2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE 350: misfire or rough idle

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Engine · FL

The engine light warning or indicator light failed to appear when engine began misfiring and shaking causing connecting rod to put a hole in the engine. My safety and the safety of others was put at risk because engine failure can produce the following safety hazards: The primary safety hazards to others include: • Sudden Oil Slick on the Highway: The engine block holds the vehicle's motor oil under pressure. When the rod punctures the block, gallons of hot oil can instantly dump onto the road surface. This creates an immediate, highly slippery oil slick, causing trailing vehicles to lose traction, skid, or crash. • Engine Bay Fire: The expelled motor oil and fuel vapors/spreading vehicle fire • Flying Shrapnel: Metal fragments from the piston, rod, or engine block can be violently ejected from underneath the car. • Immediate Loss of Vehicle Control The problem has been confirmed by the dealer and inspected by others. There were no warning lamps, messages, or lights prior to the failure.

Filed Jun 3, 2026 · Engine · CA

At approximately 87,000 miles, my 2021 GLE350 (M264 2.0T engine) experienced a severe engine misfire resulting in a flashing check engine light, rough idle, engine shaking, significant loss of power, and near-stall condition. The vehicle was taken to Speedhaus Automotive (Newbury Park, CA) where all four ignition coils and spark plugs were replaced. Total repair cost was approximately $635. This failure pattern is consistent with the documented M264 exhaust valve seat wear issue acknowledged by Mercedes-Benz technicians. A Mercedes dealer service report on an identical 2021 GLE350 explicitly states: "COMMON ISSUE FOR EXHAUST VALVE SEATS TO WEAR — KNOWN ISSUE WITH 260 AND 264 MOTORS." Mercedes-Benz has extended the warranty on the M260 engine (transverse variant) for this identical failure mode but has not extended it for the longitudinally-mounted M264 despite the same defect being present. Repair costs for full cylinder head failure on the M264 are being quoted at $6,000–$13,000. I am requesting the federal safety agency investigate whether a safety recall is warranted for the M264 engine across all affected GLE350, GLC300, C300, and E350 vehicles.

Filed Jan 8, 2026 · Engine · FL

There is a known issue with the Cylinder Heads on specific models of Mercedes vehicles. Symptoms of M264 Cylinder Head Failure If your GLE 350 is experiencing these symptoms, it may be covered under the extension: Check Engine Light (MIL): Often triggered by misfire codes. Rough Idle: Noticeable shaking or uneven idling when stopped. Loss of Power: Potential stalling or significant power reduction during acceleration. Low Compression: Diagnostic tests often reveal low pressure in one or more cylinders. This is not being addressed my Mercedes USA where Mercedes Canada has offered an extended warranty. Using social media I have comprised a list of over a hundred impacted owners. Many more exist. What this does is cost catastrophic failure of the engine leaving the driver stranded in whatever lanes they were traveling in. I am disabled and for me this created a life threatening situation. When reaching out to MBUSA the answer is simply "not warranty exists" where MB Canada has extended the warranty to an additional 15k miles from notice. My engine blew. The replacement cost is near $20,000 dollars. The mileage on my engine was 65k. Many others are impacted and a class action lawsuit is the only other course of action it seems. Regards, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 19, 2025 · Engine · IN

I am writing to document a recurring and serious issue with the Mercedes-Benz GLE equipped with the M264 engine, specifically relating to premature cylinder head failure. In my case, the vehicle began showing the following symptoms: Rough engine idle and noticeable vibration during startup Loss of power, especially when accelerating Check engine light with fault codes related to misfire or combustion issues Oil and/or coolant loss, with no external leaks Engine knocking or ticking noises near the top end of the engine After a professional inspection and diagnostic testing, I was informed that the issue is likely due to a defect or failure in the cylinder head, possibly involving warping, cracking, or failure of the valve seats or head gasket area. Upon further research, I discovered that this issue is not isolated. Multiple owners of vehicles with the M264 engine—including various GLE, C-Class, and E-Class models—have reported similar problems, often occurring well before 70,000 miles and despite regular maintenance. The pattern suggests a possible design flaw or quality issue with the engine’s cylinder head. As of now, it appears no formal recall or technical bulletin has been issued by Mercedes-Benz regarding this specific problem. However, the number of similar reports suggests the issue is widespread enough to merit formal investigation or at least acknowledgment by the manufacturer.

Filed Feb 24, 2025 · Engine · SC

My Mercedes gle350 2021 is having a cylinder misfire. I had the repairs done last February. Carlton Mercedes acknowledged this is a known issue with this car. Did some googling and saw how big of an issue this is in this car. Repairs were made and now a year later cylinder misfire again! My neighbor has the same car but 2022 having the same issue currently. This needs to be recalled. Mercedes needs to be held accountable for this issue. It’s costing people anywhere from 7-15,000 dollars to repair and most of these cars only have around 50,000 miles on them! It’s insane!!

Filed Feb 10, 2025 · Engine · 100,000 miles · RI

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz GLE350. The contact stated while driving at approximately 45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle was jerking and bucking while attempting to enter a highway. The contact stopped and turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to drive the vehicle normally. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent and occurred at various speeds. The contact stated that she had observed the check engine light was illuminated. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was blinking. The contact stopped and restarted the vehicle to reset the check engine warning light. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there was a misfire in cylinder #2, and the cylinder needed to be replaced. The contact was advised by the dealer that the cylinder failure was a known failure by the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

Filed Apr 17, 2024 · Engine · TX

Component: Faulty exhaust valves caused the vehicle engine to misfire while driving at high speed (80mph) and required cylinder head replacement. Available for inspection. I was driving through a heavy rainstorm at night on I [XXX] toward Roanoke on [XXX]. While I was driving at speeds between 80-84 mph during a work trip from Texas to Virginia, the vehicle suddenly started shaking vigorously and I was unable to accelerate over 50mph. No alerts came on my system dash nor the MercedesME app on my phone, however, I did notice the ‘check engine’ light suddenly came on. It was very shaky but I was able to continue driving at the slower speed and with the vehicle heavily shaking. The problem was inspected and repaired under warranty by Mercedes-Benz service in Alexandria, VA. Had the 2021 vehicle been out of warranty, the repair would have cost around $10,000 according to Mercedes-Benz service. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)