IllustrationCONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT COMPLETELY OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED 19 TIMES PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
1998 Mercedes Benz ML320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most ML320 years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Mercedes Benz ML320 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 28.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ML320 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
625–50K
1150–75K
1275–100K
8100–150K
4150K+
43 reports with mileage · 90 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
Electrical System complaints
21 reportsWHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 55 MPH BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD, AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK
THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THE INVESTIGATION PER GARRETT ENGINEERING, THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CRANK SHAFT PULLEY FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE BELTS, ALTENATOR, AND TH…
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THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THE INVESTIGATION PER GARRETT ENGINEERING, THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CRANK SHAFT PULLEY FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE BELTS, ALTENATOR, AND THE COOLING SYSTEMS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE PULLEY FAILURE. THIS PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED UNDER THE 80K WARRANTY, BUT HAS NOT BEEN HONORED. *SCC
DRIVESHAFT BROKE. ASSOCIATED CABLE BROKE ACTIVATING SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR. MINOR CONTUSIONS.*AK
IGNITION KEY DID NOT WORK. HAD TO USE SPARE KEY IN ORDER TO TURN VEHICLE ON.*AK CONSUMER STATES WITHOUT WARNING, AT STARTUP, WHILE STOPPED, OR MOVING, VEHICLE WILL STALL, CONSUMER STATES IF YOU HAVE A SPARE KEY, SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK. *SLC
VEHICLE WAS IN GARAGE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO GARAGE. DEALER SAID FIRE WAS DUE TO DEFECT IN BATTERY. *AK THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR/ALTERNATOR, THE FIRE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGED THE DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE. *SLC
WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AND VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. EMERGENCY FLASHERS FAILED TO WORK & HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. RADIO WAS STILL WORKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAVING AN ENGINEER CHECK VEHICLE OVER FOR CAUSE OF STALLING.*AK THE…
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WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AND VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. EMERGENCY FLASHERS FAILED TO WORK & HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. RADIO WAS STILL WORKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAVING AN ENGINEER CHECK VEHICLE OVER FOR CAUSE OF STALLING.*AK THE DEALER CHANGED VARIETY OF SWITCHES AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *YH
KEY LOCK PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START DUE TO KEY PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START BECAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES, WOULD NOT START DUE TO GAS TANK PROBLEMS, DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES MOVE UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES, LATCH ON HATCH DOOR RATTLED, REAR SEAT BELTS RATTLE, OIL OUT LIGHT CAME ON AT RANDOM TIMES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, LAST THE FLY-BY …
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KEY LOCK PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START DUE TO KEY PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START BECAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES, WOULD NOT START DUE TO GAS TANK PROBLEMS, DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES MOVE UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES, LATCH ON HATCH DOOR RATTLED, REAR SEAT BELTS RATTLE, OIL OUT LIGHT CAME ON AT RANDOM TIMES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, LAST THE FLY-BY WIRE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OF THE VEHICLE WITH $14,000 DAMAGE. *AK
WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE REAR UNDER THE WHEEL WELL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK
KEYLESS ENTERY FAILED. YH
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure
Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.