Takata recall there has been no accident but if there was it could be fatal. I live in a hot, humid area that is supposed to have the airbag replaced before other areas. My complaint is the parts have not been allocated for my car. Need it done!
2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class have filed 37 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
37
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2009 GL-Class | 13 |
| 2010 GL-Class | 29 |
| 2011 GL-Class | 55 |
| 2012 GL-Class (this page) | 37 |
| 2013 GL-Class | 3 |
1crash
2injuries
When does it fail?
Of the 37 airbags complaints filed for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Airbags accounts for 49% of every owner complaint on file for this vehicle — the dominant problem area across 6 categories tracked.
Owners have filed 37 airbags complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
The failure pattern owners describe
Thirty-seven complaints center on defective Takata airbag inflators covered by NHTSA recalls 16V081000 and 17V017000. One owner experienced a head-on collision in February 2015 where both steering wheel and leg airbags deployed; the deployment injured his hands, fingers, and knees. Critically, his right knee struck a switch mounted underneath the driver's seat, causing additional injury. That owner noted Mercedes later relocated this switch on subsequent vehicles, suggesting a design flaw in the original placement.
The dominant issue is a crippled recall remedy. Mercedes issued recall notices in February 2016, but replacement parts have remained unavailable. Owners report waiting 1–3 years with no resolution. Dealers cannot confirm when parts will arrive. Mercedes sent multiple notification letters promising part availability in March 2018, June 2019, and July 2018—none were met. Takata Holdings, the inflator supplier, filed bankruptcy during this period.
The fallout has been severe. Owners cannot sell or trade vehicles without massive value penalties—one owner's $75,000 car dropped to $16,000 due to the unresolved recall. International transfers are blocked. No loaner or rental cars were offered. One corporate contact allegedly dismissed owner concerns, saying no one had been "terribly injured" despite the known shrapnel risk. The combination of known danger and manufacturer inaction has left owners feeling stranded in unsafe vehicles.
Same Mercedes-Benz GL-Class airbags reports on nearby years: 2009 · 2010 · 2011
Failure modes owners describe
Takata Airbag Inflator Defect
Defective Takata airbag inflators subject to NHTSA recall campaigns 16V081000 and 17V017000. One confirmed deployment in a head-on collision caused injuries to the driver's hand, fingers, and knees. The defect involves risk of inflator rupture and metal fragment ejection during deployment.
When: Recall issued February 2016; one deployment occurred 02/03/2015
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed in collision and caused hand, finger, and knee injuries; Leg airbag deployment caused driver's knee to strike seat switch underneath driver seat; Risk of metal shrapnel from inflator rupture
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 16V081000, NHTSA Campaign 17V017000, NHTSA Campaign 16V061000
Repairs/costs cited: Replacement parts unavailable for extended periods; multiple owners reported waiting 1–3+ years for repair parts; some owners received multiple notification letters with changing availability dates (March 2018, June 2019, July 2018); dealers consistently unable to confirm part availability; Takata Holdings filed for bankruptcy during recall period
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz issued recall notices but could not provide replacement parts; stated parts unavailable; multiple delays in parts availability; one corporate contact allegedly told owner not to be concerned as no one was 'terribly injured' despite shrapnel risk; some owners received follow-up letters with estimated part-availability dates that were not met; no loaner or rental car alternatives offered by manufacturer
Unsafe Seat Switch Design (Secondary Injury Mechanism)
Driver's knee struck an underneath-seat switch during leg airbag deployment in collision, causing knee injury. Owner alleges design flaw in switch location and notes Mercedes later changed the location of this switch, suggesting prior design issue.
When: 02/03/2015 collision
Symptoms owners cite: Right knee struck seat switch during leg airbag deployment; Knee injury from contact with switch
Repairs/costs cited: Mercedes changed switch location in later model years
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes changed design/location of switch in subsequent vehicles; case opened with Mercedes-Benz (Case No. CA767053)
Prolonged Recall Non-Completion and Unavailable Parts
Widespread, sustained inability to complete recall repairs due to unavailable replacement parts. Recall issued February 2016; multiple owners report waiting 1–3+ years with no resolution. Owners report dealers unable to confirm when parts will arrive, contradicting manufacturer communications promising specific dates. Situation has trapped owners unable to sell vehicles, transfer ownership internationally, or trade-in vehicles without significant value penalties.
When: Recall notification: February 2016 onwards; complaints span 2016–2019
Symptoms owners cite: Recall parts unavailable for repair; Multiple notification letters with changing promised part-availability dates; Dealers unable to confirm part arrival dates; Vehicle trade-in values collapsed due to unresolved recall; Owners prevented from selling, trading, or transferring vehicles internationally due to open recall; Owner unable to transfer vehicle to Canada due to outstanding recall; 3-year delay in recall remedy with no end in sight
Codes mentioned: NHTSA Campaign 16V081000, NHTSA Campaign 17V017000
Repairs/costs cited: No repairs completed; parts unavailable; one owner reported vehicle trade-in value dropped from $75K to $16K due to unfixed recall and EPA issue
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz issued recall notices but informed owners parts were unavailable; provided multiple notification letters with estimated part-availability dates (March 2018, June 2019, July 2018) that were not met; stated unable to confirm when parts would become available; did not offer loaner or rental cars; one corporate contact allegedly dismissed owner concerns; Takata Holdings (parts supplier) filed bankruptcy during recall period
Synthesized from 37 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 16 most recent
Takata recall. Have not been able to replace air bag in my car yet because I have been told there is not a replacement yet. Here it is almost 2018.
Takata recall. Feb 09,2016 . Manufacturer recall number2018030011 NHTSA recall number16v081 why is the recall statusrecall incomplete/.remedy still not yet available???? I have not experienced any direct issue but want to know why iknown problem is not rectified?
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-benz gl350. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN…
Takata recall mb issued a recall for the passenger side takata airbag in feb 2016. We still have not had the airbag replaced. We can't use the vehicle due to risk of injury or death in even a minor accident resulting in the deployment of the faulty airbag with an inflator that could cause explosion of metal fragments impacting passengers. NHTSA recall number 16v081
Takata recall: contacted the company still no word on replacement of airbag
Takata recall: I have contacted Mercedes benz numerous times concerning the recall and I cannot get a straight answer. The last time (a few weeks ago by corporate) I was told that since they have had numerous airbags go off and no one was terribly injured (I.e. Shrapnel) not to be concerned about the recall. I have also been told that they cannot get the new parts. This is the story they are…
Tamara recall. I just went to trade in my 75k car for a new Mercedes.the salesperson told me my car was not worth but 16k because they could not even sell my car with the faulty airbags and the epa issue. I want to know why Mercedes let me drive my unsafe and now valueless car for 4 years without telling me. The salesman also told me when it gets 100k miles it will be worth nothing! What…
Takata recall
Takata recall on airbag and Mercedes dealership does not have parts to repair said airbag
Had airbags trouble with your 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2012 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class?
It's a meaningful issue. 37 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 37 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 53,567 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2012/Mercedes-Benz/GL-Class.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.