2001 Mercedes-Benz ML430 Brakes Problems

Was driving 50 miles per hour when the car slammed on the brakes, nearly getting me rear ended. The throttle would not respond until the car was doing maybe5 miles per hour - on an interstate! The BAS/ESP light was on solid. I got onto an off ramp, called the dealer, was told it could be several causes, drove home carefully, and took it to the dealer. The dealer found nothing. Several times since, the car was being driven at speeds in the 20-30 miles per hour range, and the system would slam on the brakes and pull hard to the left. I could smell the brake dust in the car. Other times, it will ALMOST engage (ESP light flashes as well) then backs off.

NHTSA ID

11637080

Incident

Aug 24, 2022

RE: 2001 MB ML430 ELECTRONIC BRAKING SENSOR THE FRONT PASSENGER BRAKE INITIALLY LOCKED UP AT LOW SPEED UPON ACCELERATION. AFTER STOPPING AND TURNING THE VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON THE SYSTEM WAS BACK TO NORMAL. THEN ONE DAY I WAS TRAVELING AT NEAR 70 MPH IN THE PASSING LANE OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FRONT DRIVER BRAKE LOCKED UP AND BRAKE TIRE SMOKE BILLOWED FROM MY VEHICLE WHICH CAUSED TRAFFIC BEHIND ME TO SWERVE AND BRAKE BEHIND AND ON THE SIDE OF ME. I PROCEEDED TO PULL OFF ONTO THE SHOULDER OF THE HIGHWAY AND TURNED MY VEHICLE OFF AND BACK ON, AFTER WHICH MY VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. I PROCEEDED TO DO AN ONLINE SEARCH AND LEARNED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON SORT OF PROBLEM FOR THIS MODEL.. PARTICULARLY AT LOW SPEEDS. IN MY CASE IT HAPPENED AT LOW SPEEDS AND THEN THE ONE TIME AT 70 MPH. I LEARNED THAT THE YAW SENSOR WHICH IS PART OF THE ABS SYSTEM WAS COMMONLY REPORTED AS THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM.. I PROCEEDED TO DISCONNECT THE YAW SENSOR AND HAVE HAD NO FURTHER PROBLEMS. I AM FORTUNATE THAT IT WAS NOT A RAINY DAY, OTHERWISE THE RESULTS MAY HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC WITH SO MANY VEHICLES BEHIND ME AND TRAVELING AT SUCH A HIGH SPEED. THEYAW SENSOR MB PART # IS A 002 542 94 18 Q01 SYSTRON DONNER INERTIA DIVISION USA

NHTSA ID

11035778

Incident

Oct 14, 2017

Mileage

125,000 mi

TWICE NOW WHILE DRIVING AND GOING OVER MINOR BUMPS (DOTS ON THE ROAD TO WARN OF CROSSWALKS AND A DRIVEWAY ENTRANCE CURB) THE BAS/ESP AND HAZARD LIGHTS HAVE COME ON AND THE CAR HAS AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED VIOLENT BREAKING THAT TOOK CONTROL OF THE DIRECTION THE CAR WAS HEADING. THIS BREAKING CONTINUED UNTIL THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. BOTH TIMES THE CAR WAS GOING LESS THAN 20 MPH, BUT CONTROL OF THE CAR WAS LIMITED DURING THE EVENT. AT FREEWAY SPEEDS, IT WOULD BE VERY LIKELY TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. BAS/ESP LIGHT TURNS OFF AFTER THE CAR IS TURNED OFF.

NHTSA ID

11022910

Incident

Sep 10, 2017

Mileage

170,000 mi

VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEEL BRAKES BY ITSELF WHILE DRIVING AND THE EPS WARNING LIGHT COMES ON AFTERWARDS. EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN HIGHWAY DRIVING. HAD THE BRAKES CHECKED, BUT NOTHING WRONG. ONLINE COMPLAINTS SUGGESTS A FAILURE IN YAW RATE SENSOR.

NHTSA ID

11005565

Incident

May 7, 2017

Mileage

105,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY, GOING ABOUT 60 MPH, AND THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED APPLYING THE BRAKES ON ITS OWN. NEARLY GOT ME INTO AN ACCIDENT. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER LUCKILY. I HAD MY TODDLER IN THE CAR AND IT WAS A VERY SCARY THING. WHEN THE BRAKES STARTED ENGAGING BY ITSELF, A YELLOW TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT DISPLAYED ON THE DASH FOLLOWED BY THE BAS/ESP LIGHT AFTER THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. I HAVE SEEN OTHERS THAT HAVE HAD THIS VERY SAME ISSUE AND SEEMS TO BE THE YAW RATE SENSOR. I AM SHOCKED THIS HASN'T BEEN RECALLED WITH ALL THE ISSUES I'VE READ ON THIS. I BARELY JUST BOUGHT THE CAR AND IT'S ALREADY NOT DRIVABLE. VERY HUGE SAFETY ISSUE.

NHTSA ID

10991966

Incident

May 17, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SERVICE ENGINE AND THE BAS ESP WARNING LIGHTS FLICKERED. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE BRAKES ENGAGED AND THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE. IN ADDITION, THE ELECTRIC POWER DOOR LOCK FUNCTION WAS MAKING AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE A/C LINE FRACTURED AND THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS PLASTIC PIECE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 11V208000 (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 186,675. UPDATED 11/23/15*LJ THE CONSUMER FIXED THE VEHICLE AT HIS/HER EXPENSE. UPDATED 01/29/16.*JB

NHTSA ID

10762937

Incident

Feb 5, 2015

Mileage

186,675 mi

2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML 430. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE BRAKE PEDAL ISSUES. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKE PEDAL LOST PRESSURE DUE TO THE FUEL TUBE COMING IN CONTACT WITH THE BRAKE LINE. THE BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING FLUID.*JB

NHTSA ID

10746348

Incident

Aug 3, 2015

I WAS DRIVING ON INTERSTATE 285 EAST AT A SPEED OF 70MPH SUDDENLY THE THE BAS/ESP WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED BRAKES AND THE CAR COULDN'T RUN. SO I TURNED OF THE ENGINE AND STARTED THE CAR AGAIN AND EVERYTHING WENT BACK TO NORMAL EXCEPT THE CRUISE CONTROL STOPPED WORKING AND BAS/ESP WARING LIGHTS ARE STILL ON BUT THE CAR IS RUNNING. HOW DO I FIX THE CRUISE CONTROL AND THE BAS/ESP WARNING LIGHTS?

NHTSA ID

10715649

Incident

May 10, 2015

Mileage

153,100 mi

I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 35 MPH AND ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD SCREECHING SOUND FROM MY TIRES AND THE ORANGE TRIANGLE WARNING LIGHT IN MY DASH LIGHT UP. I PULLED OVER AND SHUT OFF THE ENGINE. I NOTICES TIRE SKID MARKS FROM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. AFTER A FEW MINUTES I STARTED AND DROVE AND THE CAR DROVE NORMAL. THIS SAME THING HAPPENED TO MY WIFE ALSO. BASICALLY IT IS LIKE APPLYING THE BRAKES HARD WHILE DRIVING BUT WITH OUT EVEN TOUCHING THE BRAKE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10547866

Incident

Aug 28, 2013

Mileage

131,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML430. THE CONTACT STATED THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT SYSTEM MALFUNCTIONED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE ABS WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED AS THE BRAKING SYSTEM INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVED. THE CONTACT HAD TO PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE BRAKING SYSTEM WAS WORKING NORMAL. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALER REGARDING THE ABS SYSTEM. THE DEALER STATED THE ABS HYDRAULIC UNIT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 175,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10521433

Incident

Feb 13, 2013

Mileage

175,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING FROM 50 TO 80 MPH, THE VEHICLE BRAKES WOULD SPORADICALLY ENGAGE INDEPENDENTLY AND WITHOUT WARNING. THERE WERE SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AFTER THE FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE AS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE A DIAGNOSTIC WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE WAS UNDETERMINED BASED ON THE FAILURE CODES PROVIDED BY THE DIAGNOSTIC. THE FAILURE LATER RECURRED WHILE THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 50 MPH. AS A RESULT, ANOTHER VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 99,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 102,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10509722

Incident

Oct 1, 2012

Mileage

99,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE A 45 MPH AT 5PM IN TRAFFIC, VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY STARTED ENGAGING BRAKES IN A JERKING MOTION, REPEATEDLY, SUBSEQUENTLY COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP. SMOKE WAS COMING FROM TIRE AREA. THIS HAS HAPPENED REPEATEDLY AND VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN BY MY 16 YEAR OLD. FORTUNATELY, THIS HAS NOT CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. AFTER MUCH RESEARCH, I HAVE FOUND THIS HAS HAPPENED TO SEVERAL OTHER PEOPLE OVER A PERIOD OF TIME IN MERCEDES BENZ'S. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN. *JS

