The 2015 Mercedes-Benz GL-Class has 34 owner complaints with NHTSA across 3 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. (9 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $3,100 · failures cluster ~105,077 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: Dim or flickering dash lights at idle, slow window operation, intermittent infotainment glitches, parasitic battery drain (dead battery after a few days parked). (4 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $850 · failures cluster ~33,500 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.
What to look for: Bouncing after bumps, knocking over potholes, sagging on one corner, harsh ride with all the dampening gone. (3 owner complaints on this vehicle
· typical repair $900 · failures cluster ~65,000 mi)
On the test drive: Drive over a series of bumps or a railroad crossing — clunks point to worn end links, ball joints, or strut mounts.
The seller's transparency on these tells you what kind of seller you're dealing with.
Inspection items derived from 34 owner complaints and 0 active recall campaigns filed
with NHTSA on the 2015 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.