2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53
On the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53, the failure owners report most often is no-start or intermittent start failure, with 4 reports on file. Across every failure mode on this year, half the dated reports were filed before 5,000 miles. Overall it scores 81 out of 100, severe risk for a 2021.
Severe risk for a 2021 — 25th riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. 27 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork.
What breaks on the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53
Owners have reported 13 named failure modes on the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53, and the three most-reported carry 37% of everything filed.
No-start or intermittent start failure leads with 4 reports and about 0.9 per 1,000 vehicles.
Cruise control failure follows with 3 reports.
Other electrical problem follows with 3 reports.
By system, the reports fall mostly into engine (7), adas (4) and electrical (4).
The mileage the reports cluster at
Too few of the reports on this year carry an odometer reading to describe the timing: 3 of them do. The mileages quoted elsewhere on this page come from the modes that have enough of them.
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
Showing the 12 most-reported failure modes of 13. The full list is in the table below.
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Severity, and what it costs
Nothing in the reports on the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 mentions a crash, a fire or an injury. That is the ordinary case and it is worth stating: most defect complaints are about a car that stopped working, not one that hurt somebody.
The average severity weight across every report on this year is 3.04, where a stalled engine or a failed airbag weighs many times more than a rattling trim panel, and a figure this high means the reports are dominated by failures with safety consequences rather than annoyances. The weighting is set out in full on the methodology page.
What the top failures cost to put right, as editorial estimates for an independent US shop rather than figures from NHTSA: no-start or intermittent start failure at $200–$1,800, cruise control failure at $200–$1,400, other electrical problem at $250–$2,000 and overheating at $400–$3,500. Dealer labour, a seized bolt or a part that is no longer made can push any of these past the top of its range.
33% of the reports on this year sit in the engine, transmission, drivetrain or cooling systems — the four where a repair bill is usually four figures.
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No-start or intermittent start failure | engine | 4 | 2 | — | 5k | — | 0.9 | $200–$1,800 | Moderate |
| Cruise control failure | adas | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.7 | $200–$1,400 | High |
| Other electrical problem | electrical | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.7 | $250–$2,000 | Moderate |
| Overheating | cooling | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $400–$3,500 | High |
| Software fault or failed update | software | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $0–$600 | Moderate |
| Other engine problem | engine | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other fuel system problem | fuel | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.5 | $300–$2,200 | High |
| Excessive oil consumption | engine | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $900–$6,500 | High |
| Ignition switch, key fob or immobilizer failure | electrical | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,500 | High |
| Infotainment screen failure | infotainment | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $400–$2,600 | Low |
| Parking brake failure | brakes | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$1,300 | Moderate |
| Other wheel or tire problem | wheels | 1 | 1 | — | 18k | — | 0.2 | $200–$1,500 | High |
| Other speed control problem | adas | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.2 | $250–$2,000 | Critical |
| Unclassified problem | other | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | 0.7 | — | Moderate |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
How often, against how many were built
Scaled by an estimate of how many of these cars exist, the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 draws about 6.4 per 1,000 vehicles, which puts it in the 87th percentile of complaint rates among 2021 vehicles we can rate.
That denominator is the weakest number on the page and it is fair to say so plainly. Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound.
The working figure is 4,236 vehicles. If the true number is twice that, every rate on this page is half what it says; the ranking against other 2021 vehicles, which is what the risk score uses, is far more robust than the rate itself.
Recalls on the 2021 model year
NHTSA has issued 16 recall campaigns covering the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53, affecting an estimated 22,183 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover electrical system:wiring, fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump, visibility:defroster/defogger/hvac system and structure:body. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
116,020 vehicles 2024-03-15- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2023-2024 GLE 350, 2020-2024 GLE 450, 2020-2023 GLS 580, GLE 580, 2019-2023 GLS 450, 2021-2023 Maybach GLS 600, AMG GLS 63, 2021-2024 AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 53 Coupe, and AMG GLE 63 S vehicles. A 48-Volt ground connection under the passenger seat may not be secured properly, resulting in the ground connection overheating.
- Consequence
- An overheated ground connection can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the 48-Volt ground connection as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 3, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2024040002.
FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
143,551 vehicles 2023-06-26- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, CLS, SL, GT, GLC, GLE, GLS, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle details. The fuel pump may shutdown, which can result in a loss of drive power.
- Consequence
- A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on June 14, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2023070012.
VISIBILITY:DEFROSTER/DEFOGGER/HVAC SYSTEM
61,450 vehicles 2023-03-17- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2021 GLE350, GLE450, GLS450, GLS580, 2021 AMG GLE53, AMG GLE63, Maybach GLS600, AMG GLS63, and 2020 GLE580 vehicles. The air conditioner drain hoses may have been incorrectly installed, causing water to drain into the passenger compartment.
- Consequence
- Water intrusion into the foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and reinstall the air conditioner drain hoses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 28, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. This recall is an expansion of recall numbers 21V-288 and 19V-587. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023030014 and 15.
STRUCTURE:BODY
161,000 vehicles 2022-09-12- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2022 GLE350, GLE450, GLS450, 2021-2022 AMG GLE53, 2020-2021 GLE580, GLS580, and 2021 GLE400e, AMG GLS63, AMG GLE63 S, and Maybach GLS600 vehicles. Due to a manufacturing error, the rear door window trim bars may detach.
- Consequence
- Detached trim bars may cause a road hazard and increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and secure the rear window trim bars, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed November 1, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022090010.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
242,722 vehicles 2022-05-20- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2017-2022 CLA-Class, GLA-Class, GLE-Class, GLS-Class, SLC-Class, A-Class, AMG GT-Class, C-Class, E-Class, S-Class, SL-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, GLB-Class, and G-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. An error in the communication module's SIM card software can cause a mobile network connection failure, disabling the emergency call (eCall) system.
- Consequence
- A disabled eCall system would prevent a vehicle occupant from contacting the emergency services call center in an emergency, potentially delaying emergency responders and increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- The communication module software will be updated through an Over-the-Air (OTA) update or by a dealer, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owner notification letters will be mailed in phases, on July 8, 2022, May 17, 2024, July 29, 2024, and September 27, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers are for this recall is 2022060005 and 2023110006.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
21,306 vehicles 2022-04-08- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020-2022 GLE450, GLS450, 2021-2022 AMG GLE53, 2020-2021 GLE580, GLS580, 2021 AMG GLE63, Maybach GLS600 and AMG GLS63 vehicles. A ground cable bolt for the 48V ground connection under the front passenger seat may not be secured properly, which can cause the electrical cable to overheat.
- Consequence
- An overheated electrical cable can increase the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and tighten the ground cable bolt, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 8, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2022040017.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH
17 vehicles 2021-11-19- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 GLE450 and AMG GLE53 vehicles. In the passenger-side footwell, the ground connection bolts for the electric heater may be improperly tightened.
- Consequence
- Loose ground connection bolts on the electric heater may cause the wiring to overheat, increasing the risk of a fire.
- Remedy
- Dealers will check the electric heater ground connection and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed January 7, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR
23 vehicles 2021-10-22- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 GLE 350, GLE 580, GLS 450, GLS 580, AMG GLE 53, AMG GLE 63 S, and AMG GLS 63 S vehicles. The rear window may be insufficiently bonded to the tailgate, which could allow the rear glass to detach.
- Consequence
- Detached rear glass can become a road hazard, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the rear window, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 8, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
SEATS
27 vehicles 2021-10-18- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2020 GLS450, GLS580, GLE350, GLE450, AMG C63, and 2021 AMG GLE53 vehicles. The seats may have been assembled incorrectly.
- Consequence
- Incorrectly assembled seats may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and repair the seats, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed December 8, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021110010.
