Owner-reported complaints naming the steering system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML320 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 24 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
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BAS AND ESP WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED EXTREME DIFFICULTY TURNING LEFT AND RIGHT AND HAD TO RESTART THE VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES DUE TO THE FAILURES. THE UNKNOWN DEALER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
I WAS PULLING AWAY FROM THE CURB, STEERING WHEEL STARTED MAKING WHINING NOISES AND HARDER TO TURN. I CONTINUED ON CITY STREETS THEN TO A FREEWAY WHERE MY CAR BEGAN TO OVERHEAT. I PULLED OVER AT A GAS STATION OPENED THE HOOD AND COULD SEE FLUID ALL OVER RIGHT LOWER DRIVER SIDE. IT SEEMED TO BE COMING FROM A HOSE BY THE POWER STEERING CAP AND THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RADIATOR. UNDER THE CAR SAME SPOT RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE I COULD SEE POWER STEERING AND RADIATOR COOLANT LEAKING FROM THAT AREA.
I HAVE A 2002 ML320, THE RADIO IS OUT AND THE HOLE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID DOES NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING CAUSING A LEAK, ESP/BAS STAYS ON CAUSING LOW TRACTION AND THE DOOR LOCK. THESE ITEMS WERE RECALLED ON THE M-CLASS 320, WHAT HAPPENED TO THES RECALLS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND UNDER THE HOOD OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT OPENED THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS FRACTURED AND FLUID WAS LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY REPAIRED UNDER MANUFACTURER SAFETY CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 2003-040005. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 154,000.
I BOUGHT THIS CAR YESTERDAY FROM AN INDIVIDUAL OFF CRAIGSLIST AND THE POWER STEERING HAS GONE OUT 5 TIMES. SO FAR ONLY AT VERY LOW SPEEDS, BUT I HAVE LOOKED ONLINE AND SEEN NUMBERS COMPLAINTS WITH POWER STEERING FAILURE AT FASTER SPEEDS TOO. VERY UNSETTLING. THERE WERE A COUPLE OF RECALLS REGARDING THE CLAMPS AND HOSES, BUT UPON RESEARCH I FOUND THAT Y CAR HAS NO OPEN CAMPAIGNS. I GUESS THAT MEANS THEY FIXED THE PROBLEM. THERE IS AN OBVIOUS PROBLEM STILL AND I NEED IT FIXED OR I NEED A NEW CAR. THIS IS NOT SAFE. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY. THE BRAKES STARTED ENGAGING ON THEIR OWN PULLING THE CAR TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT AND NEARLY BRINGING THE CAR TO A SUDDEN STOP. IT TOOK A LOT OF EFFORT TO KEEP THE VEHICLE FROM PULLING INTO THE OTHER LANES AND CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. THE BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON THE DASH AND HAS STAYED ON NOW. THIS ALL LASTED FOR ABOUT 10 SECONDS. I WAS IN THE 3RD LANE OF A 4 LANE HIGHWAY DURING MODERATE TRAFFIC. I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY TWO DIFFERENT VEHICLES. I HAVE BEEN RESEARCHING THIS ISSUE AND FOUND MANY OTHER DRIVERS WITH THE SAME THING. THIS IS A DANGEROUS DEFECT AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED. IT DOESN'T TAKE MUCH FOR A SUDDEN CHANGE IN DIRECTION AND SPEED TO CAUSE A SEVERE ACCIDENT WHEN DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, AND KNOWING THAT THIS VEHICLE IS CAPABLE AND KNOW FOR DOING THIS MAKES IT VERY DANGEROUS. IT MAKES ME WONDER HOW MANY FATAL ACCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO THIS PROBLEM, BUT NO ONE KNEW BECAUSE IT WAS JUST ASSUMED THE TO BE DRIVER ERROR. *TR
DRIVING HOME ON A LOCAL STREET AT ABOUT 30 MILES PER HOUR, APPROACHING INTERSECTION, TRYING TO TURN, ALL THE SUDDEN, STEERING WHEEL BECAME VERY HARD TO TURN, WITH NO ASSISTING POWER, CAR RUN OVER TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD, ALMOST CRASH INTO CURB. IT IS VERY LUCKY, THERE IS NO INCOMING CARS, WOULD HAVE CRASH HEAD ON OTHERWISE. CAR TOWED TO DEALER, FOUND STEERING HOSE FROM RADIATOR TO STEERING RACK BROKEN OFF, STEERING FLUID SPLATTING ALL OVER ENGINE. DEALER STATED NO RECALL FOR STEERING HOSE COMING OUT OF RADIATOR, BUT THERE WAS RECALL ON STEERING HOSE COMING OUT OF PUMP. SO THIS DEFECT WAS NOT COVERED. I URGE NHTSA TO INVESTIGATE THIS DANGEROUS DEFECT IMMEDIATELY, AND ISSUE RECALL TO SAVE LIVES. *TR
POWER STEERING O RING AND HOSE RECALL. *TR
