Which Mercedes-Benz GLC years should you avoid?

2016 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mercedes-Benz GLC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

What is the best year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC?

2019 is the best-scoring Mercedes-Benz GLC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 82.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLC have?

0 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Mercedes-Benz GLC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

Which Mercedes-Benz GLC years to avoid

Across 6 scored model years, the 2016 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Mercedes-Benz GLC Full report

Grade 2016–2021

2016 vs model median 2.0×

Model median3× median

Brakes 26

Engine 20

Airbags & Restraints 16

Avoid

2016

Best

2019 · 2020

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Severity-weighted complaint volume and grade by model year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2016	1.97×	109	D
2017	1.31×	66	C
2018	0.88×	42	B
2019	0.70×	39	B
2020	0.96×	52	B
2021	1.04×	67	B
2022 P	1.52×	83	C
2023 P	1.63×	100	C
2024 P	0.56×	33	A
2025 P	0.81×	32	B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2016 D 109 reports · median 12,000 mi

Brakes 26

The contact owns a 2016 mercedes-benz glc 300. While driving and depressing the brake pedal, the contact heard a squealing noise coming from the brakes. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 20

Starter motor failure in "eco start" mode at intersection. Was in an intersection when car stalled and threw a code. Starter motor had to be replaced in full. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Airbags & Restraints 16

The seatbelt latch for the rear seats retract into the body of the car and then can't be used. This happened twice now and each time a rear seat occupant had to ride without a seatbelt . owner complaint filed with NHTSA

15 crash · 3 fire · 10 injuries

2017 C 66 reports · median 7,500 mi

Engine 15

The contact owns a 2017 mercedes-benz GLC300. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 17v114000 (electrical system, engine and engine cooling). owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Airbags & Restraints 10

Vehicle had frontal impact with other car on local road. The vehicle airbags on passenger side inflated and deflated completely different compared to the driver side airbag. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 9

The engine suddenly went up in flames while driving,my wife switched off the ignition and go out of the car. There was a big hole and mercedes authorized dealer siad this is a catastrophic event. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

9 crash · 6 fire · 5 injuries

The best year for the GLC

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2019 is the best-scoring GLC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 82.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2019	0.70×	39	B
2020	0.96×	52	B
2018	0.88×	42	B

Recalls

No recall campaigns are on record for this model.

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2016 were reported at a median of 12,000 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Mercedes-Benz GLC years should you avoid?: 2016 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mercedes-Benz GLC model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Mercedes-Benz GLC?: 2019 is the best-scoring Mercedes-Benz GLC model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 82.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLC have?: 0 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Mercedes-Benz GLC model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2016 GLC

Complaints in window: 109
Severity-weighted: 172
Model median (weighted): 87
vs model median: 1.97×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 0
Open investigations: 1

Score 47.4 D