2000 Mercedes-Benz ML320 Owner Complaints

I was driving full freeway speed when the brake assist system suddenly engaged which slammed on my brakes immediately and sent me skidding all over the freeway trying to maintain control of the vehicle and not crash into anything. All the while the cars behind me had to veer out of the way. Several accidents were almost caused by this incident. This safety feature is now a safety hazard. This should never ever happen. This I'd comparable to an airbag suddenly deploying while driving. An absolutely terrifying experience. The bas fct light came on which is how I learned of the brake assist system. This problem is repeatable because it happened 2 more times as I had to get my vehicle home but luckily I didn't date take the freeway again. Problem just started 5/7/23 without any warning at all.

NHTSA ID

11521278

Incident

May 7, 2023

Hard braking suddenly activated without driver input, smoke coming from front wheels. YAW SENSOR malfunction indicated by OBD scanner (checked after incident)

NHTSA ID

11515596

Incident

Dec 1, 2022

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM THE AUCTION IN ALGONA NAMED WHITEY'S PUBLIC AUTO AUCTION AND THAT VERY DAY I HAD TO PUT POWER STEERING FLUID IN BECAUSE THERE WAS A LEAK AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN. I'VE HAD THE POWER STEERING PUMP REPLACED AND IT CONTINUES TO LEAK. I GOT ON THE INTERNET AND STARTED TO RESEARCH AND FOUND OUT ABOUT THE RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11373106

Incident

Sep 23, 2020

Mileage

220,000 mi

STEERING IS HARD TO TURN. OVER HEATS AND WILL NOT KEEP COOLINAT DOWN

NHTSA ID

11339320

Incident

Jul 11, 2020

Mileage

219,444 mi

THE METHOD IN WHICH A FUEL TANK IS FASTENED TO THE VEHICLE CHASSIS USES A STEEL STRUT TO SUPPORT A SERIES OF STAINLESS STEEL STRAPS. THE DISSIMILARITY IN METALS USED IN FASTENING THE HARDWARE OF BOTH COMBINED WITH EXPOSURE TO THE ELEMENTS WILL CAUSE THE STRUT TO CORRODE WITHOUT WARNING AND THE FUEL TANK TO DROP ONTO THE ROADWAY WITHOUT PRIOR SYMPTOMS OR WARNING. THE CORROSION AT THE CRITICAL FASTING POINTS IS NOT OBVIOUS WITH ROUTINE INSPECTION. WITH MANY OF THESE VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM 1998 THROUGH 2005 STILL ON THE ROAD TODAY, OWNERS SHOULD BE MADE AWARE OF THIS POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

11337445

Incident

Jul 4, 2000

Mileage

235,000 mi

SRS. ETS. ABA LIGHTS ON. BUZZING. *TR

NHTSA ID

11327057

Incident

Jun 2, 2020

Mileage

195,000 mi

AS I NOTICED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY ALL FOCUS IN THE POWER STEERING ISSUES, FUEL / OIL LEAKS AND LOSS, ESP OPTION , ELECTRICAL MAIL FUNCTIONS THAT RELATE WITH THE ECU, PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFTER. ALL THESE ARE SAFETY CONCERNS SINCE ALL THE ABOVE PROBLEMS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT . I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS IN MY CAR AND IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING AS THE CAR IS NOT IN SPEED MOTION UNLESS YOU USE STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL , THE ESP IS NOT WORKING AT ALL , THE SHIFTER IS NOT CHANGING TO DRIVE UNLESS YOU OVERRIDE IT AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO START IT AND THE FUEL ALONG WITH THE OIL IS LEAKING AND ALL THE FLUIDS ARE DISAPPEARING IN NO TIME . ALL THESE ARE SAFETY HAZARDS AND NOT JUST A SIMPLE PROBLEM . THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A REPAIR FOR ALL OF THESE ISSUES ASAP FREE OF CHARGE FROM MERCEDES FOR THE OWNERS OF THE PARTICULAR DEFECTIVE VEHICLES . THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

NHTSA ID

11288070

Incident

Nov 15, 2019

Mileage

25 mi

ONGOING ISSUE THAT IS SOMETIMES DIFFICULT TO REPLICATE. VEHICLE WILL SUDDENLY DIE WHILE DRIVING OR IDLING, WITHOUT WARNING, AND TAKE APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES TO RESTART. IGNITION WILL SOMETIMES STICK AND NOT START. VEHICLE ALMOST CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE IN ONE INSTANCE WHERE SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED WHILE APPROACHING STOP LIGHT.

NHTSA ID

11207280

Incident

May 13, 2019

Mileage

136,700 mi

MY POWER STEERING GOES OUT ALOT AND AS WELL LEAK ONTO THE GROUND I FIND IT VERY HARD TO STEER MY CAR AT TIMES . THE POWER STEERING FLUID DOESN'T LAST VERY LONG IT'S BEEN FIXED 1 AND THE PROBLEM PERSIST .

NHTSA ID

11154148

Incident

Nov 27, 2018

DIFFICULT TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT. USES LOT OF FORCE TO MOVE THE STELRING

NHTSA ID

11114009

Incident

Jul 26, 2018

Mileage

178,888 mi

TAKATA RECALL I JUST BOUGHT A 2000 MERCEDES ML 320. MY AC STOPPED WORKING AND TOOK IT TO A MERCEDES CERTIFIED MECHANIC. TOLD ME IT WAS A PRESSURE SENSOR. HE THEN CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THAT THE WIRING HARNESS HAD FALLEN APART AND ALL WIRES WERE TOUCHING EACH OTHER MAKING SHORTS THRU OUT THE CAR. HE TOLD ME THAT THE SHORTS HAD FRIED MY COMPUTER AND THE ONLY WAY TO FIX ALL THIS WAS TO REPLACE THE WIRING HARNESS. AT ALMOST $2000.00 FOR THE REPAIR IT SEEMS THAT MERCEDES INTENTIONALLY DID THIS TO MAKE MONEY. THEY SHOULD BE HELD ACCOUNTABLE TO REPAIR THIS ISSUE AS THEY DID IT SO THE WIRING HARNESS WOULD BIO DEGRADE WHEN THE CAR WAS JUNKED. NOT A GOOD PRACTICE TO SELL CARS IN THE UNITED STATES.

NHTSA ID

11111058

Incident

Jul 10, 2018

Mileage

169,780 mi

2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CRACKED EXHAUST SYSTEM AND CRACKED CATALYTIC CONVERTER. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS VISUALLY INSPECTED AND DOCUMENTED THAT RECALL REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. *JS

NHTSA ID

10959429

Incident

Aug 1, 2011

ON APRIL 21, 2016 WE PURCHASED TWO USED TIRES FROM A LOCAL COMPANY CALLED TIRE TRACKS FOR OUR SON'S CAR. THEY WERE GENERAL TIRES CALLED "GRABBERS", P255/65R16. THE REAR TIRES WERE MOVED TO THE FRONT AND THE TIRES THAT WE PURCHASED WERE PUT ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. A "COURTESY INSPECTION" WAS PERFORMED. ON MAY 12, 2016 OUR SON HAD A LEFT REAR BLOWOUT AS HE WAS EXITING I-49 SOUTH. HE WAS NOT INJURED BUT THERE WAS DAMAGE TO HIS CAR WHERE THE STEEL BELT HAD REPEATEDLY HIT HIS CAR UNTIL HE COULD PULL OVER SAFELY. THE COMPANY REPLACED THE TIRE. THEN ON JUNE 15, 2016 I WAS FOLLOWING MY SON HOME FROM LITTLE ROCK. WE WERE TRAVELING NORTH ON I-49. HE WAS IN THE LEFT LANE TRAVELING 70-75 MPH AND HAD ANOTHER BLOWOUT WITH THE RIGHT REAR TIRE. THANKFULLY, HE WAS NOT INJURED AND WAS ABLE TO SAFELY PULL ONTO THE SHOULDER. DAMAGE TO HIS CAR WAS MORE SEVERE. HIS RIGHT REAR TAIL LIGHT WAS BUSTED AS WELL AS HIS BUMPER. AGAIN, THE RIGHT REAR FENDER SUSTAINED DAMAGE BECAUSE OF THE STEEL BELT REPEATEDLY HITTING HIS CAR. THE COMPANY