FRONT PASSENGER SIDE WHEEL BRAKE ON IT'S OWN, PULLING ME OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE ROAD VEHICLE BRAKE (RIGHT SIDE) STAYED ENGAGED UNTIL VEHICLE SPEED WAS DOWN TO ABOUT 20 MPH. DEALER SAID A BAD YAW RATE SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM. *TR
2002 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320. CONSUMER IS HAVING SOME WARRANTY REPAIR PROBLEMS WITH MERCEDES-BENZ. HE ALSO STATES THAT MERCEDES-BENZ IS REFUSING TO PAY FOR ANY RECALL REPAIRS. *KB THE CONSUMER STATED NOISES AND LACK OF POWER FROM THE VEHICLE WERE REPORTED TO THE DEALER. AN INDEPENDENT REPAIR SHOP FOUND DIRTY SOLID METAL RESIDUE IN THE TRANSMISSION FLUID, THERE WERE MISSING PARTS IN THE PLANETARY GEAR. THE CAUSE OF DAMAGE WAS FAULTY ASSEMBLY OF THE PINS/PLUGS IN THE GEARS, WHICH RESULTED IN THE PARTS BECOMING LOOSE AND BREAKING THE TEETH, WHICH CAUSED EXCESSIVE NOISE AND LOSS OF POWER, ULTIMATELY THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED. THE POWER STEERING WAS LEAKING, THE BRAKE AND ENGINE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED SEVERAL TIMES, THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WAS REPLACED, THE DOOR LOCKS HAD TO BE REPAIRED, THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED AND THE SWAY BAR LINK BUSHING WERE REPLACED AS WELL. *JB UPDATED 06/01/10.*JB UPDATED 06/04/10.*JB UPDATED 10/18/10*JB UPDATED 10/29/10*JB
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES ML320. WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS OF LESS THAN 50 MPH, THE STEERING LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING CAUSING THE WHEEL TO BECOME TREMENDOUSLY HARD TO TURN. SHE ALMOST LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE, HOWEVER SHE WAS ABLE TO EVENTUALLY MANEUVER THE VEHICLE OFF OF HE HIGHWAY SAFELY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED AND SHE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS AN OPEN RECALL CAMPAIGN ON THE VEHICLE (NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 03V121000; STEERING, HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) AND ADVISED COMING IN FOR REPAIRS. NO REPAIRS WERE MADE TO DATE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 85,000.
2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. SAFETY RECALL FOR POWER STEERING PUMP. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE HAD THE REPAIR DONE PRIOR TO THE RECALL NOTICE. *NJ THE CONSUMER ENCOUNTERED PROBLEMS WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP BACK IN 2007, BUT DIDN'T RECEIVE THE RECALL UNTIL 2009. *JB
I HAVE A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ (MB) ML320. THE POWER STEERING FLUID WAS DEPLETING ALL THE TIME FROM A LEAKAGE BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND THE HOSE. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN MB DEALERSHIP IN GEORGETOWN, TX (GARLYN SHELTON MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP). THE REPAIR WAS UNDER RECALL, BUT THE DEALERSHIP STILL CHARGED ME $214.16. I TOLD THEM THE REPAIR WAS FOR A RECALL, BUT THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TAKE MY CAR WITHOUT PAYMENT, SO I PAID THEM TO HAVE MY CAR BACK. HOWEVER, I'D LIKE NHTSA TO COMPEL THEM OR MERCEDES BENZ TO REFUND ME BACK MY $214.16. I WROTE TO MB HEADQUARTERS IN NEW JERSEY AND THEY SILL REFUSED TO REFUND ME BACK MY MONEY. I HAVE A RECEIPT OF THE REPAIR THAT WAS DONE ON THE CAR AND THE COST THEY BILLED ME. I CAN SEND YOU THE LETTER I WROTE TO MB HEADQUARTERS AND THE REPAIR RECEIPT IF YOU CONTACT ME. I'LL BE GRATEFUL IF YOU CAN HELP ME FROM THIS RIPOFF. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DRIVER HAD TO EXERT GREATER EFFORT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR FILLED BECAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDING TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V-121. THE POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE AND ONE CLAMP WERE REPLACED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE STILL PERSISTS. RECENTLY, THE FUEL PUMP HOSE AND CLAMPS WERE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE. THE TECHNICIAN RECOMMENDED THAT THE FUEL PUMP BE REPLACED. THE VIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE AND TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE O-RING BETWEEN THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND RESERVOIR FAILED. AS A RESULT, THE RECALL REPAIRS WOULD BE INEFFECTIVE WITHOUT ALSO REPLACING THE O-RING. THE DEALER FURTHER STATED THAT THE O-RING WOULD NOT BE COVERED BY THE RECALL; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT WOULD HAVE TO PAY AN ESTIMATED COST OF $162 FOR THIS REPAIR. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE LESS THAN 70,000. UPDATED 03/23/09. *LJ UPDATED 03/23/09. *JB
ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2008, WHILE DRIVING TO WORK MY STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. WHEN I LEFT WORK, I NOTICED THAT MOST OF THE STEERING FLUID HAD LEAKED OUT OF MY VEHICLE. THEN ON THURSDAY, A CO WORKER CONTACTED ME AND TOLD ME THAT SHE SAW A RECALL ON THE NEWS ABOUT THE STEERING ON MERCEDES SUV. I IMMEDIATELY CONTACTED THE LOCAL DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THEY DID NOT HAVE A RECALL IN THEIR SYSTEM FOR MY AUTO AND IT WOULD COST ME $110 TO HAVE THEM DIAGNOSIS MY VEHICLE. I CONTACTED THE 800# THAT WAS ON THE NEWS AND WAS TOLD THAT SOMEONE WILL GET BACK WITH ME. IN THE MEANTIME, I AM A RECENT SINGLE PARENT WITH A 14 YEAR CHILD THAT I TRANSPORT IN A VEHICLE THAT I HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME TO STEER. *TR
LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMP HAD RELEASED AND ALLOWED THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO DISCHARGE TO THE GROUND. THIS LOSS OF FLUID DISABLED THE POWER STEERING RENDERING THE CAR ALMOST IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL WITHOUT STRONG STEERING INPUT. MY WIFE HAD TO CALL FOR ME TO DRIVE THE CAR HOME. THE HOSE FAILED UPON STARTUP, THUS PREVENTING AN ACCIDENT. THE UNIT WAS REPAIRED AT NO COST UNDER BULLETIN #T-B.46.30/13A. THIS BULLETIN EXTENDED THE WARRANTY TO 100,000 MILES FOR THIS PART. HOWEVER, THIS TYPE OF FAILURE MODE COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH. *TR
POWER STEERING PUMP IS DEFECTIVE IN THE 2002 ML 320. *TR
NUMEROUS PROBLEMS WITH EXTERIOR AND INTERIOR LIGHTING. MOST IMPORTANTLY THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL CONTINUALLY GOES OUT WITHOUT NOTICE. SOMETIME THE INTERIOR LEFT TURN LIGHTS UP AND SOMETIMES IT DOESN'T. OTHER TIMES THE INTERIOR LEFT TURN LIGHT GOES COMPLETELY OUT PLACING ME AND MY CHILDREN IN GREAT DANGER. ALSO I MADE A LEFT TURN AND THE STEERING WENT OUT JUST AS I ENTERED THE BELTWAY AND WAS UNABLE STEER THE VEHICLE. *NM
THE POWER STEERING ON THE ML320 DOES NOT ALWAYS RESPOND TO ABRUPT CHANGES OF DIRECTION IN LOW SPEED MANEUVERS. ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, I HAVE STEERED TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT AT LOW SPEED (<10MPH) AND THEN QUICKLY TRIED TO STEER IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION. THE POWER STEERING REQUIRES A GREAT DEAL OF FORCE TO CHANGE THE INITIAL STEER DIRECTION AND IT IS EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO CHANGE DIRECTION. THIS COULD EASILY RESULT IN AN ACCIDENT. I DON'T BELIEVE THIS BEHAVIOUR IS UNIQUE TO MY PARTICULAR VEHICLE BUT IS INSTEAD A COMMON TRAIT OF ALL MLS.*AK
THIS VEHICLE HAS NUMEROUS DEFECTS, AND HAS BEEN IN FOR SERVICE COUNTLESS AMOUNTS OF TIMES. MB PROMISED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE IF THEIR FACTORY REPRESENTATIVE COULD VERIFY MY COMPLAINTS. THEY ABSOLUTELY FOUND NUMEROUS, REDUNDANT DEFECTS AND NOW ONLY WANT TO FIX THE VEHICLE, RATHER THAT REPLACE THE VEHICLE. WHAT A BUNCH OF LIARS. THE VEHICLE HAS ISSUES WITH THE STEERING SYSTEM, THE WHEEL RUBS AND THE POWER STEERING FADES OUT, THE RADIO AND CD CHANGER MALFUNCTION CONSTANTLY, FUMES FROM THE VENTILATION SYSTEM, AND WHEN YOU HIT A BUMP, THE CAR ALMOST GOES OUT OF CONTROL, EVEN THE ESP LIGHT COMES ON. *JB
WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP, WHICH CAUSED THE CONSUMER TO VEER OFF TO THE SHOULDER AND INTO AN EMBANKMENT. *JB
MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AFTER MAKING A SLOW, 180 DEGREE TURN WHEN EXITING A CAR WASH--I WAS TURNING INTO THE STREET WHEN I NOTICED IT. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PART. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (THAT I CAN REMEMBER) AND I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND THIS WAS NOT POINTED OUT. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC COMING IN EITHER LANE. I HAD THREE KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME. *NLM
WHILE DRIVING OUR 2001 MERCEDES BENX ML320, MY WIFE EXPIERENCED SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING AND WAS THROWN OFF THE ROAD.
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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