2002 Mercedes-Benz M Class Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2002 Mercedes-Benz M Class, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Airbags120.0%
- Brakes120.0%
- Driver assistance120.0%
- Engine120.0%
- Steering120.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED TO REPORT THAT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF IN HER 2002 MERCEDES M CLASS. THERE IS A LIGHT NEXT TO THE AIRBAG THAT SAYS SRS WHICH IS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADJUSTED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT DEPLOYED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
ONE DAY AFTER WASHING THE CAR, THE REAR BRAKE STICKS UNTIL PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND FORCE THE BRAKE TO RELEASE. IT MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE DURING THE FORCE RELEASE. THE NOISE IS SO LOUD THAT YOU MAY THINK YOU HIT SOMETHING FROM YOUR BUMPER IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. MBZ SAID THAT'S NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE RUST OVERNIGHT. THEY DID TOOK THE BRAKE APART, CLEAN AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER. THEY TOLD ME IT'S MY RESPONSIBLITY TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER I WASH TO CAR TO GET RID OF THE EXCESS WATER WITHIN THE BRAKE PADS. YESTERDAY, IT WAS A RAINLY DAY AND I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER DRIVING. IT HAPPENED AGAIN NEXT DAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW CAN I DRIVE THE CAR TO GET RID OF THE WATER WHEN THERE IS A RAINLY DAY. I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE MANAGER TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER AND I DON'T THINK THEY WILL DO ANYTING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS BRAKE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHILE DRIVING HER 2002 MERCEDES ML 500 AT A STEADY 40 MPH IN TRAFFIC THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGED FOR NO REASON LOCKING THE BRAKES AND MAKING THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE AND UNRESPONSIVE TO DRIVER INPUT. THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED US FROM BEING HIT WAS THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND US, HAD THIS OF OCCURRED GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN HIT. OUR VEHICLE IS AT THE MERCEDES DEALER NOW AND WE ARE BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A BRAKE SWITCH THIS WILL BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH ONE CHANGED ON THE VEHICLE, IT ALSO HAS A BAD YAW SENSOR THE PART THAT THE DEALER SAYS CAUSED THE STABILITY CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION. THE YAW SENSOR THAT IS CURRENTLY IN OUR VEHICLE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL AND HAS A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER MEANING IT HAS ALSO BEEN CHANGED IN THE PAST. I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS WHOLE SITUATION VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE OPERATOR THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE MERCEDES OWNER FORUMS AND FOUND NUMEROUS OCCURRENCES OF THIS EXACT DEFECT ON SEVERAL MODELS OF MERCEDES VEHICLES ONE HAPPENED WHILE A GENTLEMAN WAS GOING AT HIGHWAY SPEED AND MERCEDES HAS DONE NOTHING TO TAKE ACTION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M430. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND IT SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSES DEALER. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
RECALL CAMPAIGN # 2003-040005 - MERCEDES BENZ ML 320 RECALL OF POWER STEERING CLAMP. ITEM WAS REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT DEALER IN VIRGINIA AND THE CHARGE WAS COMPLETED FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED. RECALL NOTICE CAME IN THE MAIL 3 DAYS LATER, AND INDEPENDENT DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO REFUND ANY OR ALL OF THE SERVICE COST. INFORMATION RECEIVED CLAIMS THAT MERCEDES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUND NOW. COST FOR PART AND SERVICE WAS $133.57. LOOKING FOR REFUND, WORK IS COMPLETE AND VEHICLE RUNS FINE. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .