GL Class (X166) 2013-2015 after facelift became GLS (X166)

Faults - repairs - list - what do we need to know

Old Jan 9, 2015 | 04:45 AM
  #1  
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GL63
Faults - repairs - list - what do we need to know

All, I've not been here for a while, but I just had my first service on the GL63 and suffered 3 additional visits to the dealers since to have warranty work completed and another visit to fix another new fault.
Now, thanks to the forum I've had the remedial fix for the ambient lighting and boot mechanism (all I did was mention it, they did the research and changed the bits) and I'm on my 3rd radar sensor for the Distance Warning double beep on the CPA, it's better but far from perfect.

My other warranty fault was a rear head rest that didn't spring down for entry to the 3rd row unless it was in the very top position, a bit picky but they fixed it FOC.

More recently (just before Christmas), I had an air bag warning for the drivers side and part of the wiring loom within the steering column was replaced as a known TIP.

The reason for the post is to both share and ask the community to list out all the faults they have had fixed, reasons why etc so next time I go in (and all of us), I can take a print out with me and have half my car swapped for new bits.

I take a dim view of the fact Mercedes obviously know of lots of challenges with the car, but unless I find them within the warranty period, it's gonna be on me and expensive (good will aside etc etc, and believe me I'll argue).

My first service was paid for by Merc as I argued successfully that the car should never have left the factory in the state it was! Given my recent history, I've just asked them to pay for my next service too, a B service!


Could the fine folk of the X166 forum please list out their known and resolved faults, I'd just love to go in there with a dozen of them!!!!

Cheers


Jon
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Old Jan 9, 2015 | 11:29 AM
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X166, 997
headrest is suppose to spring down?

I didn't know that...the other day i was like, that's a crappy design, the headrest is stuck under the passenger front seat after folded, and it did not go down apparently...it's suppose to spring down before it folds by itself, even if i don't have power release?

more info please.
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Old Jan 9, 2015 | 01:14 PM
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'15 GL450
'15 GL450:


1st visit: 3 days in the shop due to holidays, for a "check engine light". Updated the software. The light came back the same day I picked it up.
2nd visit: 14 days in the shop waiting for the "purge valve" for the evaporative emission control system, part# 001-470-09-93 (supposedly back ordered from Germany). So far so good.
This must be a very common problem on the GL. Our '09 GL450 had this same problem and the exact same part was the culprit.
One other minor problem: The cup holder/warmer stopped working at about 500 miles. Turned out to be a blown fuse, which I replaced myself.

Last edited by luv2sleep; Jan 9, 2015 at 01:19 PM.
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Old Jan 9, 2015 | 04:16 PM
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Originally Posted by davidbho
I didn't know that...the other day i was like, that's a crappy design, the headrest is stuck under the passenger front seat after folded, and it did not go down apparently...it's suppose to spring down before it folds by itself, even if i don't have power release?

more info please.
I guess headrest only springs down if you have the power release, which I do!
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Old Jan 9, 2015 | 04:31 PM
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Car was in the shop for several things.

2nd row, 60/40 split chairs, the 40 split chairs after 4 repairs finally got fixed. It would jam on the way up and never fully extend to maximum recline. After 3, I really wanted to invoke lemon law. It was a sick joke that I had to spend so much time in there.

Blind spot assist inoperational, pre-safe and some other ones for safety just fails. Dealer replaced the battery and haven't seen any of those problems yet.

Rear 3rd row right speaker rattles when a certain type of music frequency hits it at a moderately high volume. Annoying the crap out of me when I hear that rattle. You guys should try it too, I can provide the tracks to see if that happens on your system too. The rear panels are cheap as hell and the speaker plastic cover has poor materials, in fact the entire 3rd row is like plastic. MB should take note about that.
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Old Jan 15, 2015 | 02:47 PM
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GL350
At 8000 miles I have had only a bad windshield washer fluid sensor on my '14 GL 350.
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Old Mar 12, 2015 | 02:19 PM
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From: NoVA
2015 GL450, 2014 BMW 640 xDrive Convertible
1700 miles on my 2015 GL450, got Data "PRE-SAFE Functions Limited" error up on start up. Under Driver Assistance menu, it shows that Distance Warning is inactivated. Took it to the shop and was told the radar sensor came out of the housing in the front bumper. The tech reinserted the sensor and it fixed the problem. Might be just a fluke thing, but it seems common based on this error happening in many Mercedes models.
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Old Mar 13, 2015 | 04:41 PM
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GL350
2014 GL350, I have had:

- bad wiper fluid sensor
- heated/cooled cup holder, the plastic flap that holds your drink broke on my way home from the dealer picking the car up, replaced under warranty but it was a big job apparently
- My lumbar adjustment in the driver's seat has gone bad and needs to be fixed
- Issues with second row headrests not collapsing when folding the seats
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Old Mar 13, 2015 | 10:22 PM
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GL450
2013 GL450

20K on odometer, failed front left strut, engine and trans mounts replaced (collapsed) - annoying vibration persists (documented in another thread). Ate a full quart of oil in the last 10K - notified by the dealer that MB considers a loss of quart in 600 miles NORMAL !!!! WTF !!! If that would happen, I would never need an oil change.
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 08:47 AM
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18 E63s Wagon 15 GL63 (sold), 10 Turbo TT MT, A36 Bonanza, 20 JLU Rubicon
Originally Posted by davidbho
I didn't know that...the other day i was like, that's a crappy design, the headrest is stuck under the passenger front seat after folded, and it did not go down apparently...it's suppose to spring down before it folds by itself, even if i don't have power release?

more info please.
no... on your manual version you must lower the headrest manually.(manual versions are spring loaded at the top to fold back... thus your need to manually push them forward then down).
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Old Mar 14, 2015 | 09:07 AM
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18 E63s Wagon 15 GL63 (sold), 10 Turbo TT MT, A36 Bonanza, 20 JLU Rubicon
2014 GL63 Black (19K mileage)
1."PRE-SAFE Functions fail" error 4 miles off the showroom floor. This became a regular affair that finally caused MB to take me out of the car. It was probably actually sorted by the end as it was a bad connection in the glass fiber ring under the front passenger seat. I have seen this in a number of 550s that were built around the same time. car was in the shop on and off for over a month... that being said, my dealer was fabulous (silverstar queens.

2. Driver airbag failure ... a sensor in the front of the car needed to be replaced.
3. final nail was when I went to start car just back from service and it was completely dead... had to jumpstart the car .. took it to the dealer and handed them the keys... not really sure what caused that glitch

2015 GL63 Silver (7500 current)
1. leaking oil pump for the front suspension dampener system (sits on top of the engine)
2. check engine light / slight flutter of rpms at idle .. some valve that was out of spec.
3. 2nd row seat wouldn't fold .. seat was adjusted to tight to the one next to it.
4. check engine light after hard acceleration .. error generated probably by my installation of BMC airfilters
5. down 2 quarts of oil after 2500 miles.. (I suspect they were short on fill up during change at dealer.. will update going forward)
6. weird RPM jump shifting from 2nd to 3rd and then a big drop from 2nd to 1st causing the car to be very hard to drive smoothly.. took to dealer and they reset the driver learning system.. fixed the problem.
7. command update fixed crappy rear camera
8. low antifreeze warning.. topped off and then no issue
9. windshield cracks easily from stones... result of crappy NE weather.

so far the 2015 has been pretty fabulous.
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