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Verdict

2020 Mercedes GLS: Complaints, Recalls & Known Issues

What the public record actually says about the 2020 Mercedes GLS — every figure below is a NHTSA or EPA number, not an opinion.

The read

Middle-of-the-pack complaint volume for SUV.

Owners filed 38 NHTSA complaints — fewer complaints than 57% of 2020 SUVs. Electrical System leads the reports (45%). No safety recalls on record.

Based on NHTSA complaint volume against 2020 SUVs, not adjusted for how many were sold. It describes the model year, not the individual car you are looking at.

Complaints filed

38

Reports to NHTSA, 2020

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 57% of 2020 SUVs

The bar is this car's percentile among 2020 SUVs by complaint volume — a full bar means the fewest complaints in its class. Not adjusted for sales.

Known issues

Electrical System issues lead owner complaints (45% of 38 reports), followed by forward collision avoidance (8%).

Electrical System45% · 17 reports
Forward Collision Avoidance8% · 3 reports
Power Train8% · 3 reports
Fuel/Propulsion System5% · 2 reports
Service Brakes5% · 2 reports
Structure5% · 2 reports
Suspension5% · 2 reports
Air Bags3% · 1 report

+ 6 more component categories with fewer reports.

Share of all 38 NHTSA complaints for this model year, grouped by the component owners named. Bars are scaled to the largest category. Examples: ODI 11741714, ODI 11736819, ODI 11723015, ODI 11719907, ODI 11657650.

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

2020 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.

2020 Mercedes GLS: frequently asked

What does the complaint record show for the 2020 Mercedes GLS?

Owners filed 38 NHTSA complaints about the 2020 Mercedes GLS — fewer complaints than 57% of comparable 2020 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 2020 Mercedes GLS?

The most-reported problem areas are Electrical System (45% of complaints) and forward collision avoidance (8%).

How many recalls does the 2020 Mercedes GLS have?

No safety recalls are on record for the 2020 Mercedes GLS as of Jul 2026.

What gas mileage does the 2020 Mercedes GLS get?

EPA fuel-economy figures for the 2020 Mercedes GLS aren't available yet.