Which Mercedes-Benz GLE years should you avoid?

2020 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mercedes-Benz GLE model year measured over an identical 60-month window.

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

2018 is the best-scoring Mercedes-Benz GLE model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLE have?

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

Which Mercedes-Benz GLE years to avoid

Across 5 scored model years, the 2020 model year carries the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Mercedes-Benz GLE Full report

Grade 2016–2021

2020 vs model median 2.2×

Model median3× median

Electrical 22

Driver Assist 20

Engine 16

Avoid

2020

Best

2017 · 2018

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 GLE
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2016	1.00×	57	B
2017	0.80×	43	B
2018	0.58×	29	A
2020	2.23×	119	D
2021	1.52×	70	C
2022 P	1.05×	66	B
2023 P	0.60×	38	A
2024 P	0.91×	45	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.

2020 D 119 reports · median 10,000 mi

Electrical 22

Have had into dealership multiple times for radio/backup camera /navigation screen goes blank and does not appear for sometimes up to 1-2 days car had been turned off prior. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Driver Assist 20

We were driving our mercedes gle 350 on I 80 near mile marker 203.1, ohio on 7/11/2020 at 7 AM. It was raining a bit in morning. The lane departure assist was on, and it was turning green and gray continuously. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Engine 16

The contact owns a 2020 mercedes benz GLE350. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light or at a stop sign, the vehicle stalled. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 3 fire · 6 injuries

2021 C 70 reports · median 6,500 mi

Engine 20

We bought our vehicle -2021 mercedes-benz gle 350 - on january 12th and three days later we noticed that half of the mbux dual screen was black and inoperable. The car was in service 10 days. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Electrical 16

The 48v battery after driving new vehicle only 230 miles goes dead. The auto will not start and cannot be jump started. Result is being stranded roadside. Required a tow. owner complaint filed with NHTSA
Driver Assist 7

Many times while driving a warning pops up in the driver interface that the camera view is restricted, including an icon implying that the AEB system is "unavailable." funny thing is there is never any obstruction of… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

8 crash · 3 fire · 14 injuries

The best year for the GLE

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

2018 is the best-scoring GLE model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Best-scoring model years
Year	vs median	Reports	Grade
2018	0.58×	29	A
2017	0.80×	43	B
2016	1.00×	57	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 2020 were reported at a median of 10,000 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 GLE years should you avoid?: 2020 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Mercedes-Benz GLE model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Mercedes-Benz GLE?: 2018 is the best-scoring Mercedes-Benz GLE model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 85.4 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Mercedes-Benz GLE have?: 0 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Mercedes-Benz GLE 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 2020 GLE

Complaints in window: 119
Severity-weighted: 191
Model median (weighted): 85
vs model median: 2.23×
Recall campaigns (weighted): 0
Open investigations: 0

Score 44.2 D