NHTSA ID

10461089

Incident

Oct 28, 2011

Mileage

120,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 MPH, THE ABS AND TRACTION WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WHEN THE BRAKES INDEPENDENTLY ENGAGED AND THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONTACT ACCELERATED AND THE FAILURE RECURRED WITH THE BAS AND ESP WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE THEN DROVE AS NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS INSPECTED BY A LOCAL MECHANIC WHO ADVISED THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 136,190 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 136,590.

NHTSA ID

10350362

Incident

Aug 13, 2010

Mileage

136,190 mi

SAFETY CONCERN - YESTERDAY WHILE TRAVELING AT 65MPH LOCKED ON CRUISE CONTROL, THE CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED. INSTEAD, UPON RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE BEGAN ACCELERATING BACK TO 65MPH AND ALMOST CAUSED ME TO RAN INTO THE TRUCK IN FRONT OF ME. I SLAMMED ON THE BRAKES TO BRING THE CAR TO A STOP TO AVOID REAR ENDING THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME, AT WHICH TIME THE BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON. AGAIN, THE CRUISE FAILED TO DISENGAGE SINCE I COULD FEEL THE CAR DRAGGING WHILE THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PUSHED DOWN. I MANUALLY TURNED OFF THE CRUISE, AND THE BAS/ESP LIGHT REMAINED ON. LATER, WITH THE ESP/BAS LIGHT ON, I REENGAGE THE CRUISE TO SEE IF IT WOULD RESET, BUT AGAIN IT FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS PRESSED, AND I HAD TO MANUALLY TURN OFF THE CRUISE. WHEN I PARKED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED THE ENGINE OFF, LET IT SIT FOR ABOUT 20 MIN, AND THEN RESTARTED, BAS/ESP STAYED ON AND GEAR SHIFT LOCKED UP IN PARK. *TR

NHTSA ID

10332201

Incident

May 24, 2010

Mileage

86,000 mi

I PURCHASED A MERCEDES ML 430 2001 IN MAY 2001. SINCE THEN A PART CALLED A STOP LIGHT SWITCH HAS GONE OUT 6 TIMES. THE FOLLOWING ARE DATES AND MILEAGE ON VEHICLE: 5/10/05 40,561 MILES, 9/28/06 47,767 MILES, 8/14/07 51,801 MILES, 4/10/08 55,151 MILES, 3/17/09 61,105 MILES, AND 1/28/10 65,465 MILES. ON AUGUST 14, 2007 WITH THIS STOP LIGHT SWITCH GOING OUT I COULD NOT DISENGAGE THE VEHICLE OUT OF CRUISE CONTROL. BY THE GRACE OF GOD I WAS ABLE TO PUMP THE BRAKES UNTIL IT DISENGAGED BEFORE ALMOST RUNNING INTO A VEHICLE IN FRONT OF ME AT 60 MPH. THIS PART IS DEFECTIVE AND WILL ONE DAY KILL OR SERIOUSLY INJURE PEOPLE. *TR

NHTSA ID

10315553

Incident

Aug 14, 2007

Mileage

51,801 mi

WHENEVER IT RAINS OR IT IS THE LEAST BIT WET, THE BRAKES SLIP WHEN DEPRESSED AND ALL THREE YELLOW LIGHTS ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE DASH LIGHT UP - I.E., ABS, ESP AND I CAN'T RECALL THE OTHER ONE. USUALLY THE LIGHTS GO OFF BY THEMSELVES AFTER A FEW MILES OF DRIVING OR IF THE CAR IS TURNED OFF. THE LAST TIME THIS HAPPENED, I DROVE STRAIGHT TO THE MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC SAID THAT THE FAULT CODES INDICATED THAT THE PRESSURE WAS HIGH IN THE ABS. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE CODES COULD BE RESET BUT THE BRAKES WERE FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. IN FACT, THEY WERE NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY BECAUSE THEY SLIPPED INSTEAD OF STOPPED WHEN I APPLIED BRAKE PRESSURE WHEN THE STREET WAS WET. THE BRAKES HAVE SLIPPED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS WHEN STOPPING ON WET SURFACES THOUGH THEY DO STOP THE CAR. *TR

