Mercedes-Benz · GL-Class · 2008
0
Recalls
87
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has no recalls and 87 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: steering (28 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
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 the contact was informed that the power steering reservoir and the power steering lines were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 196,000.
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 heat distress, causing the casings to flake off. I have photos of this issue. The headlights are a high energy assembly and this unsafe condition can lead to a vehicle fire if not taken care of immediately.
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 brake lines and a transmission diagnostic test was performed. The contact stated that the dealer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. Additionally, the manufacturer was made aware of the issue and was unable to have the dealer complete the recall. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Last Wednesday Morning June 06, 2023 I started vehicle up to move it closer to my apartment. Once I shifted into "Drive", immediately the engine revved up and vehicle accelerated in high rate of speed across the parking lot, I was applying the brakes, but they were not stopping the vehicle, it then slammed into wooded area and crashed head first into creek beyond the wooded area. I was dazed and bleeding from cut beneath my nose, I climbed out of vehicle and back up the incline the vehicle crashed downward into. Baltimore County Police responded and I explained to Officer what had happened. He advised me to contact my Insurance Carrier and wrote the Incident Report #. During the time while awaiting my vehicle's retrieval from the wooded area, I then photographed and video recorded the damages once retrieved. The air bags did not deploy when the vehicle crashed yet the complete front grill and hood of the vehicle was smashed in, front tire blown.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL320. The contact received recall notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that they could only repair the vehicle after a month. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time to complete the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL 320. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) which stated that the tow was free of charge. The contact stated that he has contacted Mercedes-Benz roadside assistance to arrange for the tow and was redirected to call the Mercedes-Benz recall hotline. The contact stated that he was told to contact several other numbers to arrange for tow the dealer. The contact stated the was unable to arrange the tow to the dealer. The contact was upset that he was given a no-drive recall, and has contacted the manufacturer and the dealer with no results. The contact stated he has not experienced a failure.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at the dealer for almost two months. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL450. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH and approaching a stop light, an unknown "malfunction" warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to veer to the side of the road but noticed that the steering wheel had lost power steering functionality. The contact then forcefully steered the steering wheel and veered into the right turn lane. The contact turned off the vehicle and turned on her hazard lights. Upon restarting the vehicle, the contact noticed that the power steering functionality had not returned. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 08V682000 (Steering). The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.
At slow speed it’s hard to turn. Steering fluid is fine
VEHICLE CAUGHT FIRE IN MY GARAGE. VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE 2 HRS PRIOR. MY HUSBAND ENTERED THE VEHICLE TO RUN AN ERRAND AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. TONS OF LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH, INCLUDING THE AIRBAG HAD DEPLOYED, THOUGH THE AIRBAG HAD NOT DEPLOYED. VEHICLE WAS OFF BUT STILL SOUNDED LIKE IT WAS RUNNING. WINDOWS OR NOTHING WOULD WORK. WE RAISED THE HOOD AND WAS NOT ABLE TO DISCOVER THE ISSUE. WE COULD SMELL SOMETHING, BUT WAS NOT SURE WHAT IT WAS. WE PROCEEDED TO GO INSIDE OUR HOME, BUT LEFT THE GARAGE AND HOOD OPEN SO THE SMELL FROM THE VEHICLE WOULD LEAVE THE GARAGE. COUPLE HOURS LATER WE HEARD A HISSING SOUND IN THE GARAGE. MY HUSBAND WENT OUTSIDE AND DISCOVERED THE TRUCK ON FIRE. NOT SURE WHERE IT STARTED, WHEN SAW IT WAS UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. WE EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE BUT THE FIRE DEPT WAS CALLED OUT. FIRE DEPT SOUND LIKE AN ELECTRICAL ISSUE. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY HAD WE NOT HEARD THE SOUND AND HAD THE GARAGE DOOR OPEN. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS BEEN CONTACTED.
The vehicle has a steering problem resulting from the pin.
