RoadVitals

1998 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Interior & seats Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Interior & seats reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
10
Latest May 6, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
8%
of 133 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
0
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
2

What this page shows

Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1998 Mercedes-Benz ML320 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 10 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming interior

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalInterior & seats
Filed May 6, 2006

INSTRUMENT LIGHTS DO NOT LIGHT UP. INSTRUMENTS CANNOT BE SEEN AT NIGHT INCLUDING SPEEDOMETER AND GAS GAGE. POTENTIAL CONSEQUENCES ARE RUNNING OUT OF FUEL OR EXCEEDING THE SAFE SPEED LIMITS BECAUSE SPEEDOMETER IS NOT VISIBLE. THE PROBLEM HAS GOTTEN WORST WITH TIME. THIS HAS BEEN A PROBLEM SINCE THE CAR WAS NEW AND DEALERS BLAME THE PROBLEM ON LIGHT BULB PROBLEMS. SOMETIME RAPPING THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAUSE THE LIGHTS TO COME BACK ON INDICATING THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM WITH THE CONNECTION AND NOT THE BULBS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DEFECT WITH THE BULB CONNECTIONS AS THE PROBLEM IS RECURRING AND THE DEALERS ARE NOT TRULY FIXING THE SOURCE OF THE PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID
10156906
Incident
Apr 26, 2006
Body & structureElectricalEngine+5 more
Filed May 2, 2004
1 injury reported

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
Interior & seats
Filed Aug 28, 2003

DRIVERSIDE BACKSEAT FRAME WELDED SUPPORT BOLT FELL APART. (WELDED TO BACK FRAME) THIS MAKES BACK OF SEAT UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE TO SIT IN. CAR IS DRIVEN MOSTLY TO WORK AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. DEALER SAID NO ONE TO SIT THERE, IT IS UNSAFE.

NHTSA ID
10036800
Incident
Aug 27, 2003
Mileage
99,865 mi
Interior & seats
Filed Oct 21, 2002

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT COMPLETELY OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED 19 TIMES PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

NHTSA ID
8021263
Incident
Sep 15, 2002
Interior & seats
Filed Jun 28, 2000
1 injury reported

SEAT BELT LATCHING MECHANISM FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE # 99V328 RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES TO CONSUMER DURING ACCIDENT. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) *ET

NHTSA ID
552844
Fuel systemInterior & seatsOther / unspecified
Filed Sep 8, 1999

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

NHTSA ID
609505
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

REAR HATCHBACK LATCH REPLACED DUE TO FAILURE. *YC

NHTSA ID
608978
Interior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

REAR DOOR LATCH FAILED. MJS

NHTSA ID
608022
Incident
Jan 1, 1998
Fuel systemInterior & seatsVisibility
Filed Feb 1, 1999

GAS GAUGE FAILED. YH

NHTSA ID
607090
BrakesInterior & seats
Filed Feb 1, 1999

BRAKES SQUEAKING. YH

NHTSA ID
606328

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .