2019 MERCEDES-BENZ GLC 300 Complaints

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that while stopped at a stoplight on a hill, the vehicle rolled backwards. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to stop the vehicle from rolling backwards, preventing the vehicle from hitting the vehicle behind. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact was informed that rolling backwards was normal. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 63,500.

While driving on Route 95 the Front Stationary Sunroof Panel separated and flew off

FIRE! NHTSA Vehicle Safety Complaint – Mercedes-Benz GLC300 Complainant Information: [XXX] [XXX] Phone: [XXX] Email: [XXX] Vehicle Information: 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC VIN: [XXX] Purchase Location: Missouri Incident Location: St. Louis, MO Date of Incident: [XXX] Date of Report Submission: July 12, 2025 Summary of Incident: On [XXX] , my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 4MATIC spontaneously caught fire while parked. I immediately contacted Mercedes-Benz Roadside Assistance, and the vehicle was towed for inspection. Mercedes-Benz later claimed the fire originated in the engine compartment, yet took no accountability and cited “missing components” as an excuse to avoid liability. Photographic evidence shows that the parts were present immediately after the fire. Mercedes-Benz denied that NHTSA Recall 21V961000 applied to this vehicle, despite clear similarity in symptoms (fire risk due to fuel or electrical issues). I was also never notified of any fire risk. Furthermore, towing coordination failures led to my vehicle being sent to a third-party lot, incurring unauthorized fees. Safety Concern: The spontaneous combustion of this vehicle presents a serious public safety risk. I am concerned this issue may be more widespread and underreported. Mercedes-Benz’s failure to take accountability and deflecting blame could endanger other consumers. Desired Action: 1. Federal investigation into similar fire-related complaints involving 2019 GLC300s. 2. Reconsideration of eligibility under Recall 21V961000 or related campaigns. 3. Consumer safety alert or expanded recall if defect patterns are confirmed. Attachments Provided: - Mercedes-Benz USA denial letter dated July 11, 2025 - Photos of the fire damage - Letters and written communications Signature: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

- My transmission is malfunctioning. It is available for inspection. - My car is not allowing me to shift from reverse to drive. When I try to put it in drive, it gets stuck in neutral. My safety is at risk as I was trying to do a quick 3-point turn and got stuck in the lane. - Yes, the problem has been confirmed by an independent service center. There was a recall by Mercedes Benz for the same issue in 2020, but for some reason my car isn't included. - The vehicle has been inspected by an independent service center - No warning lamps or messaged prior to the failure which first appeared on Thursday, June 5.

On May 22, 2025, while parked, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300 spontaneously caught fire, completely destroying the vehicle. Thankfully, no one was inside, and no injuries occurred, but the property damage was significant. I later discovered Recall 21V961000 / Campaign 2022030003 affecting some 2019 GLC300s for fuel leaks at the fuel rail/injector interface, which pose a serious fire hazard. Further research has shown reports of loose ground connections in these vehicles as well, increasing the risk of sparks igniting leaked fuel. Given that my vehicle caught fire spontaneously and matches the defect described in this recall, I firmly believe this incident was related to that defect. Mercedes-Benz has not provided adequate assistance. The vehicle was towed to a local dealership (Plaza Mercedes-Benz), but they refused to accept it, adding further confusion and hardship. I am submitting this report to request that NHTSA fully investigate this issue and work to ensure that Mercedes-Benz USA takes responsibility for this vehicle defect and compensates me for this dangerous failure. I am happy to provide photos, tow reports, or further documentation if needed. Thank you for your assistance in ensuring public safety.

Faulty Positive Crankcase Ventilation Valve. Seems a very common failure which causes poor emissions and potentially further engine damage.

The component that failed was the right front differential. My safety and the safety of others was put at high risk as I was driving at 60 mph on the highway and my vehicle suddenly and abruptly reduced speed to about 15mph without any warning. This created an extremely dangerous and potentially hazardous situation as I tried to maneuver my car at this very low speed on the highway in the middle lane safely to the side of the highway. Cars around me quickly maneuvered around me in attempts to avoid my slow moving vehicle and not hit me. The entire experience was terrifying, especially given that the car gave no prior indication of a malfunction. The vehicle had to be towed to Mercedes. I have no real answers from Mercedes as to the cause or why the vehicle did not notify me or why the service light did not go on. The vehicle only had 51,000 miles and is well taken care of. Because the car was out of warranty they refused to cover the expense. I called and sent letters to corporate and received $2500 towards a $6000 bill. I feel this was a safety issue and my car shut down without any type of warning and Mercedes should cover all repair costs. The car has been repaired, but I am still nervous to drive it.

Sunroof exploded while I was driving. No other cars around me, pretty day, not a very hot day. I’m driving along and suddenly hear a loud POP that sounded like a shotgun going off! I swerved, but thankfully did not leave the road. Shattered glass was contained in the cover of the sunroof as I didn’t have it open at the time. A huge hole is in my roof of my car! I called the dealership who said it was not covered under any warranty although I just got the vehicle in Feb of this year. He said I would have to contact corporate. I contacted corporate who said bring it in for an inspection. At the conclusion of the inspection on 10/8/24, they could not determine if it was a manufacturer defect or outside sources since they could not find a point of impact, because the glass was nearly all gone. I had to get my insurance involved. There was no warning whatsoever. The dealership said no recalls. It just exploded all of a sudden!

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated that the tires were worn in one specific area and the failure had also occurred after replacing the tires. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer where an alignment was completed; however, it was confirmed that the rear hub bearing was rubbing the tires and needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 79,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact heard an abnormal sound emanating from the vehicle from an unknown location. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and after a visual inspection of the exterior of the vehicle, the contact observed that the front roof panel had become detached. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was unknown.