Owner-reported complaints naming the electrical system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2000 Mercedes-Benz ML320 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 19 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.
Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed
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.
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.
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.
FIRST INCIDENT IN AUGUST 2012 DRIVING 20-30 MPH JUST GOT ON HWY AND CAR SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON BRAKES. COULD NOT GO OVER 1000RPM WITHOUT BRAKES ENGAGING BUT FORTUNATELY A POLICEMAN WHO WITNESSED THIS ESCORTED US TO SAFETY ON SINGLE LANE HWY VERY DANGEROUS. REPLACED YAW RATE SENSOR FOR $1000. NOW IT IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN 2/27/13 AND IS UNDRIVABLE. MOST LIKELY FACING ANOTHER REPLACEMENT OF YAW RATE SENSOR FOR ANOTHER $1000 THAT ONLY LASTED 6 MONTHS LAST TIME. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THESE SAME STORIES ONLINE AND RIDICULOUS THAT MERCEDES BENZ WITH ITS CLASSY REPUTATION WOULD NOT RECALL SUCH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE INJURED TO JUSTIFY A RECALL?! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ANYMORE AND STILL OWE ON THIS HUNK OF JUNK SO I AM STUCK. *TR
THE BATTERY FAILED AND REQUIRED REPLACEMENT. A "GROUP 49" BATTERY IS SPECIFIED BY THE BATTERY MANUFACTURER'S CATALOG. A GROUP 49 BATTERY WAS PURCHASED, BUT DID NOT FIT. RESEARCH INDICATES THAT THE SUBJECT BATTERY WAS ACTUALLY A GROUP 93 BATTERY, WHICH IS APPROXIMATELY 1/2 INCH SHORTER. RESEARCH ALSO INDICATES THAT SEVERAL MANUFACTURERS ARE NO LONGER MAKING GROUP 49 BATTERIES BUT ARE EITHER RECOMMENDING GROUP 93 BATTERIES AS THE REPLACEMENT OR, AS I FOUND, APPLYING GROUP 49 LABELS TO THE GROUP 93 BATTERY. IN MY CAR INSTALLING A GROUP 93 BATTERY IS UNSAFE, FOR TWO REASONS. FIRST, THE BATTERY HOLD-DOWN STRAP IS A NON-ADJUSTABLE, SNAP-FIT TYPE INSTALLATION THAT WILL NOT FUNCTION WITH THE LOWER BATTERY HEIGHT. SECOND, THE POSITIVE BATTERY TERMINAL MUST CONNECT TO TWO HEAVY CABLES (MAIN POWER AND ACCESSORY POWER CABLES) WHICH MUST BE FORCED DOWN TO INSTALL ON THE REPOSITIONED (LOWERED) POSITIVE BATTERY POST. FORCING THE CABLES DOWN CAUSES THEM TO RIDE HARD ON NEARBY INSTALLATIONS AND MAY CAUSE FAILURE OF THE INSULATION WHICH COULD LEAD TO A SHOCK HAZARD OR FIRE. THE INITIAL INFORMATION ON THE TRANSITION FROM GROUP 49 TO GROUP 93 BATTERIES CAME FROM THE AAA REPRESENTATIVE WHO ATTEMPTED TO ASSIST ME WITH THE FAILED BATTERY. THE MIS-LABELED BATTERY WAS PURCHASED AT O'REILLY AUTO PARTS ON BEACH BOULEVARD IN WESTMINSTER, CALIFORNIA. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND ARRIVED AT THE SCENE TO ASSIST. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ADVISED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM UNDER THE HOOD ON THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER AND DEEMED AS HAVING BEEN DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000. UPDATED 04/19/12*LJ UPDATED 04/25/12
I PARKED MY CAR IN A STRIP MALL FOR DINNER. WHEN I TRIED TO RESTART THE CAR AFTER DINNER, IT WOULDN'T CRANK, NOR WOULD IT START. CALLED IN AAA AND BY THE TIME THEY SHOWED UP HALF AN HOUR LATER, THE CAR STARTED FINE. TWO DAYS LATER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING TAKING MY DAUGHTER TO SCHOOL AROUND 7:45AM ON A SURFACE STREET, MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER AND THE ENGINE STALLED. I HAD TO QUICKLY TURN INTO A DRIVE WAY TO AVOID OTHER CARS AND THE CAR STOPPED AT THE ENTRANCE. AGAIN CALLED AAA AND A TOW TRUCK SHOWED UP 5 MINUTES AND THE DRIVERS HELPED PUSH AND PARK MY CAR, BUT WAS TOLD TO WAIT AT LEAST 45 MINUTES FOR THE RIGHT TOW TRUCK. TRIED TO START MY CAR EVERY 5 MINUTES, AND IT FINALLY STARTED AFTER 15 MINUTES. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE TO A FLETCHER JONES DEALER AND PAID $600 TO HAVE A SENSOR REPLACED TO FIX THE STALLING PROBLEM. THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS FAMILIAR WITH THE THIS PROBLEM AND MY FRIENDS WHO OWNED 98, 99 ML320 ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS STALLING PROBLEM. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE (EVEN THE SERVICE MANAGER AT FLETCHER JONES AGREED WITH ME ON THIS). I THANKED GOD THAT MY DAUGHTER AND I WERE NOT HURT IN THIS INCIDENT, BUT AN ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN EASILY HAPPENED. SINCE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED IN DIFFERENT ML320 MODEL YEARS, AND IT COST THE DRIVER A BUNDLE TO HAVE IT FIXED, MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD ISSUE A RECALL TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. *TR
MY 2000 ML WITH 47K MILES SUDDENLY LOCKED ON THE BRAKES. THE ESP LIGHT HAD BEEN SHOWING ON VERY RARE OCCASIONS FOR 2 MONTHS. I HAD THREE INSTANCES OF SUDDEN LOCK-UP OF ONE OR MORE TIRES BEFORE THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE "YAW SENSOR" HAD FAILED. ALL INSTANCES WERE AT LOW CRUISE 30-40 MPH WITH PERFECT CONDITIONS WITHOUT THE ESP LIGHT SHOWING. SOME HOW I AVOIDED ACCIDENTS BUT THIS IS VERY DANGEROUS. THE ESP TOOK CONTROL OF THE BRAKES AND APPLIED BRAKING TO ONE OR MORE WHEELS IN AN ATTEMPT TO BRING THE TRUCK UNDER CONTROL. THE CAR WAS IN PERFECT CONTROL TRAVELING IN A STRAIGHT LINE BUT THE ERRONEOUS SENSOR INFORMATION CAUSED IT TO APPLY THE BRAKES WITHOUT WARNING. *JB
OIL CONSUMPTION PROBLEM. OIL LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON BETWEEN 200-600 MILES OF DRIVING. TRANSMISSION IS FAILING AND ENGINE NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. VERY POOR. *NM
MY 2000 ML320 WITH 53000 MILES HAD SUDDENLY SHOWED CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WHILE I WAS DRIVING IT ON THE HIGHWAY AT ~65 MPH. I EXIT AND AS I SLOWED I COULD SENSE THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING VERY ROUGH WITH SHAKE AND STRONG VIBRATION. THEN AS I STOPPED THE CAR AT THE RED LIGHT AT THE EXIT, THE CAR IDLED VERY ROUGH AND LOTS OF VIBRATION AND THEN THE ENGINE STALLED (AND SHUT OFF). I IMMEDIATELY TURNED THE KEY TO THE OFF POSITION AND TURNED THE KEY BACK ON AND THE CAR RE-STARTED NO PROBLEMS. THE ENGINE IDLE NOW ONLY FEELS SLIGHTLY ROUGH BUT IDLE SOUND IS NOTICEABLY SLIGHTLY LOUDER THAN BEFORE. I TOOK THE CAR TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER (SAN DIEGO) THAT SAME DAY AND DESCRIBED TO THEM EXACTLY WHAT OCCURRED. THE NEXT DAY THEY DIAGNOSED IT AS SPARK PLUG FAILURE AND SPARK PLUG WIRE FAILURE OF CYLINDER #2 AND POSSIBLY #4. THEY RECOMMEND REPLACING ALL 12 SPARK PLUGS AND THEIR MODULE AND WIRES. AFTER THEY DID THE RECOMMENDED REPAIRS, MY ML320 SEEMS TO RUN LIKE NORMAL BUT I STILL HEAR THE ENGINE IDLE DIFFERENT THAN BEFORE AND ENGINE REV SOUND SLIGHTLY LOUDER THAN BEFORE THIS INCIDENT. THEY SAID THAT THE SOUND IS NORMAL. I GUESS I HAVE NO WAY TO PROVE THIS BEFORE AND AFTER SOUND DIFFERENCE SO I JUST HAVE TO WAIT AND SEE WHAT ELSE FAILS. THE TOTAL REPAIR COST WAS APPROX. $1280; WHICH INCLUDED 6 HOURS OF LABOR AT $120/HOUR. I TOLD THEM I THOUGHT 6 HOURS OF LABOR TO REPLACE 12 SPARK PLUGS AND WIRES WAS VERY INEFFICIENT AND COSTLY TO ME OR ANY CUSTOMER. THEY JUST SAID IT TAKES A LOT OF EFFORT AND TEDIOUS WORK TO DO SPARK PLUG CHANGES. WELL I AM NOT A MECHANIC TO WHATEVER THEY SAID I GUESS IS RIGHT. I JUST HOPE THEY FIXED THE RIGHT PROBLEM FOR THE ISSUE I HAD THAT'S ALL. *NM
