1998 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Engine Problems

MY BATTERY WAS LOW AND UNKNOWN TO ME THE ML320 FOR THIS YEAR LOSES ITS TRANSPONDER CODES IN THE DAS SECURITY MODULE WHEN YOU TRY TO START THE VEHICLE WITH A LOW BATTERY. THIS IS EVIDENTALLY THE THIRD KEY THAT HAS LOST ITS PROGRAMMING ON MY VEHICLE DUE TO LOW BATTERY VOLTAGE. COST SO FAR IS 499 FOR A KEY, WEEKS WAITING FOR THE KEY FROM GERMANY, AND 300 TO PROGRAM IT ONCE THEY RECIEVE THE KEY. ITS A DEALERSHIP ONLY ITEM SO ITS VERY VERY COSTLY. THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH MERCADES AND CHECKING THE FORUMS IT SEEMS THAT EVERYONE THAT HAS 1998-2000 MODEL MERCADES ALL LOSE THEIR TRANSPONDER CODES BETWEEN 129,000 AND 132,000 MILES NO MATTER WHAT.THIS IS AN OBVIOUS MANUFACTURERS DEFECT AND A KNOWN ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE PAID FOR BY MERCADES. I NEVER HAD THESE ISSUES WITH MY TWO 2002 ML500'S BUT I WILL NEVER PURCHASE ANOTHER BENZ IN MY LIFE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10669353

Incident

Dec 27, 2014

Mileage

131,459 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR UNRELATED ISSUES WHEN SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE IGNITION KEY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED BECAUSE IT NO LONGER FUNCTIONED PROPERLY. THE CONTACT WAS NOT INFORMED AS TO WHY THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE KEY WAS NOT REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT IN ORDER TO REMEDY THE FAILURE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NEED AN ENTIRE NEW IGNITION SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 180,000. THE CONSUMER DISCOVERED DURING RESEARCH THAT MERCEDS BENZ INSTALLED AN INADEQUATE COMPUTER SYSTEM IN HER VEHICLE. THE SYSTEM WOULD ONLY ALLOW EIGHT KEYS TO BE MADE FOR THE LIFETIME OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER FELT IT WAS A SCAM BY MB TO FORCE THEIR CUSTOMERS TO PURCHASE A NEW COMPUTER, IGNITION, ETC, FOR THE VEHICLE AFTER THE 8TH KEY HAD BEEN MADE. THEY CLAIMED IT WAS MADE THAT WAY FOR SECURITY REASON. THE CONSUMER CALLED TWO DEALERSHIPS AND WAS GIVEN A PRICE OF $4,000 TO $5,000. THE CONSUMER FINALLY HAD THE KEY, COMPUTER AND OTHER PARTS REPLACED BY A LOCKSMITH FOR $1,400. THE RADIATOR, AIR CONDITION AND TWO MIRROR ALSO HAD TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 07/11/12

NHTSA ID

10458322

Incident

May 9, 2012

Mileage

180,000 mi

HARMONIC BALANCER BROKE APART AT 140K , NO INDICATION OF FAILURE, JUST LOTS OF SMOKE AND NO STEERING CAPABILITIES, WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION. POLICE PUSHED ME TO SAFETY. PLASTIC SHATTERED EVERYWHERE IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT.. THE DEFECT WAS THE PLASTIC PULLY, INTERNET RESEARCH SHOWED OTHER PEOPLE HAD SAME PROBLEM AND COST THEM THOUSANDS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10196654

Incident

Mar 15, 2007

Mileage

148,000 mi

1998, MERCEDES ML320, 70,000 MILES, BOTH CATALYTIC CONVERTERS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THERE IS A MAJOR CAMPAIGN FOR RECALL ON THIS PART FOR MERCEDES TO REPLACE AT NO COST TO THE OWNER, HOWEVER, THE YEAR OF THE CAR IS IN QUESTION. THIS INCIDENT HAPPENED 4 MONTHS AFTER THE 8 YEAR WARRANTY RAN OUT.

NHTSA ID

10177846

Incident

Jun 29, 2006

WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE SEEMS TO BE LEAKING EXHAUST DIRECTLY INTO THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT CAUSING ME TO HAVE SEVERE HEADACHES AND FEEL VERY TIRED. IT HELPS SOMEWHAT WITH THE ODOR WHEN THE HVAC IS SWITCHED TO RECIRCULATE, BUT I FEEL THAT CO IS STILL SEEPING IN THE VEHICLE. *NM

