Cross Country in GLE
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 282
Likes: 64
From: California
2021 GLE450
Cross Country in GLE
I recently retired and my wife and I are planning to do lots of travelling. We purchased a GLE450 because we wanted to use it as our primary road trip vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I did consider getting a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (cars a lot of people consider as bullet proof) for this purpose but my wife wanted something more comfortable and nice to travel in.
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
Member
Joined: Apr 2020
Posts: 145
Likes: 52
From: Ellicott City, MD
2021 GLS450 2020 GLE350 2005 BMW 325ci Convertible
I recently retired and my wife and I are planning to do lots of travelling. We purchased a GLE450 because we wanted to use it as our primary road trip vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I did consider getting a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (cars a lot of people consider as bullet proof) for this purpose but my wife wanted something more comfortable and nice to travel in.
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 282
Likes: 64
From: California
2021 GLE450
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Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 6,987
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From: Colorado
'21 AMG53 wDPP & ARC, 19 GLC300 - Former-03 C240,2 ML BlueTecs,20 GLE450 E-ABC,15 Cayenne D,17 Macan
I recently retired and my wife and I are planning to do lots of travelling. We purchased a GLE450 because we wanted to use it as our primary road trip vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I did consider getting a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (cars a lot of people consider as bullet proof) for this purpose but my wife wanted something more comfortable and nice to travel in.
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
OTOH I wonder if NOT taking cross country trips, or at least long drives of an hour or so, is the cause of these reported battery failures.
I know that cars in general won't keep up, if you only take short trips.
These new cars, that are constantly listening to their app, sending reports and otherwise staying "busy," may need more charging than we are used to, to keep from damaging batteries because of a constant discharge state.
I know that @Ron.s has a battery problem, and he seems to put some miles on the car, but I wonder about the other reports - is it a lack of driving?
Our '19 GLC alerts the ME app every few weeks, even though we take a longer drive regularly. It' s12v only, but it's not sleeping over there in it's stall.
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Joined: Jun 2019
Posts: 354
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2020 GLE 350
I know that @Ron.s has a battery problem, and he seems to put some miles on the car, but I wonder about the other reports - is it a lack of driving?
Our '19 GLC alerts the ME app every few weeks, even though we take a longer drive regularly. It' s12v only, but it's not sleeping over there in it's stall.
Our '19 GLC alerts the ME app every few weeks, even though we take a longer drive regularly. It' s12v only, but it's not sleeping over there in it's stall.
Last edited by user 7208224; May 26, 2021 at 08:13 PM.
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Joined: Jul 2012
Posts: 4,509
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From: Orbiting the planet
This place is a joke.
This is why you have a warranty and free roadside assistance. MB used to provide trip breakdown financial assistance such as hotel reimbursement but I'm not sure if they still offer it. Personally I would have purchased a Ford or GM product to travel the country as dealerships are everywhere, even in small towns. But it's too late for that, so just go for it.
Last edited by E55Greasemonkey; May 27, 2021 at 12:15 AM.
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Joined: May 2018
Posts: 3,391
Likes: 1,040
From: Boise
2024 GMC Canyon Denali..... 2018 Audi SQ5
I recently retired and my wife and I are planning to do lots of travelling. We purchased a GLE450 because we wanted to use it as our primary road trip vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I did consider getting a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (cars a lot of people consider as bullet proof) for this purpose but my wife wanted something more comfortable and nice to travel in.
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
My 2020 GLE 450 had 16,000 miles, 15 months old and no 48 volt battery problem. Ironically the 12 Volt AGM went bad but didn’t leave me stranded.
Don’t let the battery spoil your trip but maybe keep it in the back of your mind. Knowing the risk I stuck more with Freeways than secondary roads this year.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: May 2018
Posts: 3,391
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From: Boise
2024 GMC Canyon Denali..... 2018 Audi SQ5
Since mine is still at the Dealer I can’t check but I think it’s located on one of the driver door jamb stickers & also on the Monroney Sticker that comes with the car. My sticker wasn’t attached to the window but loose, included with the owners manual.
If you special ordered you can also just assume that the car was built about 4-8 weeks before Dealer delivery since you are on the West Coast. The complication of backing up from delivery date is that cars were built and held at the factory for missing components last year. In my case, my car was completed early November 2020 but sat until December...probably waiting for a 48 volt battery that was in short supply.
If you special ordered you can also just assume that the car was built about 4-8 weeks before Dealer delivery since you are on the West Coast. The complication of backing up from delivery date is that cars were built and held at the factory for missing components last year. In my case, my car was completed early November 2020 but sat until December...probably waiting for a 48 volt battery that was in short supply.
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From: Lake Oswego, OR
2020 GLE 450; 2023 BMW M2 Coupe
Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 218
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From: Florida
2021 GLE 450
Be positive
I recently retired and my wife and I are planning to do lots of travelling. We purchased a GLE450 because we wanted to use it as our primary road trip vehicle. Don't get me wrong, I did consider getting a Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander (cars a lot of people consider as bullet proof) for this purpose but my wife wanted something more comfortable and nice to travel in.
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
We want to do a cross country in the fall and after reading bunch of posts in this forum, I have developed some concerns. Specifically, I've read that the 48V battery can fail and make the car totally inoperable. This might be OK if I'm in town and can tow it to the dealership. But I'm worried something like this might happen when we are thousands of miles away from home!
Am I being paranoid or is this a legitimate concern?!
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 24
Likes: 2
From: SF Bay Area
2021 GLE450
Think positive. My 450 is Mar 21 build date so I hope it has the new battery. I drove from Bay Area CA to Phoenix/Tucson AZ and back (1900 miles) with stopovers in Southern CA couple of weeks ago. Fantastic vehicle. More fuel efficient and comfortable than Lexus LX, BMW 750 or 650 for same journey. 3 design issue they could do better. The whistling sound from the driver side mirror at 70-80 mph, the starter button can be placed better (too near the knee) and the metal band around dash reflected on the lower part of windscreen. Hope MB fix the whistling sound soon.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2021
Posts: 282
Likes: 64
From: California
2021 GLE450
Think positive. My 450 is Mar 21 build date so I hope it has the new battery. I drove from Bay Area CA to Phoenix/Tucson AZ and back (1900 miles) with stopovers in Southern CA couple of weeks ago. Fantastic vehicle. More fuel efficient and comfortable than Lexus LX, BMW 750 or 650 for same journey. 3 design issue they could do better. The whistling sound from the driver side mirror at 70-80 mph, the starter button can be placed better (too near the knee) and the metal band around dash reflected on the lower part of windscreen. Hope MB fix the whistling sound soon.
On the whistling sound from the driver side mirror, I haven't experienced it yet. But there is a thread on putting a carbon fibre mirror skin that fixes this issue.
https://mbworld.org/forums/gle-class...fications.html