DT: CALLER HAS HAD VEHICLE IN 6 TIMES FOR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/SPARK PLUGS BEING CORRODED/LOOSE WHEEL BEARING/CONTROL MODULE WENT OUT/FOR SHAKING AND SPUTTERING AT IDLE, AND THE ELECTRIC FUNCTION CHECK. MANUFACTURER HAS NOT BEEN CONTACTED YET. *AK
VEHICLE WAS ALWAYS BEING SERVICED AND THE AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY IN A SEVERE ACCIDENT. *PH THE CONSUMER WAS STRUCK BY ANOTHER DRIVER AND CAUSED DAMAGE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE VEHICLE. BOTH SIDES OF THE DOORS WERE SMASHED AND THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE IN THE PASSENGER'S CABIN. OTHER PROBLEMS ARE AS FOLLOWED: THE ENGINE LIGHT WAS ON, ENGINE LOW LEVEL OIL LIGHT HAD COME ON, WHEN THE RIGHT FRONT AND LEFT REAR WINDOWS WERE ERRATIC WHEN GOING DOWN, THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER WAS INOPERATIVE, THE REAR CARGO ACCESSORY PLUG WAS INOPERATIVE, THE TRIM ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE LEFT FRONT SEAT CRACKED, THERE WAS A BULDGE ON THE RIGHT REAR TIRE, LUG BOLTS WERE MISSING ON THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL AND THE REAR PADS NEEDED TO BE REPLACED, THERE WAS A NOISE HEARD IN THE REAR WHEN GOING OVER BUMPS, THE POWER SUPPLY PLUG IN THE REAR CARGO AREA WAS INOPERATIVE, THE LIGHT BEHIND THE CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL WAS INOPERATIVE, THE LEFT FRONT WINDOW WAS INTERMITTENT, THE LEFT FRONT PARK LIGHT WAS INOPERATIVE, THE LEFT FRONT DOOR WAS NOT CLOSING DUE TO THE LATCHING, THE REAR ELECTRICAL PLUG IN THE REAR CARGO AREA WAS INOPERATIVE, THE MATERIAL ON THE CENTER CONSOLE WRINKLED, THE SUNROOF WOULD BIND WHEN OPENED, THE REAR TIRE HAD A KNOT ON THE SIDEWALL, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS FILLED WITH FUEL THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD GO DOWN, THERE WAS A NOISE IN HE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL WHEN DRIVEN AT LOW SPEEDS, THERE WAS A WHINING NOISE WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL AND THE STEERING WAS STIFF. *SC
WHILE DRIVING, THE POWER LOCKS MOVED UP AND DOWN ON THEIR OWN. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK *JB
CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE UNDER HOOD ON RIGHT SIDE, CAUSING DAMAGE. *AK
WHILE TRAVELING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WITHOUT PRIOR WARNING VEHICLE WILL SHUT DOWN. LIGHT WILL FLASH ON THE DASHBOARD, AND THE WHEEL WILL NOT TURN. *AK
THE IGNITION SWITCH MALFUNCTIONED, WHICH CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO CUT OFF, WHEN THE VEHICLE WENT OVER THE SLIGHTEST BUMP. *JB
WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE CONSUMER EXPERIENCE ENGINE . THE DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE WEIGHT OF THE KEYS CAUSED THE IGNITION TO FAIL WHICH RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE STALLING. *MR *NLM
SUBMITTED BY COUNSEL: STEVEN D. BARNHART, FORD & BARNHART, LLP; 6111 PEACHTREE DUNWOODY RD., BLDG. G, SUITE 100, ATLANTA, GEORGIA, 30328; 404-237-2155, 404-352-0118. THIS PROBLEM IS REPORTEDLY WIDESPREAD AMONG THE M-CLASS PRODUCT LINES. SPECIFICALLY, THE IGNITION/KEY CONTACT DESIGN IS SUCH THAT THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ITSELF OFF IF THE CAR HITS A BUMP IN THE ROAD. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER, THIS IS ATTRIBUTABLE TO ADDITIONAL WEIGHT CREATED BY THE PRESENCE OF OTHER KEYS ON THE KEY CHAIN. ADDITIONALLY, IF THE KEY IS MERELY TAPPED DURING OPERATION OF THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE WILL TURN ITSELF OFF, EVEN WITH NO OTHER KEYS ON THE KEYCHAIN. SHUTDOWN CAN OCCUR AT ANY SPEED, AND HAS OCCURRED AT NORMAL ROADWAY SPEEDS. *AK
VEHICLE WILL DIE WHILE DRIVING AND WITHOUT WARNING, RESULTING IN UNSAFE SITUATION.PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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