJECTED FORWARD. I AM 6 FEET AND CAN EASILY PUT THE WHOLE OF MY FORARM BEHIND MY KID'S CARSEAT AFTER INSTALLATION. THE RESULT IS ' A VERY UNCOMFORTABLE FORWARD POSITIONING OF THE KID'S CARSEAT. MY KID HAS REPORTED NECK SPRAIN MULTIPLE TIMES. THE ISSUE DOES NOT RESOLVE WITH USING A BOOSTER ONLY (WITHOUT BACKREST) OR WITH CAR'S HEADREST NOT DEPLOYED ' AS IN ALL SITUATIONS THE CAR'S HEAD REST STILL PUSHES MY KID'S HEAD FORWARD. I BELIEVE THAT IT'S A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE AS WELL. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN WIDELY REPORTED ONLINE. I GUESS MERCEDES TOOK NOTE OF IT AND AS PER THE LOCAL DEALER - THEY HAVE FIXED IT IN THE NEWER MODELS (2016 ONWARDS). IN ORDER TO FIX MINE - MY FIRST PLAN WAS TO REMOVE THE SECOND ROW HEADREST (THE ONE ON WHICH I INSTALL MY KID'S CARSEAT). DEALER TOLD ME THAT IT'S NOT POSSIBLE - AND INSTEAD RECOMMENDED A RETROFIT. QUOTE WAS $1300. GIVEN THAT IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT I CALLED MERCEDES USA - THEY REPLIED PROMPTLY. BASICALLY ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE AND OFFERED ME $350 IN SERVICE CREDIT, BUT EXPECTED ME TO SHELL OUT THE REMAINING $ 950 OUT OF MY POCKET. WHEN I TOLD THEM THAT IT'S UNFAIR TO DO SO ' AS IT'S PRIMARILY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT ' THE AGENT BASICALLY TOLD ME THAT I SHOULD INSTEAD BE HAPPY THAT THERE'S A REMEDY AVAILABLE AND THAT ALSO AT MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER. HE TRIED TO USE MY CURRENT MILEAGE (62K) AS A JUSTIFICATION FOR NOT PICKING UP THE COST - EVEN THOUGH THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MILEAGE AND MY VEHICLE HAS AN UNLIMITED MILEAGE WARRANTY UNTIL 08/2020.

YOU NEED TO ORDER A RECALL OF MERCEDES BENZ GL450 (2014) (VIN [XXX]). I HAD TO TAKE THE VEHICLE FOR REPAIR BECAUSE THE BRAKES WERE LOCKING WHEN I DROVE BACK FROM SAN DIEGO AND SEVERAL TIMES I WAS CLOSE TO HIT OTHER VEHICLES. IN ADDITION, THIS WEEK MY BRAKES STARTED SQUEALING AND I HAD TO WAIT UNTIL FRIDAY (5/8/2015) TO HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED. NOW THEY TELL ME THAT AT 16,000 IT IS NORMAL FOR THIS CAR TO BE COMPLETELY OUT OF BRAKES (WORN OUT) AND THAT THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS AND THAT THEY WANT ME TO PAY $700 TO REPLACE THE PADS AND ROTORS BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO HONOR THE WARRANTY. I TOLD THEM THAT THIS CAR WAS FULLY SERVICED A COUPLE OF MONTHS AGO AND THEY SHOULD HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS IF THEY FELT THAT THEY WOULD BE COMPLETELY WORN OUT. I HAVE CHANGED BRAKE PADS MYSELF IN THE PAST AS A HOBBY AND I KNOW VERY WELL BRAKE PADS LAST BETWEEN 35,000 AND 50,000 MILES BEFORE THE CALIPERS HIT THE ROTORS. I THINK THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT THAT EITHER THEY REPLACED MY PADS WITH USED ONES OR THAT THE PADS ARE LIKELY TO CRACK AND THEN THE CALIPER DAMAGED THE ROTORS. THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE IS A SHIP ON A HIGHWAY THAT COULD KILL MANY PEOPLE IF THE BRAKE SYSTEM FAILS WHILE DRIVING AT THE SPEED LIMIT. THIS IS A $90,000 CAR AND IS PROVEN TO BE ONE OF THE UNSAFEST VEHICLES ON THE ROAD. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR