The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC350. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V365000 (Electrical System, Communication) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall…
2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class electrical problems
severe Owners of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class have filed 16 NHTSA complaints about the electrical at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Complaints
16
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2016 GLC-Class | 12 |
| 2017 GLC-Class | 17 |
| 2018 GLC-Class | 14 |
| 2019 GLC-Class (this page) | 16 |
| 2020 GLC-Class | 10 |
| 2022 GLC-Class | 8 |
| 2023 GLC-Class | 26 |
3fires
When does it fail?
Of the 16 electrical complaints filed for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-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
Among the 7 model years of Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class in our records for electrical problems, this one ranks #3 by owner-complaint volume.
Electrical accounts for 24% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 6 categories tracked.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 16 complaints paint a picture of pervasive electrical gremlins and critical safety failures in the 2019 GLC-Class. Two owners report spontaneous vehicle fires while parked—Mercedes-Benz blamed fuel leaks at the fuel rail or missing components but avoided acknowledging Recall 21V961000 despite matching symptoms. A separate complaint details unwarned interior water flooding from the firewall area into the driver's side, saturating electrical components and disabling the vehicle at 25,000 miles.
Loss of electrical power crops up repeatedly: one owner lost all motive power at 90 mph with a "Key Fob not Detected" message; the dealer could not diagnose the problem after ten visits. Another experienced battery overheating and burning odor while driving, triggering a shutdown warning. Unintended acceleration occurred on multiple occasions when a generic "Malfunction" warning appeared.
Secondary systems fail catastrophically. One owner received a vehicle missing its main control module ("brain"), rendering backup camera, Bluetooth, and infotainment inoperable. The COMAND infotainment system reboots every two minutes in another vehicle, blacking out the rear camera. Keyless-Go entry malfunctions; vehicles lock spontaneously or fail to unlock, trapping keys inside.
Multiple owners await completion of NHTSA Campaign 22V365000 (electrical/communication) months after notification—manufacturers promised over-the-air updates that never arrived, and dealers report recall parts unavailable. Service refusals and blame-shifting from dealerships appear in several narratives.
Same Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class electrical reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Keyless-Go entry malfunction and unintended locking
Keyless entry system fails to unlock vehicle; vehicle locks spontaneously without user action or fails to recognize keys present, preventing engine start.
When: Present from purchase; reported across multiple owner experiences
Symptoms owners cite: Keyless-Go entry fails to activate; Vehicle locks without being prompted; Vehicle fails to recognize keys inside, preventing operation; Keys locked inside vehicle
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership refused repairs; one owner reported dealership blamed operator error rather than mechanical fault
Spontaneous vehicle fire
Two distinct complaints report 2019 GLC300 vehicles catching fire while parked without warning. Mercedes-Benz cited missing components or fuel/electrical defects but denied recall applicability despite similarities to NHTSA Recall 21V961000.
When: While parked; May 22, 2025 and undated incident
Symptoms owners cite: Spontaneous combustion while parked; Fire originating in engine compartment; No prior warning
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicles destroyed by fire; one dealership refused to accept vehicle for inspection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Recall 21V961000 / Campaign 2022030003 (fuel leak at fuel rail/injector interface); Mercedes-Benz denied applicability; complained of loose ground connections increasing spark risk
Interior water intrusion into electrical system
Vehicle experienced unwarned water flooding from driver-side footwell area, saturating electrical components. Water entered via firewall where heater and A/C lines pass through; caused battery voltage issues and damaged voltage-limiting components.
When: At 25,000 miles; detected after starter failure
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle would not start; Battery voltage dip limiter failure; Electrical components flooded on driver side; Water pooling around firewall area where heater/A/C lines penetrate
Repairs/costs cited: Slow drip water detected in driver footwell; voltage dip limiter required replacement; battery replaced
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes referenced similar prior recalls for water leak leading to fire and limp-home mode
Missing control module at delivery
Vehicle sold with critical missing component—the main computer module (brain) that controls all vehicle systems. Backup camera, Bluetooth, infotainment console, and entire entertainment system were non-functional until repair.
When: At purchase; reported as pre-production vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Backup camera non-functional; Bluetooth non-functional; Music/infotainment console non-functional; All entertainment features non-functional
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle missing main computer system; required component installation for functionality
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Sales rep falsely claimed software update would arrive January 2, 2019; vehicle was not production-ready
Battery overheating and loss of motive power
Battery overheated while driving, creating abnormal burning odor detectable inside vehicle. Engine shut down with warning message, resulting in total loss of propulsion.