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
1,467 vehicles 2021-07-02- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2020 C300, 2019-2020 A220, AMG C43, AMG C63, 2020 GLE580, GLB250, 2020-2021 GLE450, GLE350, 2021 AMG GLE63, and AMG GLE53 vehicles. The LED headlights may have been incorrectly adjusted during a vehicle repair. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
- Consequence
- Incorrectly adjusted headlights may reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will replace the LED headlights, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed August 13, 2021. A second notice will be sent once the remedy is available. Owner notification letters were mailed January 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:SOFTWARE
343,191 vehicles 2021-05-14- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 CLA-Class, GLE/GLS-Class, A-Class, E-Class, E-Class Coupe and Convertible, GLA/GLB-Class, GLC-Class, CLS-Class, and AMG GT-Class 4-door Coupe vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. The MBUX multimedia system software may cause the display to remain black, or reboot after startup. This could result in the rearview camera image not displaying properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number…
- Consequence
- A backup camera that displays a blank image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy
- The multimedia system software will be updated by a dealer, or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning June 28, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6373. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021050012.
EQUIPMENT:APPLIANCE:AIR CONDITIONER
6,331 vehicles 2021-04-23- Defect
- Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2021 AMG GLE 53, 2020 GLE350, GLE450, GLE580, GLS450, and GLS580 vehicles. The air conditioner drain hoses may have been incorrectly installed, causing water to drain into the passenger compartment.
- Consequence
- Water intrusion into the driver and passenger side foot wells may cause corrosion and/or short circuits to electrical components, increasing the risk of fire. In addition, the emergency call (eCall) feature may be disabled and the doors may not unlock, increasing the risk of injury. Also, the engine may not start or may enter a limp-home mode, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Dealers will inspect and correct the air conditioner drain hoses, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 4, 2021. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2021040024.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
How it ranks in the 2021 field
The score at the top of the page, placed among its peers. The zones are the same thresholds the scorer applies, read out of the scorer itself, so the picture and the band word cannot disagree.
Scores are ranked within the model year, never across years, because an older car has had longer to accumulate reports.
- Left fewer and less serious reports
- Right more, or worse
- Marker this vehicle
Where 2021 sits in the model line
Severe risk for a 2021 — 25th riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. Because the ranking is against the same model year only, age cancels out of it.
Within the 2021–2022 generation specifically, 2021 is the strongest year at 81 and 2022 the weakest at 81.
Scores compare each year against other cars of the same model year, so a low number on an older car is a real result and not an artefact of age.
Within the 2021-2022 generation, 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 scores best at 81 and 2022 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 worst at 81.
The limits of complaint data
27 owner reports; fleet size estimated from this year's own recall paperwork. Every count on this page is therefore a floor: it is the number of owners who went to the trouble of filing with a federal agency, which is a small and self-selected fraction of the owners who had the fault.
Of those 27 reports, 3 carried an odometer reading, so the mileages here describe 11% of the sample rather than all of it. Owners also round: readings pile up on multiples of ten thousand, which is why this site publishes "about 90,000 miles" and not "91,438".
The failure modes are assigned by software reading the owner's own words, which is accurate in bulk and wrong in individual cases. A mode with a handful of reports may contain a misfiled one.
And nothing here predicts what one car will do. These are other people's complaints, filed years apart, on cars maintained by strangers. Read the page as a map of where this model year has previously gone wrong, then have the specific car in front of you inspected.
Questions this page answers
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53?
The most-reported failures are no-start or intermittent start failure (4 reports, median 5,000 miles), cruise control failure (3 reports) and other electrical problem (3 reports). Counts come from owner complaints filed with NHTSA, which are voluntary, so they show what owners bothered to report rather than every fault that occurred.
Is the 2021 Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 reliable?
It scores 81 out of 100 on our risk index, which is severe — 25th riskiest of the 231 2021 vehicles we can rate. The score is a comparison against other 2021 vehicles, not a prediction about any individual car, and it is built from complaint rates, severity and how early failures appear.
Which year of the Mercedes Benz AMG Gle53 is best?
Within the 2021–2022 generation, 2021 scores best at 81 out of 100 and 2022 worst at 81. Same body, same engines, different luck.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed