NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
133 reportsMileage unknown · Aug 24, 2004
Air BagsSeat Belts
VEHICLE WAS AT A GAS STATION AND DRIVER GOT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT BELT EXPLODED. THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN A UPRIGHT POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ALSO, SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THEN, CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMEN…
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VEHICLE WAS AT A GAS STATION AND DRIVER GOT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT BELT EXPLODED. THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN A UPRIGHT POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ALSO, SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THEN, CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10089631
97,615 miles · May 2, 2004
Electrical SystemEngine And Engine CoolingFuel System, GasolineInjury
LAUNDRY LIST OF FAILURES. JACK HAS ALMOST KILLED ME WHILE CHANGING TIRE. VEHICLE FELL, ALMOST HITTING ME BUT CATCHING SIDE OF VEHICLE BEFORE LANDING ON ME! HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED ON A FEW OCCASIONS, CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. AIR MASS METER FAILED. HAS REQUIRED 5 (FIVE!) ALIGNMENTS IN TWO YEARS. WHEN …
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LAUNDRY LIST OF FAILURES. JACK HAS ALMOST KILLED ME WHILE CHANGING TIRE. VEHICLE FELL, ALMOST HITTING ME BUT CATCHING SIDE OF VEHICLE BEFORE LANDING ON ME! HOOD LATCH HAS FAILED ON A FEW OCCASIONS, CAUSING HOOD TO OPEN WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. AIR MASS METER FAILED. HAS REQUIRED 5 (FIVE!) ALIGNMENTS IN TWO YEARS. WHEN BROUGHT TO DEALER'S ATTENTION, WAS TOLD NOTHING WAS WRONG. A MONTH LATER REQUIRES ANOTHER ALIGNMENT. ALIGNMENT PROBLEMS CAUSES WEAR ON TIRES, WHICH HAS CAUSED HYDROPLANING AND LOSS OF CONTROL OF VEHICLE. VEHICLE SWERVES UNCONTROLLABLY WHEN HITS ANYTHING OTHER THAN FLAT ROAD. TRANSFER CASE MOTOR FIXED BY DEALER WITHOUT CONSULTING. AFTER REPAIR, TRANSFER CASE MOTOR FAILED. DEALER STATES OWNER RESPONSIBLE FOR COSTS. HAS HAD REPAIR OF HARMONIC BALANCER ON FRONT OF ENGINE DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILDUP LEADING TO OIL LEAK AND FAILURE OF BELT TENSIONER. WINDOW SWITCHES HAVE FAILED TWICE AND FIXED AT EXPENSE OF OWNER. SIX DIFFERENT KEYS HAVE FAILED @ THE COST OF $220/KEY. REAR WINDOW DEFROSTER CAUSES LOSS OF STEREO RECEPTION. REAR WINDOW WIPER MOTOR HAS FAILED. FRONT END MAKES NOISE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10068171
79,457 miles · Apr 10, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
STEERING FAILURE DUE TO DEFECTIVE HARMONIC BALANCER. REFER TO NHTSA ACTION NUMBER: PE03058
NHTSA ODI #10065904
80,772 miles · Jan 17, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
BELT TENSIONER FAILED AT 73886 MILE,$308.00. HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED @80,772 MILES. LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL ACCESSORIES. REPLACED BELT ,OIL PAN ,TENSIONER(AGAIN),HARMONIC BALANCER,OIL ,OIL SEAL. MERCEDES PAID FOR PARTS. I PAID FOR LABOR $675.00. DID TENSIONER FAIL FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF BALANCER. WAS BALANCER A KNOWN DEFECT…
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BELT TENSIONER FAILED AT 73886 MILE,$308.00. HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED @80,772 MILES. LOST POWER STEERING AND ALL ACCESSORIES. REPLACED BELT ,OIL PAN ,TENSIONER(AGAIN),HARMONIC BALANCER,OIL ,OIL SEAL. MERCEDES PAID FOR PARTS. I PAID FOR LABOR $675.00. DID TENSIONER FAIL FIRST TIME BECAUSE OF BALANCER. WAS BALANCER A KNOWN DEFECT? *CB
NHTSA ODI #10054358
55,000 miles · Jan 10, 2004
EquipmentPower Train
TRANSFER CASE FAILURE. FRONT DRIVE AND PASSENGER SIDE WHEELS MAKES NOISE WHEN MAKING A TURN FROM STOP POSITION OR SLOW SPEED. DID SOME RESEARCH AND IT TURNS OUT THAT THIS IS A REGULAR OCCURANCY FOR THE 1998-1999 ML320. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10052773
70,000 miles · Jan 6, 2004
Fuel System, Gasoline
FUEL PUMP FAILURE AFTER 70,000 MILES. LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROAD. HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. HAMMOND TIRE AND AUTO CENTER IN HAMMOND,LA CONTACTED BENSON MERCEDES IN METAIRIE AND WAS TOLD SEVERAL OF THESE HAD APPEARED IN RECENT MONTHS IN HIS SHOP. BENSON MERCEDES SENT OUT THE NEW FUEL PUMP WITH SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS MADE TO BRI…
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FUEL PUMP FAILURE AFTER 70,000 MILES. LEFT STRANDED ON THE ROAD. HAD TO CALL FOR A TOW TRUCK. HAMMOND TIRE AND AUTO CENTER IN HAMMOND,LA CONTACTED BENSON MERCEDES IN METAIRIE AND WAS TOLD SEVERAL OF THESE HAD APPEARED IN RECENT MONTHS IN HIS SHOP. BENSON MERCEDES SENT OUT THE NEW FUEL PUMP WITH SEVERAL MODIFICATIONS MADE TO BRING THE VEHICLE UP TO "COMPLIANCE". I CONTACTED MERCEDES AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL AND THERE WOULD BE NO REIMBURSEMENT FOR HALF THE COST OF THE PARTS SINCE I DID NOT HAVE THE WORK DONE AT A CERTIFIED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. I EXPLAINED TO THEM THAT IT WOULD HAVE COST ME APPROXIMATELY $200 TO HAVE IT TOWED TO METARIE OR BATON ROUGE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10052533
57,435 miles · Jan 2, 2004
Engine And Engine Cooling
REGARDING NHTSA ACTION NUMBER PE03058. THE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER WAS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE ON MY MERCEDES ML, 320 TODAY. THE VEHICLE HAD 57,435 MILES. THE DEALER TOLD ME IT WAS STARTING TO FAIL AND RECOMMENDED IT BE REPLACED OR IT COULD LEAD TO A LOSS OF POWER STEERING AND MAJOR ENGINE DAMAGE.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10051555
73,500 miles · Dec 29, 2003
Engine And Engine Cooling
1998 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320, 73K MILES - CRANKSHAFT HARMONIC BALANCER DISINTEGRATED, RESULTING IN CONCURRENT LOSS OF MULTIRIBBED-V-BELT AND INSTANTANEOUS LOSS OF POWER STEERING, ALTERNATOR AND WATER PUMP FUNCTION.*AK
NHTSA ODI #10051220
67,000 miles · Dec 19, 2003
Visibility
WHILE ROLLING UP THE DRIVER SIDE FRONT WINDOW IT SHATTERED. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10051831
Mileage unknown · Dec 11, 2003
Fuel System, GasolineCrash
ML320 FUEL PUMP FAILED, CAUSING CRASH INTO OTHER VEHICLE. MBZ ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CALLED TWICE AND CLAIMED NO RECORD OF 1ST CALL 4 HOURS EARLIER. VEHICLE WAS TOWED AT OWNER'S EXPENSE TO DEALER WHO CLAIMED STARMARK WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED, CONTRARY TO SAME DEALER REPRESENTATION AT SALE. *AK
NHTSA ODI #10049587
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