2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 problems & reliability
48 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250, alongside 12 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 22, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 10 | 21% |
| Engine → | 10 | 21% |
| Unknown / Other | 9 | 19% |
| Air Bags | 6 | 13% |
| Power Train | 6 | 13% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 5 | 10% |
| Wheels | 5 | 10% |
| Structure | 4 | 8% |
| Visibility | 3 | 6% |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 18 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“After the vehicle's main battery fully discharged and the vehicle was jump-started, multiple SRS / driver airbag warnings appeared immediately, the horn and steering wheel controls stopped working, and a clicking noise developed in the steering column when turning the wheel. None of these symptoms existed before the…”
Steering · filed Sep 14, 2026
“Sunroof glass exploded without warning while driving at highway speed. Glass shards poured throughout the vehicle including on the driver, potentially putting the vehicle and other vehicles in danger.”
Structure · filed Jul 2, 2026
“I am filing a complaint regarding my 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. My vehicle recently triggered a check engine light and was diagnosed by an independent mechanic with code P052E, related to the positive crankcase ventilation regulator valve / crankcase ventilation system. My mechanic advised that this issue appears to…”
Engine · filed Jun 22, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Engineering Analysis EA21002 · opened Sep 17, 2021 · open
Technical service bulletins
104 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250. The 10 most recent:
Complaint Intermittent shift feel or thud/clunk noise perceived, such as a brief jerk or transmission reaction during certain driving situations. May be most noticeable when transitioning from a coasting condition to…
LI 27.10-P-080851 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 29, 2026
Dear Mercedes-Benz Owner: In our continuing efforts to ensure the proper performance of Mercedes-Benz products and to enhance the satisfaction of our customers, Mercedes-Benz USA is extending the warranty coverage for…
CL - Tank Leak Detection · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Aug 15, 2026
Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection temporarily not available". Potentially affected functionalities in NTG4.5, NTG5 1.Weather 2.Local Search 3.IP Radio 4.Send2Car 5.Speech Detection…
LI82.85-P-079087 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2026
Complaint Clanking noise from the area of the speakers in the doors. Cause Under analysis. Remedy To narrow down the cause, first of all remove the door trim. • If the noise continues to occur even with the door trim…
LI82.62-P-078631 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 6, 2026
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Dear Mercedes-Benz USA Dealers, The part numbers listed in the chart below should no longer be installed, and any existing stock must be returned to your facing PDC. The deadline for all dealer returns is no later than…
PSL-NCU Return Parts 6/19 · Other · issued Jun 19, 2026
Complaint After successful commissioning of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) with XENTRY Diagnosis DVD 03/2026, the message "SOS - service not activated" appears on the instrument cluster. In addition, the following two…
LI82.85-P-080507 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2026
Complaint The customer requests deactivation of the N112/9 HERMES communication module Note: Deactivation of the HERMES control unit (N112/9) is not supported for gray-market vehicles. Cause Before deactivating the…
LI82.85-P-080559 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Radio station cover art does not refresh when switching stations. The UI continues to show the old station’s artwork instead of updating to the new one. Cause When a new station change request is triggered, a…
LI82.60-P-080383 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 2, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250 has 12 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2018 Mercedes-Benz GLA 250?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.