NHTSA ID

10308114

Incident

Jan 4, 2010

Mileage

146,000 mi

AFTER DRIVING 2001 ML430 FOR APPROX. 30 MIN. THERE IS UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION AND IT WILL BRING YOU TO A COMPLETE STOP. IT WILL NOT TAKE GAS AND IT IS HARD TO CONTROL VEHICLE BECAUSE YOU CAN FEEL BRAKE BEING APPLIED TO LEFT AND RIGHT WHEELS PULLING YOU LEFT AND RIGHT AT THIS TIME. VERY DANGEROUS. THIS HAPPENS EVERY DAY THE VEHICLE IS DRIVEN ABOUT 30 MIN. IN TO DRIVE TIME. AS THIS IS HAPPENING THE BAS/ESP LIGHT COMES ON DURING BRAKING AND REMAINS ON. AFTER YOU HAVE COME TO COMPLETE STOP AND START TO DRIVE AGAIN OVER 10 MILES PER HOUR BRAKES ARE APPLIED AGAIN AND IT STOPS YOU. MERCEDES SERVICE DEPT HAS NEVER HEARD OF THIS PROBLEM. THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS OF THIS ON DIFFERENT WEB SITES AND CUSTOMERS SAY THEY HAVE SPENT ALOT AF TIME AND MONEY ON DIFFERENT PARTS WITH MERCEDES SERVICE DEPT. AND VEHICLE STILL HAS SAME PROBLEM. I AM NOT FEELING CONFIDENT IN THIS PROBLEM BEING PROPERLY DIAGNOSED AND THE VEHICLE HAS BECOME HAZARDOUS. *TR

NHTSA ID

10294302

Incident

Sep 1, 2009

Mileage

75,000 mi

THE BRAKES ENGAGED AND HAD SHIMMY EVEN THOUGH THE PEDAL WAS NOT DEPRESSED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE "YAW SENSOR" WAS BAD. *TR

NHTSA ID

10290537

Incident

Aug 22, 2009

Mileage

39,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND APPLYING PRESSURE TO THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SLOW DOWN. THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO A BRIDGE TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED DAMAGES AND THE OCCUPANTS RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE POLICE WAS CALLED TO THE SCENE AND A REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HAS NOT DETERMINED IF THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 90,000. VEHICLE VIN [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

NHTSA ID

10232164

Incident

May 12, 2008

Mileage

90,000 mi

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML430. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE BRAKES FAILED TO SLOW DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ATTEMPTED TO PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, BUT THE VEHICLE FISHTAILED, SLID SIDEWAYS, AND NEARLY ROLLED OVER. HE WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENTIRE BRAKE LINE SHOULD BE REPLACED AT THE CONTACT'S EXPENSE BECAUSE IT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE AND THE FUEL LINE CROSSED ONE ANOTHER, CAUSING BOTH TO FAIL OVER TIME. BOTH LINES ALSO CROSSED OVER THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH COULD POSSIBLY RESULT IN A VEHICLE FIRE. THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 82,686.

NHTSA ID

10223721

Incident

Apr 6, 2008

Mileage

82,686 mi

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASH AND THE BRAKES LOCKED WITHOUT DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. WHEN IT WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, WHO DETERMINED A YAW SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED.

NHTSA ID

10174434

Incident

Nov 25, 2006

Mileage

72,000 mi

THE BRAKES WOULD MAKE A SQUEALING NOISE WHEN THE CONSUMER APPLIED THEM. THE VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH A BRAKE PAD WARNING INDICATOR, WHICH FAILED TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. *JB

NHTSA ID

10105230

Incident

Dec 20, 2004

Mileage

47,000 mi

VEHICLE'S BRAKES MAKES AN EXTREMELY LOUD NOISE. THIS OCCURS WHEN BRAKES ARE DEPRESSED IN COLD TEMPERATURE WHILE IN REVERSE. THIS HAS RESULTED IN BRAKE FAILURE. AS A RESULT CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE AND WENT ON THE SIDE WALK. THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPLACED THE ENTIRE BRAKE SYSTEM TWICE, BUT THE PROBLEM RECURRED. *NLM

NHTSA ID

10048442

Mileage

11,000 mi