The 2022 Mercedes GLB is the smallest Mercedes luxury family SUV that has only recently been revealed. Mercedes offers the GLB with a few engine options, but the most popular one is certainly going to be the 2.0L petrol 4-cylinder because it offers enough power while also being refined and economical.
Mercedes also offers the GLB with an electric powertrain, but it’s safe to say that most people are still going to prefer the petrol version. Given the fact that the GLB is still fairly new, it’s difficult to gather enough information to deem it reliable or unreliable.
However, the GLB was part and still is part of a few significant recalls. Some issues have been reported in regards to suspension and steering components, airbag issues, electrical systems issues, fuel system issues, and infotainment system issues.
Commonly, the very first model years of a specific model fare considerably worse than the later ones because they can gather consumer feedback and fix everything wrong for the newer models. However, some of these issues are more serious than others which means that you should visit your dealership if they indeed happen.
Suspension and steering issues
According to a few online sources, one of the most widespread issues with the GLB is a faulty front axle carrier. Mercedes has even issued a nationwide recall in December of 2021 because failures such as these could potentially result in steering control issues which is not something you should ignore.
The main culprit seems to be corrosion so you should check your front axle carrier whenever you take your car in for maintenance. Also, you should contact your Mercedes dealer if you want the axle carrier fixed free of charge.
Airbag issues
Back in August of 2021, Mercedes also issues a recall for airbag-related issues. The recall states that a potential design flaw may cause your front airbags and seatbelts to not function properly in an event of a crash. Most GLB models have already been fixed, but if you are not sure you should contact your Mercedes dealer as early as possible.
This issue is caused by both a hardware and a software problem which means that you need to physically take your car to a Mercedes dealership in order for it to be fixed. The airbag control module will be replaced/or updated and you will be able to continue driving your GLB in no time.
Electrical system issues
Electrical system issues are fairly common for almost all cars these days, especially luxury cars that pack obscene amounts of state-of-the-art technologies. These cars are so complex that it makes all the sense in the world if these electrical components fail from time to time.
The most common electrical system issue for the GLB is a blank rear-view camera. Sometimes when you put your car into reverse, the system will engage the rearview camera which is sometimes known to fail. This can be momentarily solved by simply restarting the camera, but often this issue can persist if not taken care of professionally.
Fuel system issues
Fuel and oil leaks are a fairly common occurrence with many cars out there, but some types of leaks are more dangerous than others. Mercedes also issued a nationwide recall at the same time they issued a recall for the front axle carrier, as such, if you have taken your car for the front axle carrier fix, chances are that they also fixed the fuel leak.
This issue is not limited to the GLB because many Mercedes models were part of this recall. Mercedes says that is due to a manufacturing process issue that can easily be resolved.
Infotainment screen issue
The Mercedes Benz GLB offers a showstopper interior that easily bests every other subcompact family SUV in its class. The trick party piece of this interior are the two large widescreen infotainment screens that house your odometer, speedometer, trip info, fuel info, oil temp info, and your infotainment screen.
Multiple owners have complained that the middle screen is sometimes known to turn itself off randomly. This is obviously an issue because the screen is used to control many vital car functions.
FAQ Section
Is the Mercedes Benz GLB a good car?
The Mercedes Benz GLB seems to be a fairly decent car, but it is not perfect. Entry-level Mercedes models are not on the same level as their higher-end models even though Mercedes tries to pitch it that way. The last-gen A-Class and all the other cars that were based on the last-gen A-Class platform were sometimes unworthy of the Mercedes Benz badge.
The new A-Class and all the other cars that are based on that very same chassis are noticeably better, but still not on the same level with higher-end Mercedes models. The new GLB is also based on the A-Class platform which means that it delivers, but not as much as some higher-end Mercedes models do.
Is the Mercedes Benz GLB spacious enough?
Mercedes says that the GLB is the entry-level Mercedes family SUV and that seems to be true because the GLB offers way more space than the GLA on which it is based. That’s mostly due to the fact that the GLB offers a boxy design that can only be rivaled by the G-Class.
Some people love boxy SUVs, while others do not. However, a boxy design does ensure lots of headspace for both the front and the rear passengers.
How often are new cars recalled?
Almost every car brand in the world issues a few recalls for a specific car model. Some believe that a recall is a bad thing, but it is the very opposite of that. Automakers spend a lot of time designing cars for them to be as dependable as possible, but modern-day cars are so complex that it’s incredibly difficult to make a 100% perfect car.
As such, almost all automakers these days issue recalls for their cars in order to fix serious issues that can cause all sorts of problems. This is a good thing because these fixes are usually free of charge and most dealerships try their best to fix the cars as fast as possible.