The contact owns a 2008 MERCEDES BENZ GL450. The contact stated their vehicle had a warning light that stated the seat belt on the passenger side had failed. The vehicle was included in a recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) could cause additional issues with the vehicle's seat belt. The contact took the vehicle to a certified mechanic who was unable to diagnose the failure. The vehicle had not been repaired for the seat belt. The manufacturer was not made aware. The approximate failure was unknown. The contact also stated that the 3rd row seat will not go down all the way and the issue also pops up on the dashboard.
STEERING WHEEL DON'T WORK PROPER WAY HOW SHOULD BE. STEERING WHEEL GETTING FROZEN WHEN IS VEHICLE DRIVING.NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID # 08V682000
WHEN YOU ARE DRIVING THE CAR IT SHAKES THE ENTIRE CAR. IT DRIVES NORMAL FOR A WHILE AND THEN IT SHAKES AGAIN. IT HAS NOT STOPPED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. THE CONTACT BOUGHT THE VEHICLE TWO MONTHS AGO. WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE SHUT OFF SUDDENLY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED IN ORDER TO BE COASTED SAFELY TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT CALLED FERGUSON SUPERSTORE (1601 N ELM PL, BROKEN ARROW, OK 74012, (918) 258-1800) AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE THE TOOLS TO CHECK A MERCEDES-BENZ AND ADVISED THE CONTACT TO CONSULT WITH A MERCEDES DEALER. THE CONTACT WAS CURRENTLY SCHEDULING AN APPOINTMENT WITH A MERCEDES DEALER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.
THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION HAS FAILED, THE TRUCK IS SITTING LOW THE AIR COMPRESSOR BLEW INTO PIECES FROM WORKING TO HARD. THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES AIRMATIC SHOCKS ON MANY DIFFERENT MODEL... PLEASE HELP US ,THIS SHOULD BE A RECALL.. I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 45000 MILES ON MY TRUCK.
AT LOW SPEEDS LIKE BACKING UP OR PULLING INTO DRIVEWAY THE STEERING BECOMES VERY HARD TO TURN.
VEHICLE KEEPS LOSING AIR, STEERING WHEEL HARD TO TURN, CAR LEANING TO RIGHT SIDE, AIRBAG LIGHTS KEEPS COMING ON, THE CAR LOOSES POWER WHEN TURNING. DURING THE NIGHT CAR WILL LOWER IT SELF. ABS WILL COME ONE, SMELL SMOKE. WAS TOLD BY DEALER I HAVE LEAKS IN THE ENGINE, HAD TO REPAIR SUSPENSION, AND DIFFERENT STRUTS AND PARTS WHILE DURING WARRANTY AND AFTER SPENDING THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS. I NOTIFIED MBUSA, AND APPARENTLY THIS CAR HAS BEEN HAVING AIRBAGS AND SUSPENSION ISSUES REPAIRED BEFORE I BOUGHT IT, THE PREVIOUS OWNER HAS BEEN DOING THE SAME REPAIRS. WITHIN A MONTH OF REPAIRING ON THING, THE CAR STARTS TO LEAN TO RIGHT, MAKE NOISE, LEAK FLUIDS FROM WHO KNOWS WHERE.
THE TRAILER HITCH HAS BEEN RECALLED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V242000 : MB RECALL # 2008-050004 MB TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETIN # 2008050004C. MERCEDES BENZ (CHRISTIAN TREIBER VP CUSTOMER SERVICE THRU ERICK [LAST NAME REFUSED] EXECUTIVE REFERRAL MANAGER) HAVE IN WRITING DENIED MY REQUEST TO RECOGNIZE THE NEED TO REPAIR MY TRAILER HITCH ACCORDING TO THEIR RECALL AND TSB DENYING THAT THERE IS A RECALL.
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 87 owner-reported complaints for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class are steering (28 reports), suspension (6 reports), unknown or other (4 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.