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Mercedes-Benz GLE: Years to Avoid and Best Years (Engine & Transmission)
Mercedes-Benz GLE problems by model year, from 573 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 (53%, 44 drivetrain complaints), 2016 (49%, 48 drivetrain complaints) and 2020 (46%, 53 drivetrain complaints). 4 of the 8 Mercedes-Benz GLE years we score have an elevated engine, transmission or fuel-system complaint share.
Best years on this measure: 2017 (22%), 2019 (23%) and 2018 (28%). 2019 and 2018 rest on fewer than 60 complaints, so treat them as provisional. A low share means owners complained about other things more than the drivetrain, not that nothing ever fails.
The sharpest change between consecutive years is from 2016 (49%) to 2017 (22%), down 27 points. The complaint pattern shifts at that year, so check which year the car in front of you is.
By raw volume, the 2020 drew the most drivetrain complaints (53 of 215 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 GLE year
| Model year | Signal | Drivetrain share | Drivetrain complaints | All complaints | Rank (1 = worst) | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 GLE | high | 49% | 48 | 107 | 2/8 | 0 |
| 2017 GLE | no elevated signal | 22% | 14 | 75 | 8/8 | 0 |
| 2018 GLE | no elevated signal | 28% | 14 | 56 | 6/8 | 0 |
| 2019 GLE | no elevated signal | 23% | 7 | 34 | 7/8 | 0 |
| 2020 GLE | high | 46% | 53 | 123 | 3/8 | 0 |
| 2021 GLE | high | 53% | 44 | 84 | 1/8 | 0 |
| 2022 GLE | high | 43% | 26 | 63 | 4/8 | 0 |
| 2023 GLE | no elevated signal | 29% | 9 | 31 | 5/8 | 0 |
What owners complain about most, all years
Categories as NHTSA files them, summed across the Mercedes-Benz GLE 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 GLE
- 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 GLE
What are the worst years for the Mercedes-Benz GLE?
On engine and transmission complaints, the worst Mercedes-Benz GLE years are the 2021 (53% of relevant complaints, high), the 2016 (49% of relevant complaints, high) and the 2020 (46% of relevant complaints, high). 4 of 8 scored years are elevated in all.
What are the best years for the Mercedes-Benz GLE?
On engine and transmission complaints, the best Mercedes-Benz GLE years are the 2017 (22%), the 2019 (23%) and the 2018 (28%). That describes the model year; any one car still needs an inspection.
Does the Mercedes-Benz GLE have engine problems?
In some years. Across the 8 scored years, 215 of 534 relevant NHTSA complaints (40%) concern the engine, transmission or fuel system; the largest drivetrain category is engine. The years with an elevated share are 2016, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Is the Mercedes-Benz GLE reliable?
On the engine and transmission it depends on the year: 4 of 8 Mercedes-Benz GLE years we score have an elevated complaint share and 4 do not. Pooled across those years, 40% 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.