When: At approximately 40,000 miles; during acceleration from 15 to 60 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Abnormal burning odor inside vehicle; Odor originating from battery; Instrument panel warning: vehicle will shut off in 3 minutes; Loss of motive power; Vehicle stalled and shut down; Multiple unknown messages on instrument panel
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced
Loss of motive power at highway speed with key-fob detection failure
While driving at highway speed, vehicle displayed 'Key Fob not Detected' message and suddenly lost all power. Vehicle would not restart and exhibited no warning lights prior to failure. Failure could not be reproduced by dealer and recurred repeatedly despite multiple repair visits.
When: At 35,000 miles; while driving at 90 mph
Symptoms owners cite: Key Fob not Detected message displayed; Sudden loss of motive power; Vehicle failed to restart; No warning lights illuminated prior to failure
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle taken to dealer ten additional times; proper cause never determined
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified and case opened; root cause not identified
Unintended acceleration and loss of control
Vehicle displayed generic 'Malfunction' warning on screen, then experienced sudden unintended acceleration on multiple occasions without driver input. Loss of control and impaired drivability occurred, creating serious collision risk.
When: Unpredictable; occurred multiple times after initial malfunction warning
Symptoms owners cite: Generic 'Malfunction' warning on instrument display; Unintended acceleration on three or more occasions; Loss of control at certain times during driving; Nearly collided with front vehicle due to unintended acceleration; Impaired drivability
Transmission stuck in neutral, unable to shift from reverse to drive
Transmission malfunction prevented shifting from reverse into drive gear; transmission stuck in neutral during attempted 3-point turn, creating immediate safety hazard. Independent service center confirmed defect; owner discovered similar recall existed for 2020 model year but this vehicle excluded.
When: First appeared June 5; no prior warning
Symptoms owners cite: Unable to shift from reverse to drive; Transmission stuck in neutral; No warning lamps or messages prior to failure
Repairs/costs cited: Defect confirmed by independent service center; vehicle available for inspection
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: 2020 model year recall issued for same issue; 2019 model excluded from recall
Campaign 22V365000 recall repair delay and parts unavailability
Multiple owners received notification of NHTSA Campaign 22V365000 (Electrical System, Communication) but repair remained pending months beyond reasonable timeframe. Manufacturers initially promised over-the-air (OTA) updates that were never sent; dealers reported recall parts unavailable through normal distribution.
When: Complaints filed after notification received; delays exceeded reasonable repair timeframe
Symptoms owners cite: OTA update promised but not sent; Recall parts unavailable from dealer; Indefinite delay in recall completion
Codes mentioned: Campaign 22V365000
Repairs/costs cited: Parts distribution disconnect; OTA update pending indefinitely
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 22V365000 (Electrical System, Communication); manufacturers stated parts unavailable and exceeded reasonable repair timeframe
COMAND system rebooting and rear camera blackout
Infotainment and telematics system resets repeatedly while vehicle is in motion, causing rear camera feed to cut out (blackout). Auto on/off functionality impaired. System reboots every two minutes, creating safety hazard by disabling backup camera.
When: Recurring during driving
Symptoms owners cite: COMAND system turns off and reboots; Rear camera blacks out during reboots; Auto on/off function disabled; System reboots approximately every two minutes
Hazard warning lights displaying incorrect system status and unauthorized component installations
Vehicle displaying hazard lights indicating SRS system malfunction and projected contact that do not correspond to actual vehicle condition or owner's driver manual. Owner discovered unauthorized installations of Mercedes-branded navigation systems installed without permission or OTA update notification.
When: Discovered at unknown time; unauthorized installations date unclear
Symptoms owners cite: Hazard lights showing SRS system malfunction; Hazard lights showing projected contact; Incorrect hazard light indications not matching driver manual; Two unauthorized Mercedes navigation systems installed
Repairs/costs cited: Unauthorized component installations; owner has serial numbers
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Mercedes-Benz has not responded to owner safety information requests
Synthesized from 16 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 4 most recent
Tl* the contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-benz gl350. The contact stated that while driving and accelerating from approximately 15 MPH to 60 MPH, there was an abnormal burning odor inside of the vehicle. A message displayed on the instrument panel instructed the driver that the vehicle would shut-off within 3 minutes. The contact stated that the vehicle loss motive power, stalled and shut-off with…
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated while driving 90 MPH, he received a message displaying "Key Fob not Detected," and the vehicle suddenly lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure.…
The command system keeps turning off and rebooting while driving. Sometime it makes the rear camera don’t work(blackout), auto on/off does not work, it happens about every two minutes making it dangerous.
Had electrical trouble with your 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-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 electrical problem on the 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class?
It's a meaningful issue. 16 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $850.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Based on the 16 complaints filed, electrical issues most often appear around 37,500 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 $850 for electrical 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 electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical 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/2019/Mercedes-Benz/GLC-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.