Reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers, shown in full
Data refreshed
Our database holds 23 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2005 Mercedes-Benz ML350. Each one is a report filed by an owner or driver and published by NHTSA without most of them being verified. A complaint is not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. Narratives are shown exactly as filed.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Showing 1–23 of 23
I had went to a car wash & when I was leaving & turned right at the light my door flew open & few days later my steering wheel started to get hard to turn & it had started leaking bad .i had my kids in the car when both incident happened. Didn’t notify my insurance or police .
The contact owns a 2005 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the service brake warning light illuminated. The contact then stated that her husband depressed the brake pedal to slow the vehicle and had to apply added pressure to the brake pedal, with the brake pedal extending to the floorboard. The contact stated that the brake pedal remained stuck on the floorboard. The contact’s husband shifted into park(P) and turned off the vehicle. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.
OCCASSIONALLY WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, IT STALLS IN GEAR,THAT IS THE GEAR SHIFT DOESN'T WORK AND THE VEHICLESTAYS IN ONE GEAR EVEN WHILE MOVING.USUALLY THE DRIVER HAS TO STOP BRIEFLY SHIFTS THE GEAR TO ANOTHER GEAR AND THEN STARTS AGAIN.IN A FEW SECONDS WWE CAN DRIVE AGAIN.UNTIL THE SAME THING HAPPENS AGAIN PERHAPS IN A FEW MONTHS OR SO.THIS ALWAYS HAPPEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION MORE GENERALLY ON CITY STREET.THIS BEGAN TO HAPPEN FROM THE VERY MOMENT I PURCHASED THE CAR AND WITHIN TWO HOURS OF DRIVING AND HAS CONTINUED TO HAPPEN SINCE
TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE ODOR OF SMOKE WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND DARK SMOKE WAS OBSERVED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. AFTER STOPPING THE VEHICLE, THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE TO EXTINGUISH FLAMES THAT CAME FROM THE HOOD. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A FIRE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000.
COMMERCIAL MACK TRUCK DOT #[XXX] DRIVER NAME [XXX] MD TAG [XXX]TRUCK VIN #[XXX] COMMERCIAL ENTERED MD RT FIVE NORTH AT 1:30 PM AND HEAVY AMOUNTS OF ROCKS WERE FALLING FROM LOWER EDGE BETWEEN TAILGATE AND BODY OF TRUCK BED. MAJOR FALLING DEBRIS CAUSED HEAVY DAMAGE TO OUR WINDSHIELD AND FRONT PAINT ON HOOD AND BUMPER. WE NOW HAVE NUMEROUS CRACKS IN WINDSHIELD AND DAMAGE TO FRONT END BODY AND PAINT. WE ATTEMPTED TO CATCH UP TO TRUCK TO NOTIFY DRIVER BUT THE EXTREMELY HEAVY AMOUNT OF FALLING ROCKS PREVENTED BEING ABLE TO CATCH UP TO DRIVER SAFELY. EXTREMELY UPSET DRIVER FAILED TO SAFELY SECURE LOAD CAUSING EXTREMELY UNSAFE ROAD CONDITIONS AND DAMAGE TO OTHER FOLLOWING VEHICLES. IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE WITH THE AMOUNT OF ROCKS FALLING FROM THIS TRUCK FOR THE DRIVER TO NOT BE AWARE OF IT, MY TWO CENTS. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON 3/14/15 THE CAR HAD TROUBLE STARTING. I MANAGED TO REACH HOME. NEXT MORNING ON 3/15/15 I BACKED CAR OUT OF GARAGE - HAD THE SAME PROBLEM STARTING CAR. AFTER PARKING CAR IN GARAGE, I SUDDENLY NOTICED THAT GASOLINE WAS LEAKING FROM UNDER THE LEFT PASSENGER SEAT TO THE GARAGE FLOOR. ON 3/16/15 MORNING I CALLED UP MERCEDES BENZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE AND HAD THE CAR TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. I WAS TOLD THE FUEL LINE FROM THE FUEL FILTER TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HAD COME PARTIALLY OFF THE FUEL FILTER. IT WAS RECONNECTED BUT I WAS TOLD IT COULD COME OFF. THIS IS A CAR MY SPOUSE DRIVES AND I AM CONCERNED ABOUT A POTENTIAL FIRE HAZARD. I HAVE DRIVE VARIOUS AUTOMOBILES SINCE I FIRST CAME TO THE USA IN DECEMBER 1974 AND HAVE NEVER HAD A PROBLEM LIKE THIS. WHAT SHOULD I BE DOING? *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, SHE NOTICED A BURNING ODOR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAT WARMER HAD OVERHEATED AND BURNED A HOLE IN THE LEATHER. AS A RESULT, THE SEAT ELEMENT WARMER AND THE SEAT PAD NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED BUT PROVIDED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
DRIVER HEATED SEAT BURNING UNDERSIDE OF LEFT THIGH ON BOTH LOW AND HIGH SETTINGS. ON 12/26/11, IT FELT HOTTER THAN NORMAL (EVEN ON A VERY SHORT 6-7 MINUTE JOURNEY) BURNING INDEX FINGER WHEN SEAT LEATHER WAS BEING FELT. THERE IS ALSO SMELL OF BURNING. I SWITCHED HEATED SEAT OFF IMMEDIATELY. A "HOT SPOT" IS VISIBLE ON THE LEATHER SEAT WHERE THE ELEMENT SEEMS TO HAVE OVERHEATED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH IN REVERSE, THE DRIVERS SIDE HEATED SEAT WAS ACTIVATED AND SUDDENLY THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED A SEVERE BURNING SENSATION DIRECTLY TO THE SKIN FROM THE LOWER PORTION OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. THE CONTACT EXIT THE VEHICLE AND OBSERVED SMOKE AND FLAMES EMITTING FROM THE TOP OF THE DRIVERS SEAT. IMMEDIATELY, ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED AND THE FLAMES WERE SMOTHERED BY AND INDIVIDUAL WHO USED THEIR HANDS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR BURNS TO HIS BACK AND THE OTHER PERSON SUSTAINED MINOR BURNS TO BOTH HANDS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE CONTACT WAS WAITING FOR A RESPONSE FROM THE TECHNICIAN TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.
BOUGHT THE 2005 ML350 USED LAST SUMMER (2010). IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE WHILE SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPED, THE ACCELERATION SEEMED TO DROP LOW ENOUGH TO MAKE THE VEHICLE STALL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, BUT TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. SINCE THEN, IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEAR. ALSO, WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE IT WILL STALL AND I WILL HAVE TO KEEP RETRYING TO START IT AND PRESS THE ACCELERATION PEDAL TO GET IT TO FINALLY START. (ONLY USE THE RECOMMENDED OCTANE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE MERCEDES BOOKLET, AND FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS DURING FUELING) FINALLY, SEEMS TO POSSIBLY HAVE A STEERING FLUID LEAK. (ONLY USE MERCEDES POWER STEERING FLUID FROM DEALERSHIP). *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES ML350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH, THE CONTACT APPLIED THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN ADVISED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 68,400.
POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK. *TR
THE 2005 ML 350 I BELIEVE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT LED TO RECALLS FOR ML SERIES IN 2003, 2004 AND POSSIBLY OTHER YEARS. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM LOOSES FLUID CAUSED BY LEAKS IN THE PLUMBING OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE ONLY SIGN OF AN INITIAL PROBLEM WAS THE NOISE MADE BY THE PUMP BECAUSE OF LOSS OF FLUID. THIS VEHICLE REQUIRES SPECIAL FLUID WHICH IS NOT COMMONLY AVAILABLE. LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IS THE RESULT OF THE LOSS OF FLUID.
THE CUP HOLDER ON ML 350 MERCEDES BENZ IS NOT DESIGN WELL I GOT BAD BURN SEVERAL TIMES BY PLACING COFFEE IN CUP HOLDER ,I TALK WITH MERCEDES BENZ PEOPLE MENTIONED TO SORRY YOU HAVE TO PAY TO REPLACE DIFFERENT CUP HOLDER ,ALSO ON HAND BRAKE DOESN'T WORK AFTER SEVERAL TIME USED,DOESN'T RELEASE CAR MADE REALLY CHEAP DESIGN AND HIGH PRICE. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GROAN COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. THE STEERING WOULD ALSO SPORADICALLY BECOME TIGHT WHEN ATTEMPTING A SHARP TURN. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY BE CAUSE BY MOISTURE IN THE RACK AND PINION. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TWO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS RELATIVE TO THE FAILURE BUT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL (NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS: 10028646 AND 10020460). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000.
2005 MERCEDES ML 350 VEHICLE JUMPS WHEN COMING TO A STOP THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN ALL THE TIME BUT YOU NEVER KNOW WHEN IT GOING TOO DEALERSHIP CAN NEVER FIND THE PROBLEM, FELLS LIKE TRANSMISSION . VERY BAD SAFETY ISSUE THIS HAS BEEN ON GOING SINCE NOV 8 2006 PLEASE HELP !!!!!!!!! *TR
I WOULD SAY WITHIN A YEAR OF GETTING THE VEHICLE WHILE AT A STOP THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED TO SHAKE AND ALMOST STALL BUT I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE BRAKE AND STARTED TO ACCELERATE SOME AND IT WENT AWAY. THIS HAPPENED ATLEAST 3 OTHER TIMES SINCE THEN AND IT IS NOW DEC 2009. THE VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW WHEN I GOT IT IN MARCH OF 2005. I HAVE BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER A COUPLE OF TIMES AND THEY COULD NOT DIAGNOSE THE PROBLEM. NOW MY CAR IS STALLING OUT AND WON'T START PROPERLY OR STAY RUNNING. I AM IN THE PROCESS OF BRINGING IT TO A BENZ REPAIR SHOP BUT AM NOT HOPEFUL GIVEN WHAT A MB ROADSIDE TECH STATED THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HE "THINKS" IT'S A SENSOR PROBLEM. COME ON IT'S MERCEDES THIS IS SUPPOSE TO BE A LUXURY VEHICLE WITH NO HEADACHES. *TR
ALL OF A SUDDEN THE CAR WOULD NOT START. I WAS AT 61K MILES AND WARRANTY EXPIRED ABOUT 10K MILES AGO. NOW I AM EXPERIENCING THIS PROBLEM. AN MB TECH CAME AND SAID THE BATTERY WAS NOT THE PROBLEM BUT MOST LIKELY A SENSOR ISSUE AND THAT THIS MODEL HAS HAD MANY COMPLAINTS OF THIS AND THAT IT WILL HAPPEN AGAIN. WELL IT KEPT HAPPENING ALL THIS WEEK UNTIL THE 11TH WHERE IT REALLY WENT DOWN HARD IN TRAFFIC, LUCKILY THIS TIME MY KIDS WERE NOT IN THE CAR. NORMALLY THE CAR WOULD START IMMEDIATELY AFTER OR WITHIN 15 MINUTES THIS TIME AN HOUR AND WOULD THEN DIE RIGHT AFTER, START AND DIE AGAIN WITHIN A MINUTE. THIS IS A FREAKING MERCEDES BENZ WITH REASONABLE MILEAGE, THIS SHOULD NOT BE HAPPENING AND IS VERY UNSAFE. I STARTED TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE CAR WHEN IT BEGAN TO DIE AND WAS THANKFUL I WAS NOT ON A FREEWAY WITH MY 3 KIDS. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES AT APPROXIMATELY 57 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE STEERING COLUMN COMPLETELY LOCKED. SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, BUT WAS HEADED TOWARDS A CEMENT BARRIER BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INOPERABLE. SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HOSE CLAMP DETACHED AND ALL OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID DRAINED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.
I HAVE A 2005 MERCEDES ML350 I BOUGHT IN 2006 SINCE THEN I HAVE HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE CAR DYING. ONCE WHEN I WAS TURNING IN A VERY BUSY INTERSECTION WITH MY LITTLE BABY DAUGHTER WE ALMOST GOT HIT CAUSE THE CAR DIED OUT ON ME. I HAVE TAKEN THE CAR IN TO THE DEALER 4 TIMES IN FACT IT IS IN THERE NOW FOR THE SAME THING AND THEY CANNOT FIND WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE CAR. THE MANAGER OF THE DEALER SAID THAT THEY HAVE A LOT OF THE SAME COMPLAINTS FROM CUSTOMERS THAT OWN THOSE CARS. HE SAID THE PROBLEM IS THAT WHEN THE CAR DIES IT DOES NOT REGISTER ANY CODE IN ANY OF THE COMPUTER CHIPS SO THEY CAN NEVER DETECT WHAT THE PROBLEM EXACTLY IS. PLEASE HELP THIS IS VERY UNSAFE PROBLEM CAUSE WHEN THE CAR DIES OUT YOU HAVE NO BRAKE AND NO STEERING AND I'M NOT THE ONLY ONE HAVING THIS PROBLEM OTHERS DO TOO. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR CONDITIONER BLOWS WARM AIR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THEY WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE CAUSE OF FAILURE. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THEY LOCATED THE FAILURE AND STATED THAT IT WAS REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER FOR THE THIRD TIME. THE POWERTRAIN AND MILEAGES WERE UNKNOWN.
MY MERCEDES ML 350 AND ML 320 HAVE BOTH HAD EPISODES WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION SLIPPED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY. THE ONLY COMMON DENOMINATOR WAS THAT THE INCIDENTS OCCURRED AFTER DRIVING OVER HIGHWAY SECTION DIVIDERS WHICH WERE SOMEWHAT BUMPY. SPEEDS WERE APPROX. 70 MPH IN ALL 3 INCIDENTS. ALL 3 TIMES, THE CAR HAD TO BE COASTED OFF THE HIGHWAY TO A FULL STOP, AND SHUT DOWN. THE TRANSMISSION WORKED FINE AFTER THE CAR WAS RESTARTED. THE ML 320 HAD 2 INCIDENTS IN THE SAME TRIP WHEN IT HAD ABOUT 65,000 MILES ON IT. DEALER FOUND NO TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THE 350 HAD ONE INCIDENT WHEN IT HAD 28,000 MILES ON IT, AND DEALER FOUND NO PROBLEMS. *NM
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED UPON STOPPING THE MERCEDES BENZ ML350 SHOOK AND THEN STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS ABLE TO BE RESTARTED AND TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS A 2005 MODEL.*AK UPDATED 10/25/2006 - THEREAS MOISTURE IN THE TAILLIGHT. *NM
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.
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