2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC problems, complaints & recalls
NHTSA has received 67 owner complaints about the 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC, or 11.6 per year on the road — far fewer complaints than typical (complaint index 0.29, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 85 model-year 2021 vehicles we track, it ranks #22 of 85 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Mercedes-Benz models its rate is 18% higher; against other Luxury SUVs it is 18% lower.
Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count
Complaints filed between 2021-03-08 and 2026-10-05. Median delay from incident to filing: 8 days.
Analysis
The previous model year (2020) drew 11.8 complaints per year, about the same. The following model year (2022) drew 13.4 per year, more than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2021 model collected 17 complaints, 72% lower than the average vehicle of the same model year.
The most common problem area is Engine (44.8% of complaints), followed by Electrical (13.4%) and Lighting (11.9%). Engine complaints are 2.0 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 4 reports (6.0%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 1 injury and 0 deaths.
Half of the reported incidents happened within 47 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was years three to five (45% of incidents). In the last 12 months 20 new complaints were filed, versus 20 in the 12 months before — virtually unchanged.
NHTSA lists no safety recalls for this model year.
Complaint index
- vs. all tracked vehicles0.29
- vs. other Mercedes-Benz models1.18
- vs. other 2021 models0.3
- vs. other Luxury SUVs0.82
- Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (17)0.28
- #22 of 85 · 2021Rankings ›
1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.
What owners complain about
vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average
Problem areas: Engine · Electrical · Unspecified or other · Body & structure
When complaints were filed
- Crashes reported: 2
- Fires reported: 2
- Injuries: 1
- Deaths: 0
Vehicle age at incident
Median age at incident: 47 months
What owners report
The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH, the blind spot assist detection feature failed to function as intended.
While the vehicle was being operated normally, it caught fire. We were driving on a summer day in August. Conditions were humid, with temperatures in the mid-80s. The vehicle was on the return leg of an approximately 30-mile drive.
I own a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The vehicle developed moisture/condensation in the headlamp, and the affected headlamp subsequently failed. I took the vehicle to RBM of Alpharetta, an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership.
My vehicle is experiencing moisture intrusion caused by a defective headlight housing seal. The water intrusion has resulted in a short circuit and failure of the turn signal module within the headlamp assembly.
My 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 is not currently included in NHTSA Recall 22V-261 / Mercedes-Benz Campaign 2022050005, but my vehicle is experiencing substantially the same defect described in that recall.
Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.
Segment peers · 2021 · Luxury SUVs
| Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 Lexus NX | 17 | 2.9 | 0.07 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLC | 67 | 11.6 | 0.29 |
| 2021 Lexus RX | 71 | 12.3 | 0.3 |
| 2021 Audi Q7 | 75 | 13.0 | 0.32 |
| 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE | 92 | 15.9 | 0.39 |
| 2021 Audi Q5 | 103 | 17.8 | 0.44 |
| 2021 BMW X5 | 110 | 19.0 | 0.47 |
| 2021 BMW X3 | 112 | 19.4 | 0.48 |
Safety recalls (0)
No recalls on record for this model year.
Investigations
No NHTSA investigation covers the tracked model years.