Mercedes-Benz GLA common problems & fixes (X156 2014–2020, H247 2020–present)

Written by the C4R team from DVSA data and owner reports. Fact-checked 2026-10-08.

The 30-second verdict

The first-generation GLA is essentially a raised A-Class, which makes it easy to place on the road but less spacious than some compact SUVs. Its main used-buying watch-points are the 7G-DCT automatic, stop-start battery faults, the powered tailgate and smaller electrical glitches. The roomier second-generation car feels more like an SUV; early examples deserve a careful check of the MBUX screen and software. Whichever version you choose, favour a complete Mercedes-Benz or marque-specialist service history and check that every applicable recall has been completed.

Generations at a glance

Generation	UK years	Main engines	Gearboxes	Notes
X156	2014–2020 (facelift 2017)	1.6 and 2.0 turbo petrol; 2.1 diesel; later 1.5 diesel; AMG GLA 45	6-speed manual, 7G-DCT dual-clutch automatic	Front-wheel drive or 4MATIC, depending on version
H247	2020–present (facelift 2023)	1.3 and 2.0 turbo petrol; 2.0 diesel; GLA 250 e plug-in hybrid; AMG GLA 35/45	7G-DCT or 8G-DCT dual-clutch automatic	Taller, roomier replacement; MBUX infotainment

Trim, engine and transmission availability changed during each generation, so confirm the specification of the individual car rather than relying on its badge alone.

Known issues

1. Hesitation, lunging or loss of drive from the 7G-DCT — X156 automatics

Label: Reported by owners in multiple independent used-car reviews.
What you notice: delayed response, a lunge when selecting Drive or Reverse, hunting between ratios after slowing down, a gearbox warning or, in an isolated report, temporary loss of drive.
Which cars: first-generation automatic GLAs. Reports specifically include the GLA 220 CDI/d and GLA 250 4MATIC, but condition matters more than the badge.
What to do: test the car both cold and fully warm, including creeping in traffic, reversing, hill starts and accelerating away from a roundabout. A specialist should diagnose persistent symptoms rather than assuming that every low-speed hesitation means a failed clutch or control unit.
Evidence: RAC's 2014–2017 GLA used review records owner reports of lunging and an automatic-transmission malfunction; Honest John describes slow kickdown and ratio hunting and records an owner report of a 7G-DCT car temporarily losing drive.

2. ECO stop-start not working — X156 battery and software checks

Label: Reported by owners and used-car reviewers.
What you notice: the ECO stop-start system remains unavailable or works intermittently, sometimes alongside other odd electrical behaviour.
Which cars: first-generation cars fitted with ECO stop-start.
What to do: remember that temperature, battery charge and other normal operating conditions can inhibit stop-start. If it remains unavailable, have the main and auxiliary batteries tested and the car scanned for stored faults before replacing parts.
Evidence: Carbuyer says battery failure can cause a stop-start fault and that used cars may need software updates; RAC records the system stopping on an owner's car; Honest John records a car that required both auxiliary and main-battery attention after repeated stop-start faults.

3. Powered tailgate opens by itself or does not close properly — X156

Label: Reported by owners and a used-car buying guide.
What you notice: the boot releases while the car is parked, reopens after closing, or stops before it is fully shut.
Which cars: first-generation cars with the powered tailgate.
What to do: cycle the tailgate several times, check that it latches, then lock the car and leave it for a while. Check the key buttons are not being pressed accidentally. A persistent fault needs proper diagnosis of the latch, wiring and control system.
Evidence: Carbuyer warns that the boot latch can release after the car has stood; Honest John records independent reports of incomplete powered closing and a 2016 car whose hatch opened by itself even after its lock was replaced.

4. Parking sensors, media and accessory-electrical glitches — X156

Label: Reported by owners in multiple independent reviews.
What you notice: false parking-sensor alerts, a frozen media screen, an unrecognised USB device, a misleading reversing warning or intermittent powered accessories.
Which cars: reported on both early and facelift first-generation cars; no single engine is implicated.
What to do: test every parking sensor, camera, screen, media input, USB port, powered mirror and tailgate function. Because these symptoms do not share one proven cause, insist on a diagnostic scan and avoid a car with unresolved warnings.
Evidence: RAC's 2017–2020 used review records intermittent parking-sensor trouble, a frozen media screen, USB recognition trouble and a spurious reversing warning; Honest John records repeated false proximity-sensor activation and an audio fault that was cured by a software download.

5. MBUX freezes or a dark central display — H247

Label: Owner-reported and covered by Mercedes-Benz technical guidance.
What you notice: persistent infotainment faults, a screen that stays dark, a system stuck on the Mercedes-Benz welcome animation or missing audio.
Which cars: second-generation GLA models using MBUX, with the strongest evidence around earlier cars.
What to do: restart the car more than once and test the display, audio, navigation, Bluetooth, phone integration, reversing-camera image and steering-wheel controls. Check that outstanding software updates have been applied; do not assume a software update will cure a hardware fault without diagnosis.
Evidence: What Car?'s H247 reliability review records an owner whose persistent infotainment faults required several dealer visits; Mercedes-Benz technical bulletin LI82.85-P-069381, applicable to model series 247, describes a display remaining dark or not progressing beyond the welcome animation and specifies an MBUX software update as the remedy for the documented software condition.

