Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class Complaints

329 consumer complaints on file.

#11750504July 15, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am reporting a severe drivability and engine failure issue with my vehicle. The vehicle has been exclusively maintained by authorized Mercedes-Benz service centers. Immediately following a scheduled 60,000-mile (Schedule B/C) maintenance, the Check Engine Light began cycling on and off. The vehicle simultaneously developed severe drivability symptoms: the engine ran extremely rough, and acceleration became erratic and "jumpy." This unpredictable power delivery and hesitation poses a significant safety hazard when accelerating or merging in traffic. I immediately returned the vehicle to the service center to report the issue. The dealership has now retained my vehicle for over 20 days and diagnosed that the cylinder head requires complete replacement. Despite this catastrophic failure occurring immediately after their maintenance procedures, the dealership is holding me financially responsible for the repair costs because the vehicle is past the 4-year/50,000-mile warranty. My vehicle remains immobilized at the dealership."
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11750673July 15, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL
The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the warning lights turned off one after the other and the instrument cluster independently powered off. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 89,669.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11748081July 2, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sunroof glass exploded without warning while driving at highway speed. Glass shards poured throughout the vehicle including on the driver, potentially putting the vehicle and other vehicles in danger.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746825June 26, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
The instrument cluster would fail intermittently, the speedometer would be my accurate speed, and then suddenly 0. Same for RPMs, gas, etc. Then after a period of time they would work again. Some times is was just oscillating back and forth between the failure modes. My blinkers would be on, but the instrument cluster and "click" would be out of sync. The "hold" feature that would hold the break was unavailable during the error state. All the instrument cluster lights would be blinking on and off rapidly. (have video)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11746252June 24, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
On 2 separate occasions (August 2025 & February 2026), the car has had a "transmission malfunction" light come on while driving on the highway around 65-70 mph. The light comes on and immediately loses ability to accelerate. Both times the car was towed to Greensboro Mercedes. The first time they did not do anything because they didn't know what to do and it had "reset" itself. The second time they discovered that it needed a software update. Mercedes does NOT have the update that is needed. We tried going through the lemon law process but Mercedes Corporate came back with an answer of it hasn't happened enough times and a remedy has not been attempted enough times. They have NOT attempted to fix it because they DO NOT have a fix. This IS NOT SAFE for my daughter to drive. This is her car and it has been in the shop since February 2026. We purchased the car from Bob King Mercedes in Wilmington, NC as a certified pre-owned in 2024. Both dealerships have been great to work with and stand by me that it is not safe for her to drive, while corporate has dismissed it and said it is safe to drive and threatened that we'll have to pay lot rental if we don't pick it up. The dealership assured me that they would not charge lot rental as they side with me on not driving it until fixed. I do not want my [XXX] daughter to drive a car that will randomly stop working on the highway! We bought the car so I'd have peace of mind about her safety and we have now been without the car for 4 months due to this safety issue. Please give me guidance on what to do. She paid around $45,000 for a car that she can't even drive now. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11745674June 22, 2026
ENGINE, FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
I am filing a complaint regarding my 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. My vehicle recently triggered a check engine light and was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with code P052E, related to the positive crankcase ventilation regulator valve / crankcase ventilation system. My mechanic advised that this issue appears to be similar to a known Mercedes-Benz issue affecting other model years and/or related Mercedes models. Mercedes-Benz has issued an emissions extended warranty/service coverage for a similar crankcase ventilation / intake line assembly issue on other vehicles, including fault code P052E71. However, my vehicle does not appear to be included despite having the same or very similar failure code and system issue. I am concerned that this may be a broader defect affecting additional Mercedes vehicles beyond the models currently covered. The issue involves the crankcase ventilation/PCV system and may require repair of related intake line, valve cover, oil separator, or ventilation valve components. I believe this should be reviewed because owners of vehicles with the same failure pattern may be responsible for costly repairs even though the issue appears similar to one Mercedes has already acknowledged on other models. I am requesting that NHTSA review whether 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 vehicles should be included in any related recall, defect investigation, emissions warranty extension, or service campaign related to code P052E / P052E71 and the crankcase ventilation regulator valve system.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11743847June 13, 2026
