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Which year to buy
Bar height: serious owner complaints to NHTSA for that year per car on the road, against this model's usual year.
2012GOOD BUYSerious complaints 1.0× usual
163 serious complaints of 171, the most about air bags (136) and fuel system (12); per car on the road, 1.0× this model's usual year.
What owners report
“Takata recall. The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz glk350. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 17v017000 (air bags); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the air bags, Mar 2017
“I smell gasoline every time I fill up the gas tank and don't smell it when not quite full. I haven't check yet but I think that the fuel pump flange has deteriorated. My co-worker has the same exact issue and he found out that it was the fuel pump flange.”
An owner's complaint to NHTSA about the fuel system, Jan 2024
171 owner complaints · 0 recalls · EPA combined: 18 mpg · NHTSA: Not rated · 2012 trims and features
Verdicts computed from NHTSA owner complaints, defect investigations and recalls. Cars on the road from New York State registrations. (How we judge.) Data checked 2026-10-06.
Trims and features
Engines: 3.5L 6-cyl · Drive: 4WD, RWD
2012 GLK trims
| GLK350 | GLK350 4-MATIC |
|---|
base price, seating and driver-assistance equipment from NHTSA's vehicle database (vPIC), as Mercedes-Benz reports it. Tech and comfort features (CarPlay, heated seats, sunroof) for Mercedes-Benz aren't in our data yet. "—": not verified in our sources. "Varies": standard on some versions of the trim.
Year by year
| Year | Engines | Drive | Fuel economy | Crash rating | Recalls | Owner complaints | Most-reported problem | CarPlay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 20–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 133 | Air bags (91) | — |
| 2014 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 21–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 126 | Air bags (78) | — |
| 2013 | 2.1L 4-cyl turbo diesel 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 21–27 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 146 | Air bags (102) | — |
| 2012 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 171 | Air bags (136) | — |
| 2011 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 134 | Air bags (92) | — |
| 2010 | 3.5L 6-cyl | 4WD, RWD | 18 mpg | Not rated | 0 | 241 | Air bags (149) | — |
Owner complaints are unverified reports to NHTSA, counted as filed: older years have had longer to collect them and sales aren't adjusted for, so see Which year to buy for a fair comparison. Most-reported problem: the component named in the most complaints that year. Sources: EPA, NHTSA, Apple.
Every NHTSA-rated version: crash ratings, safety tech, recalls, complaints
| Year | Version | Stars | Forward collision warning | Lane departure warning | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 133 |
| 2015 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | No | Optional | 6 | 133 |
| 2014 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-CLASS 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 126 |
| 2014 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-CLASS 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Optional | No | 6 | 126 |
| 2013 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR 4WD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 7 | 146 |
| 2013 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | Optional | Optional | 7 | 146 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 171 |
| 2012 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 171 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR AWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 134 |
| 2011 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4 DR RWD | Not Rated | No | No | 4 | 134 |
| 2010 | Mercedes-Benz GLK-Class 4-DR w/SAB | Not Rated | No | No | 5 | 241 |
Source: NHTSA.
Every EPA-rated version: engines and combined mpg
| Year | EPA model | Engines | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2015 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21–22 |
| 2015 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions |
20–21 |
| 2014 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2014 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L |
21–22 |
| 2014 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2013 | GLK250 Bluetec 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 4 cyl, 2.1 L, Diesel, Turbo | 27 |
| 2013 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2013 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI; PZEV (SULEV) emissions Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L, SIDI |
21 |
| 2012 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2012 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2011 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2011 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2010 | GLK350 | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
| 2010 | GLK350 4matic | Auto 7-spd, 6 cyl, 3.5 L | 18 |
Source: fueleconomy.gov.