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ProblemsByVin Index / 2018-MERCEDES-BENZ-GLA-CLASS / COMPLAINTS
Full complaint record · NHTSA

2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class owner complaints

46 complaints filed with NHTSA on this vehicle , including 2 reporting a crash, fire, injury, or fatality. Showing the 300 most recent — grouped by category for scanning.

electrical 7 complaints shown

9 total in this category · severe · avg repair $850 · see electrical cluster analysis →
12/18/2025 ODI #11705978.0

My vehicle has been taken to the Mercedes dealership multiple times from 2/24/25 -12/14/25 (10 Mths) for the following issues and still no resolution to the problem. Each time they say they've fixed the issues we get the car home and end up bringing it back a couple days later for the exact same issue. The issues being the Instrument Cluster/Panel failure (check engine light, multiple warning lights on display while driving, dash display is blacking out and unresponsive). The speedometer, fuel amount and mileage is also blacked out and unresponsive. The headlights, and tail lights also go off and are unresponsive while driving. We've also experienced the vehicle not going in reverse or drive and had to return it multiple times for this as well. These incidents are very serious safety hazar

11/17/2018 11,100 mi Fire ODI #11152194.0

At 1:10 am the 2018 Mercedes benz gla spontaneously caught fire. The car was parked in my garage and had not been used in over 6 hours. The car had 11,000 miles on it. It was last serviced by mb of coconut creek one month earlier for the routine 10k service. The only problem we had with the car was once the air-conditioning failed to work. I believe the mb dealership said it was a faulty relay. The car was only serviced by mb at the dealership where we bought the car. The ensuing fire consumed my garage and destroyed my house. Eventually the fire hit our fuse box cutting the power to the home. The loss of electricity woke me up. I heard a strange noise and investigated. I saw my house on fire and woke everyone up and we escaped unharmed. Representatives from Mercedes and my ho

10/20/2025 45,695 mi ODI #11694586.0

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, various warning lights, including the check engine, TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), oil, and other warning lights, were intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test; however, no faults were found with the vehicle. The contact stated that the sunroof failed to completely close; because of the failure, water was leaking inside the vehicle during inclement weather. In addition, the air bag warning light had also become illuminated. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the contact was promised a call back. The failure mileage was 45,695.

10/19/2022 ODI #11489970.0

My backup camera doesn’t work at least half the time. The screen is completely black when I start the car, and the radio doesn’t even come on until I’ve been driving for about 15 minutes. The car does not charge either of my phones even with the cord provided by Mercedes that links to the screen. I depend on that for navigation, and the screen remains black. Since the phone won’t charge either, it runs out of charge quickly when trying to use it by itself for navigation.

10/04/2022 ODI #11487923.0

The Battery keeps draining, appears to be a design defect. Vehicle model Mercedes GLA250 - 2018 Battery light came ON and car needed a jump start, take it to the dealer. Per dealer vehicle failed to crank and failed load test. Battery was removed and replaced on 20 July 2021. Miles 20,153. Invoice #417618 Again on 17 - 18th May 2022 (odometer reading 23,961) car failed to crank. Called road side assistance (Call # 2-28496306974) . Battery was replaced "under warranty" Ordered Battery Tender (trickle charger) from Amazon, and on 25 May 2022 take it to the nearby mechanic to install Pre-wired to battery to enable Battery charger connection. Keep on using Battery charger to save from Draining the battery all the way. Have been doing this almost once every month.

09/15/2023 ODI #11544654.0

Subject: Urgent: Electrical Issues Causing Frequent Dashboard crashes I hope this email finds you well. I am writing to bring to your attention a recurring problem with my vehicle's electrical system, specifically the dashboard. Over the past few days, I have been experiencing frequent crashes where the dashboard turns off and on intermittently, rendering various functions inoperable. This issue has become increasingly problematic as it affects the proper functioning of essential components such as the speedometer, fuel gauge, temperature display, and other vital indicators. As a result, it has become difficult to monitor the vehicle's performance and ensure a safe driving experience. I have made several attempts to troubleshoot the issue, including checking the fuses, battery connecti

08/31/2025 ODI #11684208.0

My vehicle electrical panel is messed up can not read the driver panel the sunroof electrical also is not working the driver seat chair electrical stopped working and ever since the sunroof n chair started giving me issues my front panels started to go haywire went to dealer ship cost n repair are over 4K for the panel sunroof 4-8k chair another 1-3k I regularly maintain my vehicle and should not be having these issues with the gentle care I give my car I can no longer drive it as it has major issues electrical and no one will buy it from me.

powertrain 3 complaints shown

6 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $2,500 · see powertrain cluster analysis →
11/25/2024 59,762 mi ODI #11627247.0

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA250. The contact stated while his mother was driving 45 MPH, the message that reverse was not available was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle shifted into neutral independently and the ABS inadvertently engaged. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the wheel center and transmission needed to be replaced. The wheel center was replaced; however, the transmission was not repaired or replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V033000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 59,762.

