2009 Mercedes Benz GL450 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 16, 2026 · 15 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other GL450 years
Far fewer complaints than other years 9th of 11 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 15 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Mercedes Benz GL450. That ranks 9th out of 11 GL450 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (8 complaints, 53%), typically at around 100,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2009 Mercedes Benz GL450 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags8 · ~100,000 mi
Suspension3 · ~126,000 mi
Unknown or Other3 · ~71,500 mi
Engine2 · ~149,650 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic2 · ~149,650 mi
Electrical System1 · ~143,300 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)1 · ~126,000 mi
Exterior Lighting1 · ~100,000 mi
Service Brakes1 · ~100,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags853%100,000——
Suspension320%126,000——
Unknown or Other320%71,500——
Engine213%149,650——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic213%149,650——
Electrical System17%143,300——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)17%126,000——
Exterior Lighting17%100,000——
Service Brakes17%100,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2017, with 9 complaints
2017: 9201792018: 2201822019: 1201912022: 2202222026: 120261

n = 15 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2009 Mercedes Benz GL450 recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not driveApr 26, 2024 · NHTSA campaign 24V298000 · 15,604 vehicles

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 driveMay 9, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V315000 · 350,294 vehicles

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.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 11, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V081000 · 711,159 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.

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.

NHTSA defect investigations

  • Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the ABS and check engine warning lights were illuminated, and the struts had failed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the dealer…

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · received Mar 16, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11724677

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal was depressed, and the vehicle started shuddering. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who informed the contact that the vehicle was…

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · received Oct 19, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11490054

I was driving 70 down an interstate a Saturday around 4:30 pm and heard a noise as if my sunroof opened a bit, then I heard a loud pop and a rush of air and looked in my rearview mirror and didn't see anything, I looked up seen the sunroof was gone. All I could think about is that could have really…

Unknown or Other · received Jan 16, 2022 · NHTSA complaint 11447646

Takata inflators : the srs light is continuously staying on in the vehicle. As soon as the vehicle is started the light comes on and does not go off until the vehicle goes back off.

Air Bags · received Feb 17, 2019 · NHTSA complaint 11180702

I am having issues with my suspension. I've had to replace it twice in 1 year. A recall should be issued on this.

Electronic Stability Control (esc) · received Nov 19, 2018 · NHTSA complaint 11152539

Other Mercedes Benz GL450 years

← 2008 GL450 · 2010 GL450 →

See all Mercedes Benz GL450 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercedes Benz GL450?

Owners most often report air bags, suspension, unknown or other problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 8 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Mercedes Benz GL450?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2009 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 2009 has far fewer complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.