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Verdict

2018 Mercedes GLS: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2018 Mercedes GLS — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Fewer reported complaints than most SUV.

Owners filed 22 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 80% of 2018 SUVs. Service Brakes leads the reports (23%). No safety recalls on record.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2018 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

22

Reports to NHTSA, 2018

Safety recalls

0

NHTSA campaigns on record

NHTSA crash test

Not rated

Overall NCAP rating

Combined MPG

No data

EPA estimate

Complaint volume vs. segment peers

Fewer complaints than 80% of 2018 SUVs

The bar is this car's percentile among 2018 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Service Brakes issues lead owner complaints (23% of 22 reports), followed by suspension (18%).

Service Brakes23% · 5 reports
Suspension18% · 4 reports
Unknown Or Other14% · 3 reports
Electrical System9% · 2 reports
Power Train9% · 2 reports
Structure9% · 2 reports
Engine5% · 1 report
Exterior Lighting5% · 1 report

+ 2 more component categories with fewer reports.

Share of all 22 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11353649, ODI 11703281, ODI 11683217, ODI 11437633, ODI 11429716.

Recalls

0 recalls — none issued for this model year as of Jul 2026. Recall records can change as NHTSA publishes new campaigns.

A campaign can apply to this model year without being incomplete on a specific vehicle. Check the VIN with NHTSA or a dealer to confirm whether a particular car needs repair.

Investigations

0 NHTSA investigations on record

No investigations are on record as of Jul 2026. An empty record is not a clean bill of health.

Crash-test ratings

2018 Mercedes-Benz GLS-Class SUV 4WD NHTSA source

Overall
Not rated
Frontal
Not rated
Side
Not rated
Rollover
Not rated

Source: NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP).

Fuel economy by trim

No EPA fuel-economy record is available for this model year. Some trims and older vehicles were not tested or are not in the current EPA feed.

Before you buy

Useful next checks

Federal records tell you about patterns. These checks can tell you more about the specific car in front of you.

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Compare model years

"Fewest reports" and "most complained" describe raw NHTSA complaint totals, not vehicle reliability. The last few model years are left unlabelled because they have had less road time.

2018 Mercedes GLS: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2018 Mercedes GLS?

Owners filed 22 NHTSA complaints about the 2018 Mercedes GLS — fewer complaints than 80% of comparable 2018 SUVs, so it sits toward the stronger end of its class. That's a signal, not a guarantee about any single car.

What are the most common problems on the 2018 Mercedes GLS?

The most-reported problem areas are Service Brakes (23% of complaints) and suspension (18%).

How many recalls does the 2018 Mercedes GLS have?

No safety recalls are on record for the 2018 Mercedes GLS as of Jul 2026.

What gas mileage does the 2018 Mercedes GLS get?

EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2018 Mercedes GLS aren't available yet.