11/18/2024 ODI #11625915.0

I was driving on the freeway and the transmission shifted into neutral and the car lost power. The Red malfunction lights came on and said transmission malfunction, DO NOT SHIFT, STOP driving immediately, contact dealer. There is a class action lawsuit and a RECALL on the 2019 GLA 250 transmission of this car (mine is 2018 GLA 250) Mercedes customer service is telling me that my VIN is not included and I would like it to be included The NHTSA recall number for the 2019 cars is #21V033000 I was told by Mercedes that for this to be considered as part of the recall i would need an NHTSA inspector to see the car BEFORE i have any repair work done

10/28/2024 40,000 mi ODI #11622356.0

The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA250. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the transmission unintendedly shifted to neutral. No warning light was illuminated; however, the message "Transmission Error" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. A dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

engine 2 complaints shown

9 total in this category · moderate · avg repair $3,100 · see engine cluster analysis →
11/14/2022 ODI #11493542.0

In July 2022 I was a few miles from my home when the cluster starting showing warning lights. It started scrolling inoperative power brakes, inoperative steering and inoperative parking. Also the cluster was completely lit up. I turned the car around and put it in my garage. This is where the issues really started. The car would not go into park or turn off. I sat with my foot on the brake for 30 minutes trying to continue turning the car off or put in park. I finally had my wife take the key and walk 1/8 mile away before the care would turn off. I had the car flat bedded to Mercedes of Cherry Hill. They had the car for several days. They called me and asked if the car was flooded or hit. I told them no to either. I explained how the car is garage kept. I was talking to my mech

08/16/2024 ODI #11608936.0

Positive Crankcase Ventilation Regulator Valve - Code P052E This Recall are mentioned for other models with same year 2017 - 2020 But why not for GLA250. it's same problem and Dealer quote me $1500 - $2000 for Repair [XXX] Following threads prove there's lot of owners with same issue. [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

body 2 complaints shown

10/28/2025 ODI #11696092.0

Dear NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 (VIN: [XXX] ). On October 28, 2025, while driving southbound on Interstate 5 near the Zamora Exit in California at approximately 8:15 a.m., the fully closed moonroof of my vehicle spontaneously shattered. There was no impact, debris, or external cause, and the vehicle was operated under normal conditions. The incident was extremely frightening and created a serious safety hazard while driving at freeway speed. I began shaking uncontrollably and immediately called my manager to report that I could not come into work due to shock. I also contacted my mother to help calm me down. Vehicle Details: VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 90,XXX miles Purchase: Approximately 5 years ago at Fairfie

09/29/2022 ODI #11487062.0

While driving the vehicle on the highway the front panel immediately in front of the panoramic roof was ripped off. The glue holding the panel in place was defective and is a known issue that currently has a recall out issued by Mercedes Benz. However the vin of our vehicle does not fall under the recall per my conversation with a MB rep. Mercedes Benz knows that this is a problem and will not add this vehicle to the recall. The glue holding the panel down is known to become weakened due to sun exposure. No lights on the dash are associated with this issue. The panel could have ripped off and hit a vehicle traveling behind us and caused an accident.

other 2 complaints shown

10/19/2021 ODI #11437378.0

I got home and while waiting for my garage to open the panoramic sunroof explode and shatter with no reason, luckily it did not happened in the freeway, I read that happens before to a pilot. The dealer wants to charge $250.00 just to check a broken sunroof and wont accept the defect.

09/14/2025 ODI #11687218.0

This vehicle has a transmission control module defect. While driving, the car cuts off unexpectedly and prevents shifting gears, creating a serious safety risk that could easily cause an accident. A certified Mercedes-Benz dealer diagnosed the problem and confirmed it is an internal defect—one that cannot be prevented by regular maintenance or proper care of the vehicle. Because this is an internal issue, Mercedes-Benz should take immediate responsibility to repair it, rather than delaying or shifting accountability.

suspension 1 complaint shown

12/04/2018 2,256 mi Crash ODI #11155898.0

You would always need to think and search where you are going to invest your money regardless of car brand name... Yes, non of the (8) airbags equipped in my brand new 2018 car, as claimed by Mercedes benz (distributed in various locations within the car), along with the modern sophisticated safety technology as claimed, has been activated/deployed during that car accident to prevent severe pain for my wife who was rushed that day to a hospital for intensive medical care. After their engineering crew investigations, mb usa company provides ridiculous and unprofessional explanations on why airbags where not activated/deployed during the accident, which was almost about causing the car to be flipped over. I'm left now for paying soar medical expenses and car repair cost.

wheels 1 complaint shown

10/27/2017 ODI #11040373.0

The problem is when travelling at low speeds or stop the car to halt able to hear a noise from the rear end. Like a metal hitting another metal. It has been only 1 month I bought the car and 1300miles on it. The car is making really loud noise when stopped and hear it properly. It is making cling cling noise. I really worried about this issue. I almost observe everyday.

steering 1 complaint shown

10/05/2020 68,000 mi ODI #11362772.0

Tl* the contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-benz gla250. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated on the instrument panel. Over time, the steering wheel started making an abnormal clicking sound while driving at various speeds. The contact also stated that the electrical features on the steering ceased to operate as needed. The contact took the vehicle to atlanta classic cars (1705 boggs rd nw, duluth, ga 30096) where it remained in the possession of the dealer while waiting to be diagnosed. Upon investigation, an independent mechanic informed the contact of NHTSA campaign number: 17v627000 (air bags) which she linked to the failure however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approx

Showing 300 of 46 total complaints. The full federal record is available at nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Mercedes-Benz/GLA-Class#complaints.
Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) owner complaint database. Last synced 2026-06-14. Complaints are owner-submitted and unverified — the existence of a complaint is not proof of a defect, but a pattern of complaints around the same component is a signal worth weighing. Verify any specific filing at nhtsa.gov.
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