Recalls

The DVSA file contains numerous GLA rows, including parallel campaigns with the same concern and build window. The table below highlights significant campaigns across both generations; it is not a substitute for a registration-specific check. Build dates are the GLA dates recorded in the DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch Recalls Database. Check every car on the GOV.UK recall checker and ask for evidence that the work was completed.

DVSA ref	Launched	GLA build window	Concern and remedy
R/2014/182	16 January 2015	1 February 2014 – 30 November 2014	A diesel-engine chain-tensioner O-ring may be out of specification, allowing oil loss and possible engine damage; sealing ring replaced.
R/2015/145	12 August 2015	8 September 2014 – 7 November 2014	Passenger-footwell fuses may be fitted incorrectly, affecting the instruments, wipers or passenger-seat recognition and potentially passenger-airbag deployment; fuses checked and fuse box replaced if required.
R/2015/259	21 January 2016	28 October 2015 – 19 November 2015	High-pressure fuel lines may crack and leak, creating a fire risk near an ignition source; fuel lines replaced.
R/2016/124	28 September 2016	1 October 2015 – 30 November 2015	A faulty weld in the transmission's dual clutch may crack, causing limp-home mode or loss of drive; dual clutch replaced.
R/2017/096	20 June 2017	1 February 2014 – 28 February 2017	Repeated attempts to start a seized engine could overheat the starting-current limiter and create a fire risk; an additional fuse fitted in the starter supply.
R/2018/098	11 May 2018	1 November 2011 – 31 July 2017	Steering-airbag electrical components may be insufficiently earthed; if the clock spring fails, the driver's airbag could deploy inadvertently. A contact bridge is fitted to provide correct earthing. DVSA records the same build window for related clock-spring refs R/2017/282, R/2018/069 and R/2018/130.
R/2020/262	12 October 2020	21 October 2019 – 26 June 2020	The turbocharger oil-supply line may leak; line checked and replaced if necessary.
R/2021/110	13 May 2021	4 January 2016 – 29 January 2021	The emergency-call system may not behave as specified; communication-module software updated. DVSA lists several parallel GLA eCall campaigns with this build window.
R/2021/202	21 July 2021	30 November 2016 – 28 February 2017	A bore in the steering-shaft universal joint may be out of specification; steering shaft checked and replaced if necessary.
R/2021/437	14 January 2022	19 January 2020 – 3 February 2021	On cars with an additional door lock, the locking-pawl spring in the left-side door locks may not have been greased correctly; affected spring greased.
R/2024/024	7 February 2024	15 December 2014 – 25 April 2016	A panel between the windscreen and panoramic roof may have been bonded incorrectly during an earlier repair; front fixed roof element checked and replaced if needed.
R/2024/166	6 May 2024	24 June 2019 – 31 January 2024	The steering software's backup function may not meet specification, so assistance may be impaired and loss of steerability cannot be ruled out; electric-steering software updated.
R/2024/392	18 October 2024	17 May 2023 only	The sealing ring between the exhaust manifold and turbocharger may be missing; sealing ring retrofitted.
R/2025/439	13 November 2025	6 May 2025 – 7 May 2025	The front short-range sensor circuit board may not meet specification; sensor replaced.

One additional GLA-applicable CSV campaign, R/2017/160 (launched 20 June 2017), has no build start or build end in the source file. It concerns left and right window airbags that may not deploy as specified; both airbags are replaced. Its missing build window is reported here rather than inferred.

MOT watch-points

No model-specific MOT rates are quoted here because none were supplied from the C4R MOT-data pipeline for this draft. For an individual car, use its official MOT history and look for repeat advisories rather than treating a fresh pass as a condition report.

Before buying, check:

tyre tread and shoulder wear, especially on cars with large wheels;
brake discs and pads through the wheels where visible;
suspension knocks over rough roads and speed humps;
every exterior lamp, washer and wiper;
warning lamps at ignition-on and after the engine starts;
evidence that earlier advisories were repaired, not simply carried from test to test.

Buying one? Our checklist

Run the registration through the GOV.UK recall checker and ask for completion invoices or workshop records.
Demand a cold start, then repeat the transmission checks once the car is warm.
On an X156 automatic, test gentle take-up, reversing, hill starts and kickdown.
If stop-start stays unavailable, have both batteries and stored faults checked.
Cycle the powered tailgate repeatedly and confirm it remains latched after locking.
Test every sensor, camera, media input, USB port and powered accessory.
On an H247, restart and exercise the MBUX system rather than checking only that the screen lights up.
Verify the service history against time and mileage, and have an unresolved warning inspected by a Mercedes-Benz specialist before purchase.
On a GLA 250 e, confirm that both charging cables are present and arrange a battery-health check if the displayed electric range or charging behaviour seems abnormal.

Sources & further reading

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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