STRUCTURE:BODY, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, ENGINE
Cowl vent grille openings allowed normal environmental debris to accumulate, plug drainage and divert water onto electrical components and potentially result in a fire if not addressed. Some of the debris passes through into the hvac system and cannot be cleaned without dealer removal/repair of the hvac motor, which costs the customer more than $500 in repairs and disincentivizes mitigation. Furthermore, Mercedes is aware of the problem, has not issued a customer satisfaction recall, and instead, is charging customers more than $1,000 to install a plastic protective shield to prevent accumulation of debris, clogged water management, and risk of fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11741006May 30, 2026
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
The vehicle experienced a sudden, total communication network crash on [XXX] the vehicle simultaneously triggered cascading critical safety system faults including “ inoperable” messages for the SOS system, Supplemental Restraint System ( SRS) and antilock brake system(ABS) along with check engine light on dashboard. The car locked itself in park and completely refuses to engage any drive gears. I took it to the dealer in Henderson, NV and they reported to me on Dec 24, 2025 that it will be a $1200 diagnostic and the repairs can be thousands of dollars. Since then I have taken it to 5 European and independent shops and have spent thousands of dollars for guess work. This happens sporadically I have been broken down where tow trucks have to retrieve my car and take to a shop where they have no clue of the issue. I am scared to drive it if it stalls on the streets and have a major accident. No problem has been resolved INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11738687May 19, 2026
TIRES, TIRES:TREAD/BELT
Tire size 235/40 R20. Both front tires extremely worn in an uneven way with 1 having metal showing. Discout Tire in Lafayette, IN inpected and stated, "Lucky to be alive given how dangerous it is to drive on tires with metal exposed." Ordered new tires. Wouldn't even let us leave the parking lot due to safety. Used spare tire we carry to get home. Michelin denied the warranty claim due to improper servicing. No warning alerts. Vehicle was recently serviced by Mercedes of Lafayette on 3-34-26. Collected payment and handed my wife the key without volunteering ANY issue of ANY kind. Wife questioned if they even check the warning alert about brakes. Stated brake pads were in the yellow. Riding in the vehicle several days later, I noticed a loud road noise. Could not initially detect any obvious damage like a nail. Sound persisted. Stopped again. Turned steering wheel to expose the inner part of the tires. Zero tread and sharp metal exposed. Immediately took to Discount Tire. Confirmed OBVIOUS alignment issue causing uneven wear. Shocked Mercedes didn't fix the issue, and didn't alert us about the dangerous situation. Midas fixed alignment $122. Dealer & MB USA hq were notified. Neither made ANY effort to make things right in over 1mon. Dealer violated Indiana Code 9-19-18-3. Maker not doing proper quality control checks. Filing small claims court case about this issue as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11737726May 13, 2026
TIRES:TREAD/BELT, TIRES
Tire size is 235/40 R20. Both front tires were extremely worn in an uneven way with 1 having metal showing. Discount Tire inspected the tires and stated that we were, "Lucky to be alive given how dangerous it is to drive on tires worn so badly with metal exposed." Discount Tire in Lafayette, IN inspected the tires. We ordered new tires that would take at least a day to be shipped. Wouldn't even let us leave their parking lot with the car in the condition it was in due to safety concerns. Luckily, we carry a spare, and were able to use that to get home. Michelin reviewed the warranty claim submitted by Discount Tire, and denied the claim due to improper servicing. No warning alerts. The main issue is that the vehicle was recently serviced by the Mercedes dealer in Lafayette, IN on 3-24-26. They collected the payment and handed my wife the key. They did not volunteer ANY issue of ANY kind. She questioned if they even checked the warning alert about the brakes. They stated that the brake pads were in the yellow, and needed to eventually be changed, but it could wait. Several days later, I was riding in the vehicle and noticed a loud road noise. Could not initially detect any damage to the outer/visible areas of the tires such as a nail. But the sound persisted. When we stopped again, I turned the steering wheel to expose the inner part of the tires. There was zero tread on the inside of the driver front tire with sharp metal exposes. Immediately took the car to Discount Tire. They confirmed it was an OBVIOUS alignment issue causing the uneven wear. Shocked Mercedes didn't fix the problem. Should have never given us the key back due to the high level of danger. Midas fixed the alignment $120. Both the dealer and MB USA hq were notified. Neither made any effort to make things right in over a month. Dealer clearly violated Indiana Code 9-19-18-3. The maker is not doing the proper quality control checks. Filing a small claims court case as well.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11734452April 28, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER, VISIBILITY/WIPER
On the morning of April 28, 2026, at approximately 7:30 AM, I discovered that the front panel of the panoramic sunroof on my 2015 Mercedes-Benz GLA45 AMG had spontaneously shattered while the vehicle was parked at my residence in Meridian, Idaho. When I went out to the vehicle in the morning, I found glass fragments distributed across the rear seat area, the rear floor, and my child's car seat. Looking up, I saw that the front panoramic glass panel had shattered. My husband and I conducted a complete walk-around inspection of the vehicle exterior. We found no evidence of any external impact: no damage to the roof surface, body panels, surrounding trim, or any other glass on the vehicle. There was no debris (rocks, branches, hailstones, construction materials, or any other potential impact source) on top of, beneath, in or around the vehicle. The rear panoramic glass panel was intact. Glass fragments were present both inside the cabin and on the exterior surface of the roof and a few fragments were found on the roadway. The car seat where glass fragments fell is regularly occupied by my [XXX] daughter. On this particular morning, she was not in the vehicle only because of a coincidental change in our family's schedule that day, but typically she gets into her carseat independently, buckles herself, and I check her buckles. Thankfully, she was not injured but her car seat now has glass fragments in the seat. I am filing this complaint to document the incident in support of NHTSA's ongoing collection of safety data for consumers. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11732038April 18, 2026
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Panoramic sunroof fails to open/ close evenly due to plastic track failure. One side binds while the other moves, causing glass to tilt and jam. Risk of glass shattering, sudden detachment, distraction while driving, and water intrusion affecting airbags/electronics.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11729834April 8, 2026
ENGINE
I recently purchased my vehicle with under 30k miles in July of 2026. Not long after my purchase my car began roughly idling with a blinking check engine light, and soon after the engine began misfiring. This also cause loss of power when attempting to accelerate creating dangerous conditions in high traffic/fast paced areas. After lots of research I found several reports of owners with cylinder failures. The dealership only responded to fixing the issue after calling them out directly on the issue.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11727233March 26, 2026
POWER TRAIN, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA250. The contact stated that while his wife was stopped at a traffic light and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle shut off unexpectedly, and the gear shifter ceased. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the ABS sensors and transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, and the ABS sensor was replaced. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the vehicle could be traded. The manufacturer requested a buyback, but the request was denied. The approximate failure mileage was 18,500.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11725944March 20, 2026
ENGINE
I own a 2022 Mercedes Benz GLA 250 2022. in [XXX], it was pouring rain and I was driving from [XXX] to attain [XXX] to drive home. It was pouring that night and driving conditions were horrible. I was in the middle lane driving roughly 55-65 mph. about 15 minutes into my drive a light on dash came " engine chip malfunction" and the car died. I couldn't do anything and I tried to coast to the shoulder as best as I could. Driving on [XXX] is dangerous enough, nevermind having an engine failure. I placed my emergency light on and coasted to the emergency shoulder to the right of me. The engine failed. I couldn't do anything. I turned off and called Mercedes of Danbury CT. I told that I was in trouble and explained what just had happened. I was in the car. The young said she never of something of the sort. I mentioned to her that I had an appoint to have the transmission fluid and I want them to look into this immediately. I waited on the shoulder for 15 minutes and turned the car back. The engine light failure was gone. I slowly merged into the right with my emergency lights and people actually moved over to let me back in. I had about 40 minute drive. The irony of that call with with danbury, they offered no assistance at that moment of despair. They had no idea how scared I was, not to mention the car dying gain. I was able to get home and pull into the garage. The car did not repeat that incident again. The next morning, I drove to work and back, no issues. that went on until I brought it in on 12/15 for a transmission fluid oil change. I spoke to the concierge at the dealer and repeated to them to look at the car for this engine chip malfunction. He told me not worry, all will be taken of. I called later that same and asked them about the vehicle and status (it was 3:15 in the afternoon, I dropped the car off at 7:30). I arrived at 5 and nothing was done. I waited another hour. Please attached. so much has happened. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (F
