1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Transmission Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

10422566

Incident

May 28, 2011

Mileage

160,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

10312487

Incident

Feb 15, 2007

Mileage

1 mi

REFERENCE: VEHICLE COMPLAINT - 47046 IN SEPTEMBER 1999, WE PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES-BENZ, ML-320. IN 2003, THE VEHICLE WAS PART OF A RECALL CONCERNING A LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLAMP AT THE RADIATOR FITTING. ON AUGUST 7, 2007, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE BLEW OFF LOSING ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID. WE LOST THE POWER STEERING AND HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH A FAMILY MEMBER'S ML-320. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FROZEN FOUR TIMES IN FIRST GEAR. THE MERCEDES DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED THE HOSE; HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER BECAUSE WE ARE FEARFUL ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE DUE TO THESE RECURRING PROBLEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID

10199666

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

63,500 mi

IN SEPTEMBER 1999, WE PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES-BENZ, ML-320. IN 2003, THE VEHICLE WAS A PART OF A RECALL FOR A LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLAMP AT THE RADIATOR FITTING. ON AUGUST 7, 2007, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, THE LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE BLEW OFF LOOSING ALL HYDRAULIC FLUID. WE LOST THE POWER STEERING AND HAD EXTREME DIFFICULTY STEERING THE VEHICLE. THE SAME PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED WITH A FAMILY MEMBER'S ML-320. IN ADDITION, THE TRANSMISSION HAS FROZEN FOUR TIMES IN FIRST GEAR. THE MERCEDES DEALER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND THEY REPLACED THE HOSE; HOWEVER, WE HAVE NOT RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER BECAUSE WE ARE FEARFUL ABOUT DRIVING THE VEHICLE DUE TO THESE RECURRING PROBLEMS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10199413

Incident

Aug 7, 2007

Mileage

63,500 mi

I HAVE A MERCEDES ML 320. IT IS A 1999 MODEL WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES. THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR WHEN DRIVING. SOMETIMES THE TRANSMISSION LOCKS IN GEAR..SO WHEN PULLING OUT IN AN INTERSECTION AND ONE THINKS THE TRANSMISSION WAS IN LOW FOR POWER, IT IS LOCKED IN HIGH AND THE CAR COULD NOT ACCELERATE QUICKLY ENOUGH TO AVOID A POTENTIAL COLLISION WITH ONCOMING VEHICLES. ALSO, WHEN DRIVING, THE TRANSMISSION MIGHT SLIP OUT OF GEAR AT AN INOPPORTUNE TIME AS WELL. ONE HAS TO STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN OFF THE IGNITION AND THEN RESTART WHICH RESETS THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE SPOKEN TO MANY MECHANICS AND THEY ALL SAY THAT MERCEDES HAS KNOWN ABOUT THE PROBLEM AND REFUSES TO RECALL. I AM HAVING THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT BUT I BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY OTHER PEOPLE THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED THE PROBLEM. A RECALL SHOULD BE ORDERED ON THE 1999 THROUGH 2001 MODELS BEFORE SOMEONE DOES GET KILLED. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM MANY TIMES IN THE PAST 2 YEARS AND WE'VE HAD THE MERCEDES DEALER TRY TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM WITHOUT RESORTING TO A NEW TRANSMISSION. WE ALSO HAD IT TO VARIOUS INDEPENDENT MECHANICS THAT ALSO FAILED IN THEIR EFFORTS.*AK

NHTSA ID

10187776

Incident

Apr 2, 2007

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

NHTSA ID

10099784

Incident

Nov 7, 2004

Mileage

78,000 mi

UPON PULLING ONTO THE INTERSTATE VEHICLE JERKED THEN STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR INSPECTION, AND MECHANIC DETERMINED THAT TRANSMISSION FAILED. *AK

NHTSA ID

10072225

Incident

May 5, 2004

TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS OF 70 MPH UP A STEEP GRADE ON CALIFORNIA INTERSTATE 5 ON THE SECTION OF THE HIGHWAY KNOWN AS "THE GRAPE VINE" ELEVATION OF 3000-4000 FEET, HEADED NORTH KEEPING PACE WITH HEAVY TRAFFIC IN THE FAST LANE (FAR LEFT HAND SIDE OF THE FREEWAY HIGHWAY ), IN THE AFTERNOON OF 2/16/04 AT 2 PM WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON THE CAR ( 1999 MERZ, CLASS HD,, BODY TYPE UT [XXX]) AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTED TO A LOWER GEAR SENDING THE RPMS FROM 2500 TO 3000-4000, THIS NORMAL AUTOMATIC ACTION CAUSED THE CAR TO STOP ALL FORWARD MOTION REDUCING BOTH CAR SPEED AND RPMS TO ZERO IN THE FAST LANE, THE IMPACT A "FULL ENGINE SHUT DOWN" A HIGHLY DANGEROUS ACTION IN FAST MOVING TRAFFIC WITH A SHORT HAZARDOUS SIGNALING NOTICE. THE CAR IN JULY OF 2003 PERFORMED IN THE SAME MANNER IN THE SAME SECTION OF "THE GRAPE VINE" HEADED SOUTH IN THE FAST LANE WITH A DIFFERENT DRIVER, NOT USING CRUISE CONTROL THE VEHICLE STOPPED ALL FORWARD MOTION. SHORTLY ARRIVING IN PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA ON THE SAME DAY, THE CAR AGAIN PERFORMED IN THE SAME MALFUNCTION. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO THE PALM SPRINGS MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. THE PROBLEM IDENTIFIED AND PRESUMABLY RESOLVED. THE PROBLEM IS NOT RESOLVED AS STATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF THIS LETTER. IT HAS OCCURRED FOR THE THIRD TIME. THIS IS A CRITICAL LIFE THREATENING MALFUNCTION THAT DEMANDS IMMEDIATE RECTIFICATION. *JB UPDATED 07/26/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

10058333

Incident

Feb 16, 2004

Mileage

67,000 mi

THE CONSUMER NOTICED ABOUT THREE DAYS AGO THAT WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OFF AND THE KEY IS OUT OF THE IGNITION, THE GEAR SHIFTER WOULD SHIFT TO OTHER GEARS. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS. *PH

NHTSA ID

10032362

Incident

Aug 4, 2003

CAR WAS IN PARK AT THE TOP OF THE DRIVEWAY AND ROLLED DOWN MY DRIVEWAY DOWN A HILL AND CRASHED INTO A TREE TO STOP. THE CAR MAKER SENT AN INVESTIGATOR OUT (AFTER A MONTH) WHO DETERMINED IT WAS A DEFECT IN THE TRANSMISSION. (I AM AWAITING THEIR REPORT TO ME) CAR IS NOT DRIVABLE. *JB

NHTSA ID

10023724

Incident

May 14, 2003

Mileage

153,000 mi

CAR WAS STOPPED PUT INTO PARK POSITION ON THE TRANSMISSION. CAR LURCHED FORWARD, CRASHED THRU GARAGE ADJOINING PORCH AND DECK AND ROLLED OFF DROPPING 10 FEET AND TURNING ON IT'S SIDE. DT

NHTSA ID

769277

Incident

Sep 6, 2002

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING, VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARD APPROXIMATELY 40 TO 45 FEET AND CRASHED INTO A CHERRY TREE. UPON EXAMINATION GEAR SHIFT LEVER WAS STILL IN PARK GEAR. DEALERSHIP HAS NOT EXAMINED VEHICLE FOR THIS PROBLEM AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO REPORT *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID

8000838

Incident

Nov 15, 2001

TRUCK SHAKES, SHUDDERS AND MAKES THUNKING NOISE DURING EVEN MODESTLY SHARP LOW SPEED TURNS (IE PARKING, ETC) DUE TO BINDING OF DIFFERENTIALS/DRIVELINE OR BRAKE/TRACTION CONTROL MALFUNCTIONS. COULD LEAD TO DRIVETRAIN OR BRAKE FAILURE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND SUBSEQUENT ACCIDENT. DEALER CLAIMS THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS VEHICLE THOUGH IT DIDN'T OCCUR EALIER DURING OWNERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

755397

Incident

Oct 31, 2001

WHEN ON A HILL OR INCLINE VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACK, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. HE SAID IT WAS NORMAL. *AK

NHTSA ID

867998

Incident

Aug 15, 1999

VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE UPON TAKING OFF. DEALER IS NOT RESOLVING THE PROBLEM. *AK

NHTSA ID

863982

Incident

Jun 20, 2000

WHILE DRIVING ABOUT ANY SPEED TRANSMISSION WILL LOSE POWER, USUALLY WHEN SHIFTING SPEED. *AK

NHTSA ID

856065

Incident

Dec 20, 1999