SFCabs

I bought a single owner 2008 GL 320 with 70k miles. I only wanted a 2008 because of the lack of Bluetec and the transmission having some issues resolved over the 2007 version. I only considered ones that had the Oil Cooler Seals done as well.

When I got home:
Oil Change (expensive oil, yeah!)
Air filters (Seriously, why did they design it like this)
Fuel filter (still had the original one!)
Turbo orange gasket an F orange gasket
Glow plug controller (previous owner installed a Dorman which I promptly threw in the trash)

Since then:
Airmatic Compressor + Relay
Rear Tailgate control box (previous owner created a water leak in the rear gate)
AC Compressor (possibly the 3rd one that's been in the SUV)
Driver Seatbelt started throwing SRS error

I already have new struts and air springs and I'm going to swap them out before I start towing my trailer at the end of summer. I have some hard shifts as well so will be doing the transmission fluid soon.

It's a big heavy vehicle with some design flaws. My previous owner neglected a lot of maintenance that he should have done and always opted for the cheapest option to fix anything. I have a feeling most GLs are treated this way and it leads to posts like this one.


I still like it and I plan on driving it into the ground, which is hopefully a long time away!

N_Jay

What $400 battery?

When it comes to the engine I will bet you all the low mileage failures are people who use a diesel as a grocery getter and have very short average drives, while never checking the oil and doing the minimum service.

N_Jay

Bought mine from a board member at 96K miles. It was well maintained.
Now at 136K. Generally 30 miles is the shortest trip I will take it out for.
Glow plug controller failed (Car had probably never been below freezing in TX, and CEL went on with first below 32 start)
Pulled the original 2008 part (in 2013) and replaced with updated MB part.
One rear strut and air spring (Both on the same corner) I am sure this was from dropping that corner hard when unhitching from a weight distributing hitch.
AC recharge, and all is well there.
Alternator (My dumb mistake) from pulling way too much current while using a winch.
Windshield rain sensor probably from the jumpstart when the Alt went out.
Rear hatch handle. ($15 from ebay) but once replaced was able to lube up the old one and now have a spare.
Intake pipe / MAF (from some heavy handed MB mechanic over tightening instead of just putting in a new seal) and it only comes with the sensors, so a bit pricy for a plastic "T" tube.

Other than that just normal maintenance.

sak335

I fully understand the OPs comments, and some of them are probably emotional rather than realistic (poor ride, etc.)

But I won't ever defend Mercedes Benz for this vehicle. I have a 2012 350 that has been treated to lavish maintenance and repairs in the 56k miles it's been on the road, and it has been a constant disappointment. I literally would repair something, then think to myself "gee, I hope I can drive it through to the next service without having to make a major repair." So far, that wish has not come true.

I used the dealer while it was under warranty, but did all the maintenance myself. I'm not a guy that has a lot of time for this stuff, but I find time because I enjoy wrenching on cars. I'm an excellent mechanic.

I've enjoyed the following failures:

1. NoX sensor failure
2. HVAC blower motor failure
3. Door handle failure (keyless entry)
4. Ignition failure (the actual switch)
5. Turbo intercooler seals (49k miles - dealer did it as goodwill)
6. Timing Chain (54k miles - replaced it myself)
7. There has been a knock from the front right for the last 15k miles that the dealer couldn't find that the forum is convinced requires strut replacement. I've been living with it until one of the others fails so I can replace them at once.

It's been, without a doubt, the most unreliable vehicle I've ever owned. And I've driven nothing but BMWs (and one Chevy truck for towing) the last 25 years; and they're not known for being low-maintenance.

I won't buy another Benz, they've rattled my confidence with this one.

BlownV8

sak, how is your GL driven? Mainly short in town trips with frequent starts or?

sak335

A little bit of everything. Commuting to long vacation trips. My typical commute is 17 miles each way and a mix of back roads, suburban sprawl, and highway. If I need to run to the grocery store around the corner, I take the BMW.

TravisT

Some interesting conversation here.

The reality is that any vehicle that is this heavy and this complicated is going to have frequent yet intermittent failures (it's not complicated, but it's more complicated than MBs from the 80s and 90s).

I put on all 4 new struts, and the ride is back to where it should be. You are right, that was an emotional response, but it's a response to an important driver feedback.

No doubt, as soon as I took delivery of this truck I changed the oil and all of the filters. I started to realize that this truck had all of the expensive things that can go wrong on these GLs (that I read here on this forum while I was still trying to talk myself into the MB GL market). I think the previous owner traded it in when they realized they would have a massive bill.

But was it abused? I really don't think so. I abuse vehicles. Believe me. It has none of the tell-tale signs of negligence. The interior is like brand new. I have two young kids so I find this amazing - it's not something I'm able to achieve on my own.

When I changed my oil for the first time, it was past ready, but I drained it from the bottom. I saw that it had NEVER ONCE been drained that way because the fiber sound deadening was like new. It had always been pumped from the top. To me, that seemed like a good sign, and pointed to the probability that the previous owner opted for knowledgeable indie shops for maintenance.

Here's the thing. I've vented. I feel better. I'm renewed with these new struts on there. But the crap that has broken in the past few months are NOT wearable parts. They are not subject to maintenance. They are just things that broke. Things I need to take time away from the family to fix. Once, twice, maybe three times a month I can do, but any more than that and I get really cranky.

FWIW, the rest of the truck that works isn't that bad. It's just not that fancy or fantastic either.

N_Jay

I was a product manager for an OEM to MB, BMW and others.

I would not have taken one of the "engineering" cars if it was given to me!

They are used by people that just don't care.
They are disassembled and reassembled repeatedly.
They get no service other then keeping then running to pass whatever test is being run.

smiledr996s

I really wonder if a lot of these failures are tied partially to the increased emission control. The motor oils are not as good as they could be because of damaging exhaust components such as dpf and sensors . I am currently using Castrol 5w40 turbo diesel. Since Mobil 1 decided to drop their 5w40 formula which I used for the first 120k.

Also so all these emission devices cause increased back pressure which can't be doing the engine any favors either.

I am sure there other reasons also but there is no reason these cars don't hold up better. If it was not exactly what I want to drive I would move on as well.

N_Jay

If you are not using an low SAP oil designed for DPF you will clog it.

I don't think 5W30 is going to be that bad, and may even cut down on some of the slugging that has ben seen.

fireman1073

TravisT yup ...https://mbworld.org/forums/gl-class-...ine-light.html

Callisto1

I get the fact that this forum is populated mostly by guys who find mechanical repairs a welcome relief to the daily grind of office life/sales/finance & whatever.

But I also find it astounding how many people make excuses for MB because MB designed, built and sold a car as the perfect soccer mom kid hauler, (and in the case of the bluetec with feel good efficiency to boot) and then everybody dumps on the soccer mom because she takes short trips and doesn't know any better than to maintain it at the dealer when the dash says its time for service. Like it's her fault that she doesn't find an indy mechanic to go above and beyond the prescribed Service A, B etc maintenance intervals.

You would think that buying a car for $70-80k might get you some longevity as long as you have it serviced as directed in the owners manual. But that's not the case with many of these lemons. I hear that some hang in there for the long haul, but so many have an endless litany of problems, and to blame it on the grocery runs instead of the manufacturer is akin to blaming the messenger for reporting the problem.

Oh, and the $400 battery? Yes you can buy a replacement for $200 +/-, but good luck getting Autozone, Sears, Advance or whoever to put it in. They won't touch them anymore for liability. So you have to take it to MB dealer, and that is $400. (Yes, I did it myself with no problem after watching You Tube video, but it is stupidly difficult. A full employment act for MB authorized service.)

clvincent

I havent paid 400 for any of my batteries- installed at the dealer...
250, 300 maybe

I agree with a lot of what you say above
Not impressed with mercedes service departments etc

And agree that a $75,000 truck should be better/more dependable

But i buy nothing without a lot of research and even a little bit of researching shows these trucks to have issues that have to be dealt with

I bought all of my mercedes knowing what the issues were -what was already fixed and what was coming..

If i had bought a new 75 grand GL and it spent weeks in the dealer getting things fixed- and fixed again - leaving me to drive C level loaner truck i would be furious and not buy mercedes again

I get what you are saying
But i bought a nice 8 year old truck with major repairs under warranty prior to my purchase and it has been pretty dependable for me

Captincvmn

I bought my '07-320 at 107k miles. Paid $18,300. Has all the options I think except for hitch and boards. Love it soooooo much more than the '08 Odyssey it replaced. If my Honda van had burned to the ground I wouldn't have cared. If my Benz got totaled I'd be a mess. I do actually care about this car. (My f-450 is a truck, I have trouble calling my GL a truck) I've spend money on parts, spending more as I type. Fuel leaks from the top of the tank fuel return line broke off. I've replaced struts from RMT which scared the crap outta me but I found rather easy. I've changed air filters and cussed but got over it, disassembled the drivers seat to find the pinched/broken SRS wire and succeeded. Changed oil and found out the oil pan matting is crap and where to buy the special oil. (PSE in Hazleton sells Kendall GT-1 Euro for cheap with shipping)

Its been a learning process and at times quite irritating and painful but I wouldn't trade it for another soccer mom machine.

nangus@snet.net

We have had serial problems with this car. The worst was at 117,000. We were driving on a limited access highway, bumper to bumper, when the engine stopped. No "check engine" light - nothing! Had the car carried to the dealership where they replaced the particle filter for $5,500. The Service manager (now the GM) told my wife that the car was high mileage, a lemon and we should trade it in and buy a new one!

Now we have two incidents where the car has stopped down to limp home mode - the first time at 65 mph! They had the car for a week and now tell us we have to have the transmission plate replaced - another $ 1,500. But if we got a couple of service items taken care of by them at $150 per hr them might take 500 off the total.

Very disappointed in MB, their engineering, their lack of interest in this problem. The dealerships are no help in linking us to the engineering department to find out what is going on.

Max Blast

It’s no worse than any other car as long as you know what you’re getting into. Transmission contractor plates and air matic shocks are wear items and must be replaced before they fail, which they will. If you have water intrusion in a GL it’ll create a myriad of problems for you, but so will any car where the fuse box and transmission control modules are submerged in water. If prior owners replaced the wear items and the car is dry internally, you should be fine. If not, walk away from that one.

N_Jay

Transmission limp mode and engine limp mode arte noticeably different. Was it stuck in one gear (Transmission limp), or was it shifting early and making very little power (Engine limp)?
I am surprised the particulate filter went bad unless you drive mostly short trips, or use the wrong fuel of oil.
The differential pressure sensor that monitors the filter is known to go bad and cause the car to randomly go into (engine) limp mode.
I can also see a dealer changing both the filter and the sensor "just to be sure" (Because too many people get upset when you have to bring it back.)

ddruker

I do all of my own standard maintenance. I'm careful and thorough, I use premium parts and fluids and I do it more frequently than the manual calls for.

I've found my 2011 GL350 to be terribly unreliable. I've experienced just about every common failure, except for the air suspension failing. About every 5,000 miles it goes to the dealer for warranty service because some major component (unrelated to standard service) has failed. This weekend it's going in to get the DEF tank replaced, as the heater has failed. 5,000 miles ago it was both front wheel bearings. 5,000 miles before that it was the timing chain. Before that the oil seal gasket. The blind spot warning systems have been replaced 4 times so far. Multiple parking sensors have failed. The electronic ignition security module failed. And on and on and on and on.

Without the warranties, I would already be looking at well in excess of $20,000 in out of pocket repairs, for common stuff that goes bad on just about every one of these trucks. Just inexcusable. Oh and I only have 67k miles on the truck...

