Owner-reported complaints naming the fuel system system, filed with NHTSA
Data refreshed
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML320 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 11 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
ECM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NOT CONTROLLING FUEL INJECTION AND GIVING RANDOM MISFIRE ON CYLINDERS 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON . CODES 0300, 0302,0303,0304,0305,0306.
REFERENCE ODI 10457817 I HAVE SINCE RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES CORP. STATING THE FUEL PUMP FIRE IS DUE TO AGE AND NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. I ASKED HOW A FIRE INSIDE A FUEL TANK CAN BE NORMAL FOR ANY REASON. THEY WOULD ONLY REPEAT THAT IT WAS NORMAL FOR THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE. I CANNOT GET RID OF THE VEHICLE RIGHT NOW FOR FINANCIAL REASONS . HOWEVER I DON'T HAVE TO LET MY FAMILY RIDE IN IT. PLEASE HELP BECAUSE THIS IS NOT RIGHT. I HAVE THE LETTER FROM MB STATING THE ABOVE. *TR
MY ML320 VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN FOR APPROXIMATELY FIVE HOURS ROUND TRIP THEN PARKED FOR THE EVENING. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE VEHICLE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START. AFTER DOING AN EXHAUSTIVE DIAGNOSTIC ON THE VEHICLE. I REMOVED THE FUEL PUMP FROM INSIDE THE FUEL TANK. I SAW THAT THE WIRING HARNESS/CONNECTOR FOR THE HOT LEAD WAS BLACK AND BROWN IN COLOR AND THE PLASTIC AROUND THE HARNESS HAD MELTED. I TOOK PICTURES AND STORED THE PUMP. I EMAILED MERCEDES AND ASKED THEM TO GET BACK WITH ME SINCE MY WIFE AND CHILDREN HAD BEEN IN THE VEHICLE AND THIS IS THE FAMILY VEHICLE. I ALSO READ SEVERAL FORUMS AND COMPLAINTS ON THE INTERNET REFERENCE MERCEDES FUEL PUMPS INCLUDING MY SPECIFIC MODEL. I READ HOW THEY HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE. I ALSO SAW A PICTURE OF A FUEL PUMP OUT OF A ML 320 IN 2006 THAT HAD CAUGHT FIRE AND ALMOST LOOKED IDENTICAL TO MY FUEL PUMP I HAD REMOVED. I HAVE LOOKED FOR RECALLS AND STILL HAVE NOT HEARD BACK FROM MERCEDES. I AM AT A LOSS ON WHAT TO DO OR IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO. I WAS TOLD THAT MERCEDES KNOWS ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT THAT HEY ARE UNLIKELY TO DO ANYTHING BECAUSE OF THE COST. I WANT TO REPORT THIS IN CASE SOMETHING DOES HAPPEN TO ME AND MY FAMILY. IT WILL BE ON RECORD. THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FUEL GAUGE WOULD READ EMPTY WHEN FUEL TANK WAS FULL. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTICS OR REPAIRS. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000... UPDATED 10/14/11 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE GAS GAUGE DOESN'T NOT WORK. UPDATED 10/28/11
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES ML320. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 65 MPH. WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO DISENGAGED THE CRUISE CONTROL BT TAPPING THE BRAKES, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT DECELERATE. IN ORDER TO STOP THE VEHICLE, SHE HAD TO TURN THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY OFF AND AS A RESULT ,THE VEHICLE RAN OFF THE ROAD. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED WHO ADVISED HER TO BRING IN THE VEHICLE FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE BUT DID NOT OFFER ANY ASSISTANCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 92,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 93,000.
WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS VEHICLE STALLED. CONSUMER HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED. DEALERSHIP INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM PERTAINED TO THE FUEL PUMP MODULE, BUT THE PROBLEM HAD NOT BEEN RESOLVED. *AK
I OWN A MERCEDES ML 320, 2001 MODEL. THE VEHICLE HAS HAD REPEATED FAILURES SINCE I PURCHASED IT NEW. THE VEHICLE IS NOW THREE YEARS OLD AND HAS 5700-0 MILES ON IT. THE MOST SERIOUS FAILURES INVOLVE THE FUEL PUMP ON THIS VEHICLE. THE FUEL PUMP HAS FAILED TWICE, WITH THE MOST RECENT FAILURE BEING 11/13/03. LARGE AMOUNTS OF GAS FUMES FILL THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND A SERIOUS DANGER OF EXPLOSION EXIST. THE FUEL PUMP LOCATION FOR THIS MODEL IS UNDERNEATH THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT AND DIRECTLY UNDER WHERE MY CHILDREN SIT. MERCEDES BENZ HAS BEEN AWARE OF THE FUEL PUMP PROBLEMS FOR UPWARDS OF FIVE YEARS AND HAVE FAILED TO CORRECT IT OR ACKNOWLEDGE A PROBLEM WITH IT. NO RECALL OR NOTICES TO THE CONSUMER. IN ADDITION THE ML 320 MODEL HAS A LONG LIST OF OTHER EMISSION FAILURES AND OVERALL FAILURES. THE FUEL PUMP IS THE MAIN ITEM FOR MY COMPLAINT AND IS A HUGE SAFETY ISSUE THAT SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO AS WELL AS THEIR REFUSAL TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE OR ACKNOWLEDGE IT. OTHER FAILURES AND ISSUES ON MY CAR INCLUDE: O-2 SENSOR, FUEL FILTER, PREMATURE WEAR AND REPLACEMENT OF BRAKE PADS (FRONT AND BACK), STEERING PROBLEMS, THROTTLE STICKING AT TAKE OFF (AT TIMES), WINDOW MOTOR, DRIVERS SIDE. SWITCH AS FAILED TWICE IN 57K MILES AND REASON IS SWITCH IS UNABLE TO HANDLE DESIGNED AMPERAGE. ALSO A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. NO RECALL OR NOTICE AND A REPEATED KNOW PART FAILURE FOR THIS MODEL YEAR AND OTHER MODEL YEARS, REAR EMISSION EVAPORATOR PART. ALSO RELATED TO GAS FUMES IN THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE AND COMMON FAILURE ITEM. (PART NAME IS NOT CORRECT TERMINOLOGY), BATTERY FAILURE WITHIN ONE YEAR, BATTERY NOT DESIGNED FOR AMPERAGE LOAD EITHER AND COMMON FAILURE. ALSO AS FIRE RISK., NUMEROUS OTHER FAILURES THAT ARE NOT ENTIRELY SAFETY RELATED FOR THIS PRODUCT., A SERIOUS LOOK INTO THIS VEHICLE AND THE COMPANIES ACTIONS REGARDING THESE REPEATED FAILURES OF FUEL RELATED ITEMS AND OTHER ITEMS IS NEEDED AND REQUESTED.*AK *TR
I PICKED THIS NOTE UP FROM A MERCEDES-BENZ INTEREST GROUP WEBSITE, AND EXAMINED MY ML320, AND FOUND THIS TO BE A TRUE DANGER (TICKING TIME BOMB). HERE: DON'T KNOW IF THIS HAS BEEN A SUBJECT OF DISCUSSION BEFORE, SO FORGIVE ME IF IT HAS, I'M NEW HERE. I'M A DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN IN SOUTHERN CA, AND I SEE A LOT OF THE ROUTINE FAILURES ON ALL OF THE MODELS. MOST OF THE TIME, WHEN SOMETHING SAFETY RELATED IS A REPEAT OR COMMON FAILURE ON A CAR, THERE IS A RECALL OR A CAMPAIGN ON THE ISSUE. NOT THIS TIME. FOR THE LAST FEW YEARS, I HAVE BEEN SEEING 163'S WITH CHAFED FUEL AND BRAKE LINES. NOW THERE'S TWO VERY IMPORTANT SYSTEMS ON ANY VEHICLE, FUEL AND BRAKES. THE TYPICAL FAILURE IS DIRECTLY BELOW THE MASTER CYLINDER AT THE FOREMOST BRAKE LINE. THE ONLY FUEL LINE RESTS INNOCENTLY AGAINST THE LINE, CHAFING AND RUBBING FOR MANY MILES. NOW, YOU WOULD THINK, OK, IT'S A RUBBER HOSE ON A METAL LINE, NO BIG DEAL, RIGHT? NO! THE FUEL LINE IS LINED WITH BRAIDED STAINLESS STEEL, WHICH EFFECTIVELY CUTS INTO THE BRAKE LINE. I HAVE PERSONALLY REPLACED SEVERAL BRAKE/FUEL LINE COMBOS ON THESE VEHICLES, AND SEEN MANY OTHERS DO THE SAME. ANY TIME I SEE IT, I REPLACE THE LINES, AND BRING IT TO THE ATTENTION OF HIGHER-LEVEL PERSONNEL IN MB, BUT TWO YEARS FROM