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2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 15 owner complaints about the 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 24V-298 the manufacturer reports only 3% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 3%Owner complaints151 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage100kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through March 16, 2026. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450 has problems

15 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Air bags80
Suspension30
Engine20
Service brakes, hydraulic20
Exterior lighting10
Service brakes10
Electrical system10
Electronic stability control (ESC)10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

3%repaired · 2026 Q1

Power assist: vacuum

Do not drive

Recall 24V-298 · Apr 26, 2024 · 15,604 vehicles · 439 repaired

Risk. Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

43%repaired · 2025 Q4

Power assist: vacuum

Do not drive

Recall 22V-315 · May 9, 2022 · 350,294 vehicles · 149,456 repaired

Risk. Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

65%repaired · 2026 Q3

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 16V-081 · Feb 11, 2016 · 711,159 vehicles · 464,166 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Mercedes-Benz.

Best & worst years

2009 vs. every other GL450 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the GL450 median. How we score

'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL450, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · still open
    Open
In owners' words

What GL450 owners report

Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TAKATA INFLATORS : THE SRS LIGHT IS CONTINUOUSLY STAYING ON IN THE VEHICLE. AS SOON AS THE VEHICLE IS STARTED THE LIGHT COMES ON AND DOES NOT GO OFF UNTIL THE VEHICLE GOES BACK OFF.
Complaint 11180702 · Feb 17, 2019 · 100,000 miles
THIS COMPLAIN IS ABOUT THE RECALL REPORT AS BELOW FEB 11,2016 MANUFACTURER RECALL NUMBER2016020003 NHTSA RECALL NUMBER16V081 DESCRIPTION: I HAVE NEVER BEEN CONTACTED BY THE MANUFACTURER ABOUT THIS RECALL. APPARENTLY, THE MANUFACTURER HAS FAILED OR IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THIS SAFETY RECALL FOR YOUR…
Complaint 11052967 · Dec 7, 2017
TAKATA RECALL MY VEHICLE IS PART OF THE RECALL AND THERE IS STILL NO FIX FOR MY PROBLEM. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, WE ARE DRIVING WITH A TICKING TIME BOMB.
Complaint 11045927 · Nov 14, 2017 · 10 miles

Own a 2009 GL450?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.