Big decision coming up next May when my extended warranty runs out. Normally I would keep the truck for many more years and do all of the service and repairs myself. Given how expensive the parts are for this truck, and how often major systems are breaking, I'm just not so sure.

BlownV8

dd, what is your driving style? Many short trips with long periods between restarts or?

ddruker

Mostly longer trips at highway speed, I have another vehicle as a daily driver. I also use the GL to tow my Airstream.

But... Very few of the failures I have had would seem to be linked to driving style. Perhaps the front wheel bearings failing could be related to towing. But the rest seem to have little to do with driving conditions.

BlownV8

You are right. Shouldn't have an effect. Just trying to figure out some causality to all the diesel engine issues.

N_Jay

I am quite sure the short trip (grocery shopping run) type driving of most suburban families is responsible for most the exhaust and DPF failures.
It might also be related to sludging of the oil.

I am guessing the timing chain is high revs when not fully warm, but could be metallurgical issues also, because it seems to be bunched around the 2011 models.

I am also quite sure that a lot of the complaints are due to MB service choosing to replace everything rather than truly diagnose the problem.

I had been told twice that I needed the oil cooler gaskets, when a new oil cap got rid of the dripping.

BlownV8

N Jay, yes, I agree with the theory but DD's style does not include frequent short trips.

N_Jay

But could have an uphill freeway on ramp 1/2 mile from his house that he always takes.

TravisT

Fascinating replies here. Basically I can see that truly loving one of these vehicles is akin to blindly loving an abusive spouse. Some of y'all just don't care to look around at what may be better for you.

This post started as a bit of a "what the hell is going on here - are you all just dealing with these problems and turning the other cheek?"

There is no sense in arguing subjective opinions, so I wanted to bring some facts into the equation.
I've had this vehicle for exactly one year and wanted to report how the year went:
__________________________________________________ _

Destination Shipping 650
Tax 1650
Front Struts 400
Rear Struts 350
Strut labor 250
Hood struts 48
Floor mats 300
Tires 550
Mount balance 120
Center caps 15
Spacers 150
Brakes 300
Spindle 300
Various LED Lights 150
Hitch 250
Hitch wires 250
Aux cable 20
Fuel Filter 60
Fuel hoses 30
Glow plug relay 120
Battery 180
Window tint 120
Fog light replacement 50
Headlight repair 15
Air filters 60
Transmission flush 300
3 bottles of Lucas PS Leak Stop 30
2 oil changes 250

Total $6,968.00
Average per month $580.67
__________________________________________________ _____

Some of these things are elective, like window tint; some are general maintenance; some are killer deals I found, like the tires. Regardless, this is the off-the-top-of-my-head list.

Keep in mind that I did all of this work either on my own or with the help of a mechanic friend. I think there is less than $500 total in labor for the things I listed. Had I been like most owners and drop it off at a dealership, the total cost would likely be 4x or more what it has already cost me.

Final year end thoughts: There is nobody I know who has spent this much on general maintenance for one vehicle that is as new and as allegedly reliable as this vehicle. Nobody. Several friends with Toyota vehicles that are heavier than this one say they've only filled the gas tank, and changed the oil in the past few years. No maintenance. So, I'm certainly burdened among my peers by owning this vehicle.

Another takeaway, (that frankly really pisses me off) is that I look at people who buy new vehicles in a negative light (a whole separate conversation). Its not financially responsible. I'm a truck guy, and seeing the new Ford trucks on the road make me wonder what it would be like to own one. I just can't imagine paying $500/month to own one. Well....had I known that this vehicle was going to cost me $550/month to keep on the road, I CERTAINLY would have never considered it.

The bottom line is, it's just a vehicle. Not a good one, not a nice one, not a luxurious one, and certainly nothing to be proud of. It merely gets people from point A to point B. It doesn't do anything better than a 7 passenger minivan, and on paper would loose the battle. I'll give it a point that you don't feel like you are driving a minivan, though my truck buddies call it one.

I would never buy another one, will likely never own another MB, and would never ever recommend that anyone else buy one, unless they want to buy mine.