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11722491March 6, 2026
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
I pulled into a parking space, cars on each side of me and car in front of me had pulled through the space to park. As I eased into the space, foot on brake, the car violently shook and surged forward, smashing into the rear of the car in front of me. The car continued to shake then moved to the left and crashed into the car in front of me to the left. The car that I hit in the rear was pushed into a car passing by them. So 4 cars involved due to this major malfunction. When the car stopped, I was able to put it in reverse and back up. I could not have done what happened on own. I had no control over the vehicle. Brakes were mush. My Mercedes also has a safety feature where if I get too close to a car, it will brake on its own. Red & yellow lights were flashing, the car shook during the entire event until it came to a stop. My insurance carrier, State Farm, had the car towed to the Mercedes dealership. The service technician saw no codes, therefore, they say nothing is wrong with the car. I know that cars do not always throw codes. I googled what my car did and it is a thing. The article gives suggestions as to what can be checked, but Mercedes refuses to check anything since no codes were there. State Farm asked to me ask for the black box info (Event Data Recorder), however, Mercedes refuses. The car is unsafe to drive. If it happened once, it will absolutely happen again. State Farm is having the car towed to a different body shop today, as Mercedes body shop is price gouging. I do not want to drive the car until they find out what happened and they keep telling me there's nothing wrong with the car. It is a safety hazard. Next time it happens, it could be a person in front, rather than a car. Can you help me? Photos show skid marks where the brakes were useless.
Crash:
Yes
Fire:
No
Injuries:
1
Deaths:
0
#11720771February 26, 2026
ENGINE
Why is the Crankcase Ventilation System P052E Code (PCV) covered in most Mercedes models, but not the GLA? This is an expensive repair that seems to cover other cars but penalizes GLA owners just to have a safe car to drive like the other models. I strongly believe GLA should be on the recall list for the matter, as it is dangerous to drive on the road, especially for those who cannot afford to fix it for upwards of $1,500 to $2000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11718290February 16, 2026
SUSPENSION, POWER TRAIN
unkown available for inspection cylinder misfiring ,stalling loss of power while driving, jerking during accelerations rough unstable idle intense vehicle vibrations yes took in for service A and D no other lights appeared beside service A and D
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11716914February 10, 2026
AIR BAGS
I came out from work. Got in my car and started it and went to make a three-point turn to go the opposite direction on a quiet back street in the airbag deployed halfway through and blew up in my face, causing my hands to be hurt and difficulty with breathing.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11715960February 5, 2026
ENGINE, SERVICE BRAKES
Component/System: Engine cooling and lubrication system. Coolant was found mixing with engine oil (milky oil), indicating internal engine failure (I was informed it could be oil cooler/housing, thermostat, head gasket, or related components). Vehicle is currently at an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership and available for inspection. The front left inner lining of my front break pad also "failed" inspection and the other 3 front break pads say "caution" and I never received a notification or warning about my breaks. Safety Risk: Coolant contamination of engine oil can cause sudden engine failure or loss of power without warning, creating a serious safety risk while driving, especially at highway speeds. There was no indication that engine oil was mixing with coolant, check engine light failed to illuminate/ no diagnostic warning illuminated. The condition was discovered incidentally during routine maintenance, which prevented any opportunity for corrective action prior to the failure. Confirmation: The condition was confirmed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership during routine maintenance. The dealership stated the failure was not caused by owner misuse.Inspection: Vehicle has been inspected by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership (manufacturer representative). No police or insurance inspection occurred, as there was no accident or external event. Warnings/Symptoms: No check engine light or diagnostic warning ever illuminated. The issue was discovered incidentally after I received a low battery voltage notification and a routine maintenance reminder indicating service was due in approximately 1,000 miles, which I arranged promptly. The manufacturer will not perform full diagnostic teardown to determine the root cause unless I pay approximately $3,000 out of pocket. Link to video: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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