1998 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Fuel system 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

REPLACEMENT OF 10 FULL SENDER AND FUEL GAUGE RELATED EQUIPMENT PARTS ON 1998 MB ML320, REPLACEMENT OF TRANSFER CASE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10226973

Incident

Jan 1, 2000

Mileage

20,162 mi

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

FUEL PUMP FAILURE AFTER 70,000 MILES. LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROAD. HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. HAMMOND TIRE AND AUTO CENTER IN HAMMOND,LA CONTACTED BENSON MERCEDES IN METAIRIE AND WAS TOLD SEVERAL OF THESE HAD APPEARED IN RECENT MONTHS IN HIS SHOP. BENSON MERCEDES SENT OUT THE NEW FUEL PUMP WITH SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS MADE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UP TO "COMPLIANCE". I CONTACTED MERCEDES AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THERE WOULD BE NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR HALF THE COST OF THE PARTS SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE WORK DONE AT A CERTIFIED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT IT WOULD HAVE COST ME APPROXIMATELY $200 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO METARIE OR BATON ROUGE.*AK

NHTSA ID

10052533

Incident

Nov 23, 2003

Mileage

70,000 mi

ML320 FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING CRASH INTO OTHER VEHICLE. MBZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TWICE AND CLAIMED NO RECORD OF 1ST CALL 4 HOURS EARLIER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE TO DEALER WHO CLAIMED STARMARK WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, CONTRARY TO SAME DEALER REPRESENTATION AT SALE. *AK

NHTSA ID

10049587

Incident

Dec 9, 2003

1998 MERCEDES BENZ ML320: PERSISTENT SLOSHING SOUND COMING FROM UNDERBODY OF CAR. PRESUMED TO BE GAS SLOSHING AROUND IN THE TANK, OR SOME OTHER DRAINAGE PROBLEM. MB TOOK TWO SECONDS TO INVESTIGATE BY ROCKING THE CAR AND FOUND NOTHING.

NHTSA ID

10040958

Incident

Sep 30, 2003

FUEL LINE COMING OUT OF GAS TANK CAME LOOSE AND SPRAYED RAW FUEL ALL OVER BACK OF CAR AND ONTO STREET. COULD HAVE IGNITED FROM ANY SPARK OR OPEN FLAME.

NHTSA ID

10039586

Incident

Jun 5, 2003

Mileage

46,316 mi

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH,RESULTING IN STALLING.VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN INDICATED FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

NHTSA ID

10032059

AS TOLD BY THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY, THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL FILTER ON THIS PARTICUALER MODEL, ARE MUCH TOO SMALL TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUEL TO THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO CHANGE THE LINE AND FILTER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT WOULD BE CHANGED AT THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE CHECK UP AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *JG

NHTSA ID

566667

FUEL GAUGE HAS BEEN READING INCORRECTLY SINCE PURCHASE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE FUEL GAUGE 10 TIMES, DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8010152

Incident

Jun 1, 1999

FUEL TANK FILLER NECK IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN FUELING VEHICLE THERE IS FUEL SPILLAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

NHTSA ID

883025

HAD TWO (2) FUEL PUMP FAILURES IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS. SUV STOPS RUNNING, GOT OFF ROAD SAFELY.*AK

NHTSA ID

734035

Incident

Sep 20, 2000

APPARENTLY, THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM ON THE 1998 ML320 FAILS QUITE OFTEN....EVEN ON TRUCKS WITH LOW MILEAGE. *AK *JB ***** DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****731049.

NHTSA ID

10006347

Incident

Sep 8, 2000

Mileage

33,000 mi

KEY LOCK PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START DUE TO KEY PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START BECAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES, WOULD NOT START DUE TO GAS TANK PROBLEMS, DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES MOVE UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES, LATCH ON HATCH DOOR RATTLED, REAR SEAT BELTS RATTLE, OIL OUT LIGHT CAME ON AT RANDOM TIMES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, LAST THE FLY-BY WIRE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OF THE VEHICLE WITH $14,000 DAMAGE. *AK

NHTSA ID

718787

Incident

Oct 1, 1999

FUEL PUMP.

NHTSA ID

609823

WHEEL LUG NUTS RUST; REAR SEAT CONTROL LEVER BREAKS; GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY.

NHTSA ID

609505

FUEL GAUGE SENDING UNIT FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

608837

FUEL GAUGE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

607677

GAS GAUGE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

607090

FUEL TANK SENDER TO FUEL GUAGE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID

606335

Incident

Aug 1, 1998