THE FIRST ONE I HAD SEEN, THERE HAS NOT BEEN TO DATE (TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE) ANY RECOGNITION OF THIS FAILURE BY MB CORPORATE. MORE COMMON ON ML 55, 500, 430 UP TO 2003. THEY SEEM TO HAVE SHORTENED THE FUEL LINE ON THE NEWEST VEHICLES. IF I COME ACROSS ONE SOON, I'LL TRY TO TAKE A PICTURE TO GIVE YOU FOLKS AN IDEA OF WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT. A FRIEND WORKED ON ONE OUT OF STATE THAT HAD COMPLETE BRAKE FAILURE, AND THE WOMAN DRIVING ENDED UP GOING THROUGH A STOPLIGHT. I'LL CHECK IN ONCE IN A WHILE, IF ANYONE HAS ANY QUESTIONS I'LL DO MY BEST TO ANSWER THEM. JUST A HEADS-UP, DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO LOOK AT YOUR ENGINE FUEL LINE. *LA
WE BELIEVE THAT ONE OR MORE MECHANICAL AND/OR DESIGN FAILURES CONTRIBUTED TO AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH OUR 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML 320 WAS INVOLVED. *LA
THE DEFECT STATED IN RECALL 03 V 121 000 FOR THE POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMP HAPPENED WHILE THE CONSUMER WAS WAITING TO BE NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER EXPERIENCED THE FOLLOWING: THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIT UP AND FLASHED AND BEEPED, LOST THE SPEEDOMETER, TACHOMETER, GAS/GAS TEMPERATURE GAUGE, AND THE VEHICLE HAD GONE INTO SECOND GEAR AND DID COME OUT FOR SOME TIME(DISCOVERED IT WAS IN LIMP-HOME MODE). THE SERVICE DEALER ADVISED THE CONSUMER THAT THE PROBLEM WAS THE GEAR SELECTOR. THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER LIGHTS HAD GONE OFF, EXCEPT FOR THE BAS/BRAKE ASSIST SYSTEM LIGHT, THE GAUGES, SPEEDOMETER, AND TACHOMETER HAD RESUMED. THERE WAS AN INCIDENT WHERE HALF OF INSTRUMENT CLUSTER DISPLAY ON THE LEFT LIT UP, ALTHOUGH THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO RUN. THE SERVICE DEALER THOUGHT THE PROBLEM MAY HAVE BEEN THE BATTERY. DURING A RAINSTORM, THE ENTIRE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIT UP, THE TACHOMETER, SPEEDOMETER, AND THE GAS GAUGE STOPPED AND THE INSTRUMENT PANEL KEPT BEEPING INTERMITTENTLY BUT DID NOT GO INTO LIMP MODE. THERE WAS A CRACK IN ONE OF THE D-PILLARS, AND THE REAR HATCH LOCK DID NOT WORK. THE IGNITION LOCK SEEMED LOOSE SINCE THE GEAR SHIFT ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN REPLACED, THE WINDSHIELD WASHER RESERVOIR LEAKED. THE BAS/ESP CONTROL MODULE HAD BEEN CHANGED, BUT THE PROBLEM PERSISTED. THE CONSUMER WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE NEEDED A NEW BATTERY. THE BRAKE PAD WEAR LIGHT DISPLAYED, THE POWER STEERING HAD FAILED AGAIN. THE CONSUMER WAS ADVISED THE VEHICLE NEEDED FRONT AND REAR BRAKES THEN WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS A CLAMP PROBLEM. ALSO THE DRIVER'S WINDOW SWITCH HESITATED. THE SAFETY RECALL NOTICE THAT RELATED TO THE FAILURE OF THE HOSE CLAMP FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID WHICH APPARENTLY CAUSED THE COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN THE VEHICLE AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO THE HYDRAULIC FLUID PUMP WHICH RESULTED IN REPAIRS PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONSUMER REQUESTED FULL REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE CHARGES RELATED TO THE REPAIRS. RECALL# 03V121000 *SCC *JB
SOON AFTER PURCHASING NEW VEHICLE GAS GAUGE STARTED TO HAVE DEFECTS. GAUGE WOULD NOT READ GAS MILEAGE CORRECTLY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER SAID THAT IT WAS A COMMON PROBLEM, AND THEY DIDN'T KNOW WHAT PROBLEM WAS. *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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