NHTSA ID

10150915

Incident

Jan 1, 2006

Mileage

139,000 mi

CATALYTIC CONVERTER NEEDS REPLACING. ENGINE IS SOUNDING VERY LOUD. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT IS ON. PART WAS ORDERED IN SEPTEMBER 2005. AS OF TODAY, 12/30/05, THE PART IS STILL NOT AVAILABLE. THE MERCEDES ACCOUNT MANAGER SAID OVER 1200 CATALYTIC CONVERTERS ARE ON BACK ORDER FOR THE US AND THERE ARE 2 PEOPLE WHO HAVE BEEN WAITING LONGER THAN US IN AUSTIN FOR THE PART. HE SAID IT MAY BECOME A RECALL. WHY ARE SO MANY OF THESE PARTS ALL FAILING AT THE SAME TIME THAT SUPPLY CANNOT KEEP UP WITH DEMAND? I FEEL MY VEHICLE MAY BE UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND HAVE NO ACCESS TO A PART TO CORRECT THE DEFECT. *NM

NHTSA ID

10146535

Incident

Dec 16, 2005

OUR 1998 MERCEDES M320 HAS BEEN SUBJECT TO UNEXPECTED STALLING FOR SOME TIME. MORE RECENTLY THIS HAS INCREASED IN FREQUENCY AND WE HAVE PERIODS OF LOSS (REDUCTION) OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE DEALER ADVISES THAT WE HAVE DETERIORATION OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTERS AND THAT THERE HAS BEEN A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM ON NEWER MODELS OF THE M CLASS - BUT NOT OUR YEAR. WE HAVE THE CAR AT THE DEALER WAITING FOR REPLACEMENT PARTS. WE ARE TOLD IT WILL BE A NUMBER OF WEEKS SINCE THE PARTS ARE IN GREAT DEMAND. REPAIRS WILL COST OVER $2,000 - BUT THE CAR IS CLEARLY UNSAFE. MOST FREQUENT STALLS ARE STARTING AT A LIGHT OR STOP SIGN. ONE CONCERN IS KNOWING THIS PROBLEM WITH MODEL YEARS JUST NEWER THAN OURS ARE SUBJECT TO RECALL WHILE OUR YEAR ISN'T. THE OTHER ISSUE IS HOW DIFFICULT IT WAS FOR THE DEALER TO IDENTIFY THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT BECAME VERY SEVERE (OR THEY LEARNED OF THE SOLUTION DUE TO THE RECALL OF OTHER YEARS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10141589

Incident

Oct 10, 2005

Mileage

145,000 mi

THE RIGHT SIDE CATALYTIC CONVERTER SPLIT AT THE NECK. WHILE THE LOCAL MERCEDES BENZ DEALER FREELY ADMITS THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM ON THIS CLASS OF CAR AND THAT THERE IS A RECALL ON THIS VERY PROBLEM, THEY TELL ME THAT MY VIN NUMBER IS NOT COVERED AND IF I WANT TO AVOID THE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH A LEAKING EXHAUST SYSTEM, I MUST REPLACE IT MYSELF. THIS IS OBVIOUSLY A MUCH WIDER PROBLEM THAN MERCEDES BENZ IS WILLING TO ADMIT TO. *JB

NHTSA ID

10138149

Incident

Sep 28, 2005

HARMONIC BALANCE PULLEY WAS FAILED AND WAS RECALLED 1998 MERCEDES ML320 -[XXX]. MERCEDES REFUSED TO PAY TOTAL LABOR FOR PROCESS. VEHICLE HAS NO EQUIPMENT OTHER THAN MERCEDES MADE AND INSTALLED EQUIPMENT. VEHICLE HAS MERCEDES FOG LIGHT BAR ON FRONT (STANDARD MERCEDES MADE AND INSTALLED ITEMS). IF THE PART HAD NOT BEEN DEFECTIVE, THIS CHARGE WOULD NOT HAVE OCCURRED. REGARDLESS OF THE FACT THAT IS WAS INSTALLED BY MERCEDES BEFORE I GOT THE CAR--I DO NOT FEEL THAT I SHOULD BE BURGEONED WITH MERCEDES COSTS DUE TO POOR QUALITY OF DEFECTIVE PARTS. *NM UPDATED 07/19/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10132150

Incident

Aug 7, 2005

Mileage

85,000 mi

VEHICLE STALLED WHENEVER IT WAS DRIVEN. THERE WERE NO CURRENT RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10099959

Incident

Oct 5, 2004

LAUNDRY LIST OF FAILURES. JACK HAS ALMOST KILLED ME WHILE CHANGING TIRE. VEHICLE FELL, ALMOST HITTING ME BUT CATCHING SIDE OF VEHICLE BEFORE LANDING ON ME! HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED ON A FEW OCCASIONS, CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. AIR MASS METER FAILED. HAS REQUIRED 5 (FIVE!) ALIGNMENTS IN TWO YEARS. WHEN BROUGHT TO DEALER'S ATTENTION, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. A MONTH LATER REQUIRES ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS CAUSES WEAR ON TIRES, WHICH HAS CAUSED HYDROPLANING AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SWERVES UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN HITS ANYTHING OTHER THAN FLAT ROAD. TRANSFER CASE MOTOR FIXED BY DEALER WITHOUT CONSULTING. AFTER REPAIR, TRANSFER CASE MOTOR FAILED. DEALER STATES OWNER RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS. HAS HAD REPAIR OF HARMONIC BALANCER ON FRONT OF ENGINE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP LEADING TO OIL LEAK AND FAILURE OF BELT TENSIONER. WINDOW SWITCHES HAVE FAILED TWICE AND FIXED AT EXPENSE OF OWNER. SIX DIFFERENT KEYS HAVE FAILED @ THE COST OF $220/KEY. REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER CAUSES LOSS OF STEREO RECEPTION. REAR WINDOW WIPER MOTOR HAS FAILED. FRONT END MAKES NOISE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10068171

Incident

May 1, 2004

Mileage

97,615 mi

STEERING FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE HARMONIC BALANCER. REFER TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE03058

NHTSA ID

10065904

Incident

Mar 18, 2004

Mileage

79,457 mi

BELT TENSIONER FAILED AT 73886 MILE,$308.00. HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED @80,772 MILES. LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL ACCESSORIES. REPLACED BELT ,OIL PAN ,TENSIONER(AGAIN),HARMONIC BALANCER,OIL ,OIL SEAL. MERCEDES PAID FOR PARTS. I PAID FOR LABOR $675.00. DID TENSIONER FAIL FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF BALANCER. WAS BALANCER A KNOWN DEFECT? *CB

NHTSA ID

10054358

Incident

Jun 24, 2003

Mileage

80,772 mi

REGARDING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE03058. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE ON MY MERCEDES ML, 320 TODAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 57,435 MILES. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS STARTING TO FAIL AND RECOMMENDED IT BE REPLACED OR IT COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051555

Incident

Jan 2, 2004

Mileage

57,435 mi

1998 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320, 73K MILES - CRANKSHAFT HARMONIC BALANCER DISINTEGRATED, RESULTING IN CONCURRENT LOSS OF MULTIRIBBED-V-BELT AND INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP FUNCTION.*AK

NHTSA ID

10051220

Incident

Mar 25, 2003

Mileage

73,500 mi

VEHICLE STALLED ON THE HIGHWAY WHILE DRIVING ABOUT 55 MPH. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR ANALYSIS. *AK

NHTSA ID

10044329

Incident

Oct 20, 2003

Mileage

25,000 mi

HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. *LA

NHTSA ID

10043233

Incident

Apr 11, 2002

Mileage

48,000 mi

1998 MERCEDES BENZ ML320, 47K MILES, HARMONIC BALANCER LOOSENED, GROUND THROUGH TIMING COVER AND UPPER OIL PAN LEADING TO RAPID LOSS OF OIL. COULD HAVE BEEN A SAFETY ISSUE TO CARS BEHIND. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041795

Incident

Jun 15, 2003

Mileage

47,000 mi

98 MERCEDES ML320 WITH 75,000 MILES HARMONIC BALANCER WENT UP AND DESTROYED HALF OF THE ENGINE WHICH COST OVER $5,000 IN REPAIRS. MBUSA SAID THEY HAD NO PREVIOUS COMPLAINTS AND THAT I WAS RESPONSIBLE FOR ALL REPAIRS SINCE IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. I HAVE SINCE FOUND OUT THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THESE VEHICLES/ENGINES THAT MB IS TRYING TO COVER UP. *LA

NHTSA ID

10041450

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE CRANK SHAFT DAMPER (HARMONIC BALANCER) CAME APART CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE MIDDLE OIL PAN AND THE FRONT TIMING COVER.

NHTSA ID

10039564

Incident

Feb 5, 2002

Mileage

62,717 mi

WHILE DRIVING 25-35 MPH THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE DEALER HAS REPLACED THE FUEL PUMP TWICE BUT THE PROBLEMS STILL EXIST. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10040633

Incident

Sep 25, 2003

THE VEHICLE COOLANT ENDED UP IN THE TRANSMISSION. PROBABLE PROBLEM WITH HOSES OR CONNECTION. *JB

NHTSA ID

10039178

Incident

Aug 1, 2003

THE HARMONIC BALANCE THAT IS LOCATED IN THE CRANKSHAFT WENT OUT AND CAUSED THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND CONTROL. DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE DAMPER PULLEY HAD SEPARATED.*AK

NHTSA ID

10039719

Incident

Aug 16, 2003

Mileage

40,000 mi

THE CONSUMER PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHERE BOTH LIGHTS HAD COME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND HAD BECOME UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, BECAUSE THE BELT CAME OFF THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING, AND THE AC, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. *SCC *JB

NHTSA ID

10026710

Incident

Jul 3, 2003

Mileage

79,279 mi

THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THE INVESTIGATION PER GARRETT ENGINEERING, THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CRANK SHAFT PULLEY FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE BELTS, ALTENATOR, AND THE COOLING SYSTEMS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE PULLEY FAILURE. THIS PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED UNDER THE 80K WARRANTY, BUT HAS NOT BEEN HONORED. *SCC

NHTSA ID

8014522

Incident

Jul 17, 2002