1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE ILLUMINATION OF THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO STATED THE FAILURE WAS CONTRIBUTED TO THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 72,000. UPDATED 10/31/11 *BF UPDATED 12/08/11

DRIVING HOME FROM WORK THE CAR'S IDLE WENT TO ZERO. THIS HAPPENED HALF-WAY HOME. ITS A 30+ MILE DRIVE FROM WORK TO HOME. ESSENTIALLY THE CAR JUST QUIT OPERATING WHILE MERGING ON THE INTERSTATE. POWER STEERING WAS LOST AND THIS LEFT MY 8 MONTH PREGNANT WIFE STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE MERGING LANE TO THE INTERSTATE WITHOUT THE CAPABILITY TO RESTART THE CAR. SUCCESSIVE TRIES TO START THE CAR FAILED. ONLY AFTER 5 MINUTES THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START AND BE PULLED OVER TO A SAFE PLACE. TRIED A 2ND TIME TO DRIVE IT HOME AND IT LEFT ME STRANDED AGAIN WITHOUT IT BEING ABLE TO RESTART. HAD TO BE TOWED ON A FLATBED TOW TRUCK HOME THE REMAINDER OF THE DRIVE HOME. *TR

The contact owns a 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH and other various speeds, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that she refilled the power steering reservoir several times and noted that there was a stain underneath her vehicle after parking overnight. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact related the failure to a closed NHTSA Action Number: PE3006 (Steering). The failure mileage was approximately 220,000.

There was a recall on the steering on my 1999 Mercedes Benz . The Manufacturer said its closed . The steering is leaking and hard to drive and I fear the power steering pump will go out while I am driving the Vehicle. I fear for my safety. How can I get this recall opened and my vehicle fixed .

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER FROM PARK BUT THE SHIFTER REMAINED STUCK IN PARK. THE FAILURE RECURRED INTERMITTENTLY AND AFTER WAITING A FEW MINUTES, THE CONTACT WOULD BE ABLE TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS. THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE AND THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 160,000.

I HAVE 2 COMPLAINTS AGAINST MERCEDES ML320 SUV. 1) WITH IGNITION OFF AND KEY REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CAN BE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE TRUCK STARTS TO ROLL. IT POSTS EXTREME DANGER TO PASSENGERS, ESPECIALLY, KIDS LEFT IN A PARKED VEHICLE, AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS IN FRONT OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE STANDING IN BETWEEN THIS VEHICLE AND ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE ON A SLOPE. 2) THE WELL KNOWN POWER LOCK FAILURE CAUSES THE MANUALLY LOCKED DOORS (INCLUDING CHILD PROOF REAR DOOR LOCKS) TO BE UNLOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WHENEVER THE VEHICLE STARTS IN MOTION FROM FULL STOP. IT IS DUE TO THE AUTO-LOCK FEATURE WHICH ATTEMPTS TO LOCK ALL DOORS WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS TO MOVE FROM FULL STOP (E.G STOPPING FOR RED LIGHT). HOWEVER, DUE TO POWER LOCK FAILURE, IT CANNOT LOCK ALL THE DOORS AFTER 4-5 TIMES AND EVENTUALLY UNLOCKS ALL DOORS. THIS LEFT CHILDREN IN THE REAR IN DANGER OF OPENING THE DOORS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME TWICE; ONE AT 9700 MILES IN 2001 AND AT 70,000 MILES IN 2007. I HAD WRITTEN A LETTER TO MERCEDES BENZ USA TO COMPLAINT ABOUT THE POWER LOCK AND THEY JUST DENIED THAT IT IS A DEFECT. *TR

THIS IS IN REGARD TO NHTSA ID #10033607, ALSO MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE CAMPAIGN #2009100002 DATED JAN 2010, FOR MODEL 163. MY VEHICLE ISN'T COVERED BY ABOVE MERCEDES SERVICE CAMPAIGN BECAUSE IT'S V-6 MODEL, BUT SHOWING EXACTLY THE SAME SAFETY PROBLEM. I'VE TAKEN AND ATTACHED A FEW PHOTOS OF THE PROBLEM AREA SHOWING SEVERE DAMAGE TO FUEL LINE AND LESS SO TO BRAKE LINE. THE PHOTOS SHOWING SEVERE CHAFING BETWEEN FUEL LINE & BRAKE LINE JUST BELOW MASTER CYLINDER. THE SERVICE CAMPAIGN ONLY COVERS 8 CYLINDER MODELS, BUT MY 6 CYLINDER MODEL IS SHOWING EXACTLY THE SAME CHAFING AT THE SAME AREA. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCED ANY PROBLEM, BUT JUST NOTICED THIS ISSUE LAST FEW DAYS.

GAS PEDAL STUCK ON THE MERCEDES ML320 AND THEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR (NO BRAKES) UNTIL A SECOND AND THIRD TRY. *TR

THE YAW RATE SENSOR IS CAUSING THE CAR TO UNINTENDED BREAKING. IT STARTED THE BREAKING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE, HOWEVER OVER A WEEK AGO THE ACTUAL CAR WILL BREAK WHILE IM DRIVE AND BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WILL NOT GO UNTIL I CUT THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10-15 MIN AND TURN IT BACK ON AND THEN IT WILL DRIVE AGAIN.

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65MPH, THE ML320 SLAMMED ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE BREAK CAUSING TRUCK TO SWERVE RIGHT NEARLY OUT OF CONTROL. WHEN STOPPING AND CHECKING THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, HUB AND BRAKE PAD WERE SMOKING AND VERY HOT

THE YAW RATE SENSOR IS CAUSING THE CAR TO UNINTENDED BREAKING. IT STARTED THE BREAKING SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR IN JUNE, HOWEVER OVER A WEEK AGO THE ACTUAL CAR WILL BREAK WHILE IM DRIVE AND BRING THE CAR TO A COMPLETE STOP AND WILL NOT GO UNTIL I CUT THE CAR COMPLETELY OFF AND LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 10-15 MIN AND TURN IT BACK ON AND THEN IT WILL DRIVE AGAIN.

DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEED 65MPH, THE ML320 SLAMMED ON THE FRONT RIGHT SIDE BREAK CAUSING TRUCK TO SWERVE RIGHT NEARLY OUT OF CONTROL. WHEN STOPPING AND CHECKING THE FRONT RIGHT TIRE, HUB AND BRAKE PAD WERE SMOKING AND VERY HOT

CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INQUIRY OVER 3 YEARS AGO; NO RESOLUTION PRESENTED. PROBLEMS HAVE PERSISTED AND GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ONLY WHEN RESEARCHING, WAS I MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL. NO NOTIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURE OR DEALER. SUBSTANTIAL COSTS INCURRED AND VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LEAK AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS. MOONROOF UNABLE TO CLOSE 100% - TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. ADVISED THE PROBLEM WAS SEEN ROUTINELY WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOONROOF. ADVISED TO FORE-GO REPAIR DUE TO COST. UPON EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE CUSTOMARY AND UNSURE AS TO WHY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED OR REPAIRS MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER. WOULD LIKE A WRITTEN RESPONSE OUTLINING OPTIONS AND RESOURCES TO REMEDY THESE ISSUES. *TR

I OWN A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. I WAS IN DRIVING IN I-5 NORTH FROM LAKE OSWEGO TO PORTLAND, OREGON. WITH MY WIFE AND MY SISTER-IN-LAW AND HER DAUGHTER WITH A FRIEND, IT STARTED TO RAIN AND IT STARTED TO BECOME FOGGY. WHEN I TRIED TO TURN ON THE DEFROST, THE NOSE CAME ON BUT NO AIR CAME OUT. THIS MADE ME HAVE ZERO VISIBILITY AND IT PUT US IN GRAVE DANGER WHEN I HAD TO WIPE THE WHOLE WINDSHIELD WITH MY HANDS. THE NEXT DAY WE WENT TO MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP AND GOT THE PROBLEM FIXED, BUT THERE MIGHT BE OTHERS WHO HAVE THIS PROBLEM AND THEY WON'T BE AS LUCKY AS WE WERE. THIS NEEDS TO BE A CASE THAT IS HANDLED AND IF YOU HELP OUR COMMUNITY OUT, YOU WILL BE THE PREVENTION OF A FUTURE HAZARD. *NM

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT A WEEK AGO MY AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY UNDER SERIOUS IMPACTS MY CAR ROLLED SERVERAL TIMES BEFORE COMMING TO A STOP ON ITS SIDE NOT ONE AIRBAG WENT OFF ALSO THERE WAS A WARNING LIGHT LIT UP ABOUT THE BAS SYSTEM AND SOME OTHER MALFUNCTION THE TWO WARNING LIGHTS NEVER WENT OFF THEY STAYED ON CONSTANT WHILE DRIVING I HAVE SERIOUS INJURIES DUE TO NO AIRBAGS GOING OFF IM VERY DISSAPPOINTED IN THE FACT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN FIXED AND PREVENTED ANOTHER FRIEND HAS THE SAME PROBLEM AS I DO AND WILL FILE THEIR OWN COMPL;AINT NOW I DONT HAVE A VEHICAL PERIOD WHAT AM I SUSPOSED TO DO? IF MY KIDS WERE WITH ME I WOULD SUE FOR SURE THANK GOD THEY WERE NOT WITH ME !!! COME ON MERCEDES FIX THE PROBLEM BEFORE MORE PEOPLE GET HURT YOUR WELL AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM ALREADY DO SOMETHING!!

MY 1999 MERCEDES ML-320 WAS TRAVELING ON A THROUGH HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 40 MPH WHEN IT WAS BROADSIDED AT THE INTERSECTION BY ANOTHER VEHICLE, WHICH APPARENTLY DIDN'T STOP AT THE STOP SIGN. AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT, MY VEHICLE ROLLED OVER TWICE. THE SIDE AIRBAGS DIDN'T DEPLOY. I AM CONCERNED THAT THEY WERE DEFECTIVE; THEREFORE, I AM REQUESTING A SAFETY INVESTIGATION REGARDING POSSIBLE DEFECTS IN THE AIRBAGS OR DEVICES CONTROLLING SIDE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT. *TR

RIGHT REAR STRUT AND SPRING ON MY 1999 MERCEDES ML 320 IS BAD AND NEEDS REPLACED AFTER ONLY 53,000 MILES, NONE OF WHICH ARE"OFF-ROAD" MILES. THE DEALER HAS QUOTED ~$750 TO REPLACE JUST THE STRUT. *LA

CREAKING NOISE NOTED AT LEFT REAR OVER BUMPS. MBZ SAYS NO COVERAGE DUE TO MILEAGE.

CONTINUING PROBLEMS WITH POWER STEERING. TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INQUIRY OVER 3 YEARS AGO; NO RESOLUTION PRESENTED. PROBLEMS HAVE PERSISTED AND GOTTEN PROGRESSIVELY WORSE. ONLY WHEN RESEARCHING, WAS I MADE AWARE OF THE RECALL. NO NOTIFICATION FROM MANUFACTURE OR DEALER. SUBSTANTIAL COSTS INCURRED AND VEHICLE CONTINUES TO LEAK AFTER NUMEROUS REPAIRS. MOONROOF UNABLE TO CLOSE 100% - TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP. ADVISED THE PROBLEM WAS SEEN ROUTINELY WITH THIS PARTICULAR MOONROOF. ADVISED TO FORE-GO REPAIR DUE TO COST. UPON EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, THIS PROBLEM IS QUITE CUSTOMARY AND UNSURE AS TO WHY THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RECALLED OR REPAIRS MADE BY THE MANUFACTURER. WOULD LIKE A WRITTEN RESPONSE OUTLINING OPTIONS AND RESOURCES TO REMEDY THESE ISSUES. *TR

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING REAR HATCH WINDOW SHATTERED. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK

DT: INTERMITTENT DELAY OF 7 SECONDS WHEN GIVEN GAS. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE DEALERSHIP 6 TIMES, AND THEY STILL HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO FIGURE THE PROBLEM OUT. THE CAR HAS HAD THIS PROBLEM FOR 2 YEARS. THE CAR IS WORSE WHEN IT'S HOT OUTSIDE AND WHEN THE CONSUMER IS PULLING OUT. THE CAR DOESN'T HAVE THE PROBLEM WHEN IT'S COOLER OUTSIDE. THE DEALERSHIP HAS CHANGED OUT THE PEDAL VALUE SENSOR, A SLIDE MECHANISM FOR THE INTAKE MANIFOLD, A WIRING HARNESS AND FAN FOR THE ECM, THE FUEL PUMP AND FUEL FILTER WITH UPGRADES, THE ECM, AND NOW THE WIRING HARNESS HAS TO BE CHANGED SINCE IT WAS BUILT IN GERMANY.

WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, ONE OF THE OCCUPANTS NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. EVERYONE IMMEDIATELY GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE COULD NO LONGER BE DRIVEN. *AK

CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM IGNITION WITHOUT THE VEHICLE BEING IN PARK. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT SHE COULD SHIFT THE GEAR LEVER TO ALL GEARS WHEN THE KEY WAS NOT IN THE IGNITION AND ENGINE IN AN OFF POSITION. THE VEHICLE ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND RAN OVER A MAILBOX DAMAGING THE VEHICLE AND BACK WHILE THE GEAR LEVER WAS STILL IN PARK. THE REAR SEAT BELTS DOES NOT RETRACT AND HAD TO BE MANUALLY PUSHED BACK INTO THE MECHANISM. *TC

REAR SEAT BELT BEHIND DRIVER DOES NOT RETRACT PROPERLY. DEALER SUGGESTED REPLACEMENT. CLAIMED IT COULDN'T BE FIXED. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THE REAR SEAT BELT ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TWICE ON THIS VEHICLE. THE REAR SEATS ARE USED INFREQUENTLY THUS, THE REAR SEAT BELTS ARE USED INFREQUENTLY. REAR SEAT BELTS TO BE VIRTUALLY USELESS THREE TIMES ON THE SAME VEHICLE SEEMS LIKE A SAFETY HAZARD TO ME.*AK

I HAVE 2 COMPLAINTS AGAINST MERCEDES ML320 SUV. 1) WITH IGNITION OFF AND KEY REMOVED, THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTER CAN BE SHIFTED TO NEUTRAL AND THE TRUCK STARTS TO ROLL. IT POSTS EXTREME DANGER TO PASSENGERS, ESPECIALLY, KIDS LEFT IN A PARKED VEHICLE, AS WELL AS PEDESTRIANS IN FRONT OR BEHIND THE VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY THOSE STANDING IN BETWEEN THIS VEHICLE AND ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE ON A SLOPE. 2) THE WELL KNOWN POWER LOCK FAILURE CAUSES THE MANUALLY LOCKED DOORS (INCLUDING CHILD PROOF REAR DOOR LOCKS) TO BE UNLOCKED AUTOMATICALLY WHENEVER THE VEHICLE STARTS IN MOTION FROM FULL STOP. IT IS DUE TO THE AUTO-LOCK FEATURE WHICH ATTEMPTS TO LOCK ALL DOORS WHEN THE VEHICLE STARTS TO MOVE FROM FULL STOP (E.G STOPPING FOR RED LIGHT). HOWEVER, DUE TO POWER LOCK FAILURE, IT CANNOT LOCK ALL THE DOORS AFTER 4-5 TIMES AND EVENTUALLY UNLOCKS ALL DOORS. THIS LEFT CHILDREN IN THE REAR IN DANGER OF OPENING THE DOORS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. THIS PROBLEM HAPPENED TO ME TWICE; ONE AT 9700 MILES IN 2001 AND AT 70,000 MILES IN 2007. I HAD WRITTEN A LETTER TO MERCEDES BENZ USA TO COMPLAINT ABOUT THE POWER LOCK AND THEY JUST DENIED THAT IT IS A DEFECT. *TR

CONSUMER NOTICE AFTER MAKING A STOP VEHICLE POWER DOOR LOCKS PULSATE UP AND DOWN SOON AFTER DOOR LOCKS WILL UNLOCK. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED CANNOT DUPLICATE PROBLEM. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. MR

WENT TO PARK THE VEHICLE AND IT SEEM TO SHIFT INTO A LOWER GEAR AN ACCELERATING, CAUSING IT TO LUNGE FORWARD INTO A LIGHT POLE. *TR

THE TRANSMISSION SHIFTED ERRATIC IN COLD WEATHER. *JB DURING THE FIRST 5-6 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT OUT OF 1ST GEAR IN COLD WEATHER. ABLE TO SHIFT AFTER WARM START (ABOUT 5 MINUTES). *TT

CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAS SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT HER MERCEDES BENZ TRUCK, ONE BEING THAT THE TRUCK WILL NOT HOLD AN ALIGNMENT, WHICH CAUSES HER TIRES TO WEAR OUT FAST. SECOND ONE IS THAT THE DOOR LOCK REGULATOR DOES NOT WORK AND THE THIRD IS THE POWER STEERING FAILURE. IT FAILED AT 24,000 MILES CAUSING IT TO BECOME IMPOSSIBLE TO STEER THE TRUCK. SHE ALSO SAYS THAT THE TRUCK LEAKS POWER STEERING FLUID. TS