The 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has 38 owner complaints with NHTSA across 4 component categories. Use this checklist before you put money down — every item below is grounded in the actual failure pattern on this vehicle, not generic advice.
1
Inspect the engine
What to look for: Blue smoke on cold start (oil burning), white smoke at temperature (coolant), knock or tick that doesn't go away after warm-up, oil spots under the vehicle. (10 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $3,100 · failures cluster ~103,000 mi)
On the test drive: Drive until the gauge reaches operating temp, then check temp stability under load on a hill. Surging or temp climbing under load = thermostat or water pump.
What to look for: Wandering on the highway, clunks when turning, slop in the wheel before the tires respond, power steering whine. (4 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $700 · failures cluster ~50,000 mi)
On the test drive: On a smooth highway, take hands off briefly (when safe) — vehicle should track straight. Pulling left or right means alignment or worn front-end parts.
What to look for: Pulsing brake pedal, pulling to one side when braking, squealing or grinding, soft pedal that goes to the floor. (3 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $450 · failures cluster ~31,500 mi)
On the test drive: Hard brake from 40 mph in a safe spot — pedal should be firm, stop should be straight. A pulse means warped rotors ($300–$600).
What to look for: Dim or flickering dash lights at idle, slow window operation, intermittent infotainment glitches, parasitic battery drain (dead battery after a few days parked). (3 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $850 · failures cluster ~57,000 mi)
On the test drive: Cycle through every electronic accessory during the drive — heated seats, defrosters, climate fan on max, cruise control. Glitches show up under load.
The seller's transparency on these tells you what kind of seller you're dealing with.
Inspection items derived from 38 owner complaints and 0 active recall campaigns filed
with NHTSA on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class. Category-specific guidance is written by ProblemsByVin contributors with ASE-certified mechanic
review. This checklist is meant to surface known patterns — it doesn't replace a paid pre-purchase inspection by a
qualified shop, which we recommend for any used vehicle priced over a few thousand dollars.