NHTSA ID

10877132

Incident

May 12, 2016

Mileage

155,000 mi

SUDDEN AND COMPLETE FAILURE OF FRONT BRAKES DUE TO BREAKAGE OF FRONT STEEL BRAKE LINES, LOST ALL FLUID, FORTUNATELY HAPPENED IN THE PARKING LOT AND NOT DURING A RECENT TRIP TO MASS AND NEW YORK CITY

NHTSA ID

10862273

Incident

Apr 22, 2016

Mileage

8 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320. WHEN THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO ROLL DOWN BOTH PASSENGER SIDE WINDOWS, THEY FAILED TO ROLL DOWN. THE HEADLIGHTS AND INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE ABS, BRAKE FAILURE SWITCH, AND ESP WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. WHEN USING THE POWER STEERING TO ATTEMPT TO TURN THE VEHICLE, THE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED, INDICATING A MALFUNCTION OF THE POWER STEERING. THE VEHICLE HESITATED BEFORE COMPLETING THE TURN. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 200,000.

NHTSA ID

10839162

Incident

Jan 15, 2016

Mileage

200,000 mi

WAS DRIVING TRUCK AT HIGHWAY, WHEN BRAKES ACTIVATED BY ITSELF, ABS, TRACTION LIGHT, BRAKE LAMP AND HAZARDS FLASHED. HAD TO IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO SIDE OF ROAD, WHILE BRAKES WHERE ACTIVATING. FELT AS IF ABS WAS ACTIVATING AS IF I WAS SLIDING ON AND ICY ROAD. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED AS I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE MORE THAT 5 FEET

NHTSA ID

10744220

Incident

Jul 24, 2015

Mileage

160,020 mi

BRAKE LINE RUSTED AND BRAKES FAILED COMPLETELY SUDDENLY WHEN MY MECHANIC WAS MOVING AUTO FROM HIS GARAGE AFTER SERVICING MY TRANSMISSION I PROBABLY WOULD HAVE BEEN IN A SERIOUS ACCIDENT HAD I PICKED UP MY CAR WITHOUT THAT HAPPENING TO HIM NEVER EXPECTED A BRAKE LINE TO RUST AND CAUSE BRAKES TO SUDDENLY BE GONE I AM SO WORRIED ANOTHER CAR WILL CAUSE DEATHS IF THIS DEFECT IS NOT KNOWN TO OWNER

NHTSA ID

10723147

Incident

Jun 2, 2015

Mileage

16,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS BEING TEST DRIVEN BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, THE BRAKES FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS RUSTED AND FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 150,000.

NHTSA ID

10723135

Incident

Jun 2, 2015

Mileage

150,000 mi

I HAVE EXPERIENCED MULTIPLE INCIDENTS OF A SITUATION WHERE THE ABS, ESP, AND ETS LIGHTS COME ON AND A NOISE OCCURS WHEN DEPRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AT LOW SPEEDS. THE NOISE STOPS ONLY WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL IS DEPRESSED OR AT SPEEDS OVER 40 MPH. THERE IS ALSO A VIBRATION THAT OCCURS THAT CAN BE FELT BY DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. THE NOISE CONTINUES AS SOON AS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS RELEASED. THE CAR BECOMES DIFFICULT TO DRIVE. TURNING THE CAR OFF AND ON AGAIN DOES NOT CLEAR THE PROBLEM. WHEN THE CAR IS TURNED OFF, A NOISE CAN BE HEARD COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD THAT SOUNDS LIKE A MOTOR OR A FAN THAT IS RUNNING. THIS CONTINUES FOR HOURS. THE HOOD OF THE CAR BECOMES WARM TO HOT TO THE TOUCH. AT SOME POINT THE FAN OR MOTOR STOPS RUNNING. IF THE CAR BATTERY HAS NOT BEEN DRAINED, THE CAR FUNCTIONS NORMALLY--UNTIL THE NEXT TIME THAT THE PROBLEM OCCURS. AFTER A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH, I FOUND MANY SIMILAR REPORTS OF THESE SYMPTOMS BY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS MAKE AND MODEL VEHICLE OF THE SAME OR SIMILAR YEAR OF MANUFACTURE. THE VEHICLE OWNERS HAVE RECEIVED DIAGNOSES OF A BAD ABS CONTROL MODULE, A BAD ABS PUMP, BAD SOLDER JOINTS ON THE ABS PUMP ASSEMBLY'S CIRCUIT BOARD, OR BAD RELAYS IN THE FUSE BOX. REPAIRS HAVE COST IN THE THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR WHAT IS APPARENTLY, A KNOWN DEFECT. DRIVERS OF THESE VEHICLES HAVE BEEN SUBJECTED TO FRIGHTENING INCIDENTS WHERE THEIR SAFETY HAS BEEN COMPROMISED BY THEIR VEHICLES. I REALIZE THAT THE LAW GOVERNS SAFETY DEFECTS IN CARS MANUFACTURED WITHIN THE LAST 10 YEARS. HOWEVER, PEOPLE WITH OLDER CARS NEED RECOURSE FOR KNOWN DEFECTS. A MERCEDES SUCH AS MINE, THAT ONLY HAS ONLY A LITTLE OVER 100K MILES AND THAT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED, HAS A LIFE EXPECTANCY OF AT LEAST ANOTHER 50K TO 100K MILES. HOWEVER, THEY SHOULD BE SAFE MILES. *TR

NHTSA ID

10694066

Incident

Apr 9, 2013

Mileage

96,000 mi

VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES OFF ITS ANTI-LOCK-BRAKE AND ELECTRONIC-STABILITY-CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR UNKNOWN REASON, THEREBY ENDANGERING ITS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLE'S DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS, EVERY TIME IT'S DRIVEN. *TR

NHTSA ID

10678446

Incident

Dec 31, 2014

Mileage

130,000 mi

DEFECTIVE PASSENGER SEAT OCCUPANCY SENSOR TURNS AIRBAG AND SEAT-BELT TENSIONER OFF WHENEVER THERE'S A PASSENGER RIDING IN THE CAR, PREVENTING THE PASSENGER-SIDE AIRBAG FROM DEPLOYING AND THE SEAT-BELT FROM WORKING PROPERLY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10676171

Incident

Jan 1, 2015

Mileage

120,000 mi

I WAS ON THE FREEWAY, I WAS USING MY CRUISE CONTROL (LUCKILY JUST AFTER HEAVY TRAFFIC HOURS) JUST LIKE ANY OTHER DAY. A CAR SLOWED IN FRONT OF ME, SO I WENT TO APPLY MY BRAKES. AS SOON AS I HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL THE BRAKES NOT ONLY DID NOT DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL BUT THE BRAKES GOT STIFF AND WOULD NOT WORK NO MATTER HOW HARD I PRESSED THEM. AT THE SAME TIME THE ACCELERATOR WAS FLOORED AND THE CAR WAS TRYING TO GO WHAT SEEMS LIKE 130-140 MPH. IT TOOK ALL MY STRENGTH TO TRY AND KEEP IT AT AN APPROPRIATE SPEED. LUCKILY MY PASSENGER TOLD ME TO STAY CALM AND TRIED TO HELP ME DISENGAGE THE CRUISE CONTROL. I HAD TO MANEUVER THE CAR TO THE SLOWEST LANE AND SHIFT IT INTO NEUTRAL. THAT WAS THE ONLY OPTION I HAD BESIDES CRASHING INTO THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. I AM EXTREMELY SHAKEN FROM THIS EVENT, I HAVE ANXIETY/PANIC ATTACKS WHENEVER I DRIVE ANY VEHICLE NOW. I AM CURRENTLY LOOKING FOR A PHYSICIAN TO HELP ME WORK OUT SOME KIND OF TREATMENT/THERAPY.

NHTSA ID

10545058

Incident

Sep 21, 2013

Mileage

185,630 mi

DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 295 IN JACKSONVILLE FL AT APPROXIMATELY 70 MPH IN THE MIDDLE LANE AND THE BRAKES LOCKED UP FOR 5-10 SECONDS AND THE BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON. I NEARLY LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ACCIDENTALLY CUT OFF SEVERAL CARS IN THE LANE TO MY RIGHT. FORTUNATELY NOBODY WAS INJURED, BUT IT COULD HAVE BEEN VERY DANGEROUS! AFTER STOPPING, AND SHUTTING THE CAR OFF, AT AN EXIT FOR SO I COULD SEE IF I COULD SPOT ANYTHING I TRIED TO MAKE MY WAY HOME (OFF THE INTERSTATE). THE BAS/ESP LIGHT WAS OFF, AND EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE ALRIGHT. HOWEVER, AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES, THE BRAKES LOCKED UP AGAIN. I WAS ONLY GOING ABOUT 30 MPH, BUT I WAS FORCED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THERE WAS A CAR BEHIND ME, BUT THEY WERE ABLE TO GET AROUND ME SAFELY. *TR

NHTSA ID

10523462

Incident

Jul 6, 2013

Mileage

145,500 mi

THE VEHICLE BRAKES, WITHIN A FIVE SECOND PERIOD, VIOLENTLY ENGAGE AT SEEMING RANDOM PATTERNS AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS HAPPENED TWICE ON TWO DIFFERENT DAYS ROUGHLY A MONTH APART, AND ONLY TWICE, IN THE SAME LOCATION AT EXACTLY THE SAME DRIVING CONDITIONS (VEHICLE SPEED, WEATHER - SUNNY DAY NO RAIN, STRAIGHT ROAD, LIGHT TRAFFIC, SAME 25-30 MPH SPEED). I WENT TO THE MERCEDES DEALER IN TYSONS CORNER AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW OF A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE LOCATION IS THAT IT IS IN WITHIN 50M OF HIGH CAPACITY POWER LINES WHICH GO OVER THE ROAD, AND WITHIN 300M OF AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL RADIO ANTENNA TRUCTURE TOWER. I BELIEVE THE ELECTRONICS OF ONE OR BOTH OF THESE ARE CAUSING THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC STABLILITY CONTROL /BRAKE ASSIST COMPUTER TO GO HAYWIRE AND CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE LOCATION IS ON ROUTE 29 LEE HIGHWAY, VA RIGHT BEFORE THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES OVER THE BELTWAY GOING WESTBOUND, JUST PAST WHERE YOU CROSS UNDER THE POWER LINES THAT GO OVERHEAD. THE RADIO TOWER IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS BRIDGE. 95% OF THE TIME I DROVE THIS EXACT ROUTE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN, SO IT IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE. TURNING THE ENGINE OFF TWICE SEEMS TO RESET THE SYSTEM AND IT SEEMS TO WORK FINE. ALSO NOTE THAT THESE POWERLINES, WITHOUT FAIL, ALSO CAUSE THE SAME CAR'S ALARM TO GO OFF 100% OF THE TIME WHEN I PARK WITHIN 100M OF THEM. THE DEALER DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR CAN HAVE A SPONTANEOUS CAR ALARM ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE CARS BRAKING SAFETY COMPUTER AND PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. IT WOULD USEFUL FOR YOUR STAFF TO USE A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM TO MAP THE SIMILAR INCIDENTS. I SUSPECT THEY ARE ALL NEAR ELECTRICAL OR RADIO INTERFERENCE AS WELL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10512543

Incident

Apr 16, 2013

Mileage

77,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING AND ABRUPTLY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SKID AND IT ALMOST CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

NHTSA ID

10512382

Incident

May 15, 2013

Mileage

160,000 mi