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Mercedes-Benz GLC: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Mercedes-Benz GLC problems by model year, from 695 owner complaints filed with NHTSA. For each year: the share of complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system, how many there were, and the recalls.
Worst years to avoid: 2021 (68%, 36 drivetrain complaints), 2017 (57%, 56 drivetrain complaints) and 2018 (53%, 45 drivetrain complaints). 8 of the 8 Mercedes-Benz GLC years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share; 1 of them is at the very high level (60% or more), where every model year we track has a documented failure behind it.
No Mercedes-Benz GLC year we score is clear of an elevated signal. The lowest is the 2019 (34%).
By raw volume, the 2016 drew the most drivetrain complaints (62 of 296 across the scored years). Volume also tracks how many were sold and how long they have been on the road, which is why the share, not the count, sets the verdict.
Engine and transmission complaint share, 2010–2023
Share of relevant owner complaints about the engine, transmission or fuel system. 33% is elevated, 40% high, 60% very high. A dash means too few complaints to score.
Every Mercedes-Benz GLC year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 GLC | high | 49% | 62 | 139 | 4/8 | 0 |
| 2017 GLC | high | 57% | 56 | 115 | 2/8 | 0 |
| 2018 GLC | high | 53% | 45 | 99 | 3/8 | 0 |
| 2019 GLC | elevated | 34% | 23 | 69 | 8/8 | 0 |
| 2020 GLC | high | 44% | 32 | 80 | 5/8 | 0 |
| 2021 GLC | very high | 68% | 36 | 66 | 1/8 | 0 |
| 2022 GLC | elevated | 36% | 22 | 62 | 6/8 | 0 |
| 2023 GLC | elevated | 34% | 20 | 65 | 7/8 | 0 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Mercedes-Benz GLC years with data. A complaint can name more than one component, so the shares overlap. Red is engine, transmission or fuel.
What the free pages leave out on the Mercedes-Benz GLC
- The mileage where it happens, for the model year you are looking at.
- What the repair costs, to price into your offer.
- Cleaner alternatives: similar cars with a better record.
- Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
- What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive.
- Open recalls on the actual car, by VIN.
Questions people ask about the Mercedes-Benz GLC
What are the worst years for the Mercedes-Benz GLC?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Mercedes-Benz GLC years are the 2021 (68% of relevant complaints, very high), the 2017 (57% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2018 (53% of relevant complaints, high). 8 of 8 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Mercedes-Benz GLC?
No Mercedes-Benz GLC year we score is below the 33% line. The lowest share is the 2019 (34%).
Does the Mercedes-Benz GLC have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 8 scored years, 296 of 623 relevant NHTSA complaints (48%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.
Is the Mercedes-Benz GLC reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 8 of 8 Mercedes-Benz GLC years we score have an elevated complaint share and 0 do not. Pooled across those years, 48% of relevant complaints are about the drivetrain, against a 33% line for an elevated signal. Complaint data does not measure overall reliability, so pick the year first, then inspect the car.
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Check a VINExperimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across model years, not the condition of any individual vehicle. Model years with fewer than 25 complaints are not scored.