RoadVitals

2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Exterior lighting Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the exterior lighting system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Exterior lighting reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
9
Latest Jul 18, 2023
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
5%
of 171 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
3
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 9 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.

Owner reports naming exterior lighting

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jul 18, 2023

Driver Side Low beam headlight turns off and on randomly whether the vehicle is off or on. I lose view of the road because lights turn off randomly and others cannot see me at night as well. I've tried taking my vehicle to the shop, but no one can trace down this problem. No warning was shown until recently.

NHTSA ID
11533107
Incident
Jun 27, 2023
ElectricalExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Jan 18, 2022

During a rainstorm Dec 25 2021 brake lights gas gauge windshield wipers and truck all stopped working. Trunk will not open no automatic interior lights.

NHTSA ID
11447909
Incident
Dec 25, 2021
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 2, 2018

I JUST PURCHASED A 2006 MERCEDES ML350. IVE HAD PROBLEMS OPENING THE TRUNK AND THE UPPER LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BULBS WERE REPLACED AND STILL THEY'RE NOT WORKING. BULB CONTACTS ARE KNOWN TO BURN UP CAUSING A NEEDED UPDATE FOR THE TAIL/BRAKE LAMP WIRING REPAIR HARNESS AND BULB SOCKETS.FOUND A FORUM WHERE A TECHNICIAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. WEBSITE IS JUSTANSWER.COM PLEASE SEE THE POST HTTPS://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/MERCEDES/6GPJ8-MERCEDES-BENZ-ML500-2006-ML500-LEFT-RIGHT.HTML ALSO THE LATCH FOR THE TRUNK STOPS FUNCTIONING. THE TRUNK CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE VIA SAFETY RELEASE. THIS IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER CONSUMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CAN THERE BE A POTENTIAL RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THESE REPAIRS? THESE ARE SAFETY ISSUES.

NHTSA ID
11155518
Incident
Nov 7, 2018
AirbagsElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Jun 20, 2016

"TAKATA RECALL". IN HOUSE WIRING,3RD BRAKE LIGHT, TURN MARKERS ,BRAKE LIGHTS ALL NON OPERATIONAL. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEM STILL OCCURS!

NHTSA ID
10875281
Incident
May 11, 2016
Mileage
130,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Mar 27, 2016
Fire reported

RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE WIRE HOUSING. THE CAR WAS PARKED (STATIONARY)

NHTSA ID
10851829
Incident
Mar 9, 2016
Mileage
82,000 mi
BrakesExterior lighting
Filed Mar 23, 2014

MY ML350 HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIMARY BRAKE LIGHTS BURNING OUT. AUTOMATICALLY THE VEHICLE IS SWITCHING TO THE SUBSTITUTE BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS IS THE SECOND SET OF BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 1-MONTH. I JUST REPLACED THEM 2-DAYS AGO WITH A NEW SET OF SYLVANIA BULBS PURCHASED FROM ADVANCED AUTO AS PER THE VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD ORIGINATE FROM A POSSIBLE SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND/OR POOR GROUNDING. *TR

NHTSA ID
10574292
Incident
Mar 23, 2014
Mileage
55,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Jan 23, 2014
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, WHO VERIFIED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ID
10561195
Incident
Nov 29, 2013
Mileage
78,000 mi
ElectricalExterior lighting
Filed Dec 8, 2013
Fire reported

OWNER HAD ARRIVED HOME AT 7:00 P.M. FROM WORK AND WAS INSIDE HIS RESIDENCE. AT 10:00 P.M. POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL CAME TO HIS DOOR TO INFORM HIM THAT HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. ONE RESIDENT SAID THAT, AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE PARKING LOT, HE NOTICED THERE WAS FIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT (AROUND 10:00 PM) AND WHEN HE LOOKED INSIDE, THERE WAS FIRE IN THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. HE RAN FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALSO YELLED FOR HELP AND FOR SOMEONE TO CALL 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BOTH FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVED. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 3 HOURS AND WAS PARKED, WAS DRIVEN ONLY 7 MILES THREE HOURS EARLIER WITH NO STOPS. CAR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TOTALED BY INSURANCE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INCURRED AND HAD BEEN OWNED FOR ONLY ONE YEAR, SERVICED REGULARLY BY MERCEDES BENZ, AND ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN UP-TO-DATE! THE SERVICING MERCEDES DEALERSHIP PROMPTLY INFORMED MERCEDES BENZ USA WHO ALSO PROMPTLY CONTACTED THE OWNER TO FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK AND SUBMIT PICTURES FOR REVIEW. THIS PAPERWORK/PICTURES WERE ALSO PROMPTLY SUBMITTED. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FIRE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, THIS REPORT IS ALSO BEING SENT TO YOUR AGENCY FOR FOLLOW-UP. (NOTE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TAIL LIGHTS IN THE ML350 FOR POSSIBLE FIRE FOR 2007 AND YEARS ABOVE, BUT NOT THE YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE, 2006. A SIMILAR PROBLEM IS REPORTED IN THE C-CLASS AUTOMOBILES AND MAY BE MORE WIDESPREAD THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT). *TR

NHTSA ID
10555205
Incident
Nov 30, 2013
Mileage
75,000 mi
Exterior lighting
Filed Dec 4, 2012

I HAVE A 2006 ME/BE ML350 WHERE THE TAIL LIGHTS AND STOP LIGHTS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE SYSTEM GOES INTO BACK UP MODE WHERE ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS GO ON, THIS CAUSES THE COMPUTER TO GIVE FALSE MESSAGES. THE DEALER WANTS OVER $300 FOR A "REWIRING KIT" AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HELP. I FEEL THE TAIL LIGHTS/STOP LIGHT WIRING SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR MISUSED. A REWIRING KIT TELLS ME THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I FOUND NHTSA # 10028025 WHICH RELATES TO THIS PROBLEM BUT I'VE HAD NO LUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. MY QUESTION IS-DOES THIS TSB APPLY TO MY CAR AND WHAT CAN I DO? THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ID
10487349
Incident
Sep 1, 2011
Mileage
122,000 mi

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .