2008 Mercedes Benz GL450 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other GL450 years
- More complaints than other years 2nd of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 2 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 55 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Mercedes Benz GL450. That ranks 2nd out of 11 GL450 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (21 complaints, 38%), typically at around 77,000 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 2 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 55owner complaints
- 2safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Mercedes Benz GL450 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 21 | 38% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Suspension | 15 | 27% | 63,315 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 11% | 96,444 | — | — |
| Engine | 5 | 9% | 103,938 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 5 | 9% | 89,948 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 4 | 7% | 150,500 | — | — |
| Power Train | 4 | 7% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 4 | 7% | 67,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 7% | 21,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 4 | 7% | 15,435 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 3 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 3 | 5% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 4% | 15,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 2 | 4% | — | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 4% | 39,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 2% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 2% | 89,948 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 2% | 1,500 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2% | 72,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 16,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Mercedes Benz GL450 recalls (2)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not drive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.
Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not drive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.
Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Driving on the 99 freeway when out of no where a loud explosion hit my car from behind or on top of my car it scared me so bad, I pulled over to emergency lane but I did not find or know what hit me so I continued home slowly afraid to drive. When I got home I was. checking my car and on top of my…
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was an abnormal shaking coming from the engine while attempting to steer the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic to be diagnosed, and…
Unknown
A flash from the right headlight had occured. I thought it was the bulb, but turns out the ballist was shorted out. I removed the assembly from the vehicle to change the ballist and because I want to also change the lens on the assembly. When I got the old lens off, I found most of the wiring has…
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer. The contact was informed by the dealer that the recall repair could not be performed until the rear…
Other Mercedes Benz GL450 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 GL450 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 GL450 | 13 | 5 |
| 2015 GL450 | 18 | 3 |
| 2014 GL450 | 21 | 3 |
| 2013 GL450 | 37 | 3 |
| 2012 GL450 | 47 | 3 |
| 2011 GL450 | 55 | 3 |
| 2010 GL450 | 42 | 3 |
| 2009 GL450 | 15 | 3 |
| 2008 | 55 | 2 |
| 2007 GL450 | 115 | 2 |
See all Mercedes Benz GL450 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2008 Mercedes Benz GL450?
Owners most often report steering, suspension, air bags problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Mercedes Benz GL450?
Yes, 2 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Mercedes Benz GL450 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other GL450 model years, the 2008 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.