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2004 Mercedes Benz ML350

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2004 Mercedes Benz ML350 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 51.

Counts are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. A lower count does not establish that a car is problem-free.

About this comparison →
35Owner complaints

Model-year median: 51

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

0Investigations

View investigation details →

Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗ Model-level counts do not show whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

Inspection summary

2004 Mercedes Benz ML350

NHTSA snapshot: September 18, 2026. 35 owner complaints · 0 recall campaigns · 0 investigations.

Counts are not failure probabilities and are not adjusted for sales, age, mileage exposure or reporting. One report may name several categories. Comparison method and limitations.

Top reported categories (up to 5)

  • Steering: 6 reports
  • Air Bags: 5 reports
  • Electrical System: 4 reports
  • Seats: 4 reports
  • Engine And Engine Cooling: 3 reports

Full reported-category list and vehicle report

Recall links

    No recall campaigns in this snapshot.

    Check a VIN with NHTSA. Model-level history does not establish whether a particular VIN is affected or repaired.

    Print the top reported categories, recall links, snapshot date and comparison limits.

    How this year compares

    Owner complaints by model year

    Other model years Selected year
    1
    2001    25
    2003    35
    2004    23
    2005    172
    2006    83
    2007
    Compare all ML350 years →

    Counts vary with age, sales, mileage exposure and reporting. They are not failure rates.

    What owners reported most

    Steering
    6    Air Bags
    5    Electrical System
    4    Seats
    4    Engine And Engine Cooling
    3
    All reported categories
    Engine
    2    Exterior Lighting
    2    Fuel System, Gasoline
    2    Fuel/propulsion System
    2    Service Brakes
    2    Service Brakes, Hydraulic
    2    Structure
    2    Unknown Or Other
    2    Equipment
    1    Power Train
    1    Tires
    1    Visibility
    1

    Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

    When problems were reported

    Mileage at the reported incident

    28 reports with mileage · 7 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.

    • Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Air Bags. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
    • Electrical System. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

    NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

    3 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports

    Unknown Or Other complaints

    2 reports
    Clear category filter
    Mileage unknown · Mar 22, 2023
    Unknown Or Other

    OEM jack failed without warning. No injuries but it could have been bad. Car got stuck and spinning wheels dug into a region of hard packed snow over a gravel driveway at my father's house. I was using the jack to lift the wheels out of their holes so I could fill the hole with chunks of wood. To spread the load on th…

    Read full complaint

    OEM jack failed without warning. No injuries but it could have been bad. Car got stuck and spinning wheels dug into a region of hard packed snow over a gravel driveway at my father's house. I was using the jack to lift the wheels out of their holes so I could fill the hole with chunks of wood. To spread the load on the snow the base of the jack was on a roughly 10" long piece of 2x4, which was placed on a roughly 8x10 inch piece of plywood. Jack worked fine for the first 2 wheels. On the 3rd wheel the "thrust washer" that transfers force from the nut that rides on the main screw, to the hinged arm which picks up the car, split in half without warning. This resulted in a sudden and complete failure of the jack, dropping the car back to it's starting position.

    NHTSA ODI #11513149

    50,000 miles · Jun 27, 2007
    Unknown Or OtherCrashFire

    A WOMAN RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML 350. AFTER THE IMPACT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. A DRIVER COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION YELLED OUT THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I SAW A BIG PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR AND IT IGNITED. WITHIN A FEW M…

    Read full complaint

    A WOMAN RAN A RED LIGHT AND CRASHED INTO THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF MY 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML 350. AFTER THE IMPACT THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. A DRIVER COMING FROM THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION YELLED OUT THAT MY CAR WAS ON FIRE. WHEN I GOT OUT OF THE CAR, I SAW A BIG PUDDLE UNDER THE CAR AND IT IGNITED. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. WHEN THE POLICE ARRIVED THEY DETERMINED FROM THE AMOUNT OF FRONT END DAMAGE TO THE OTHER CAR THAT THE DRIVER WAS NOT SPEEDING AND THAT THE IMPACT DIDN'T SEEM TO BE SUFFICIENT TO CAUSE MY CAR TO CATCH FIRE.

    NHTSA ODI #10194750

    Recall campaigns

    0

    No 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 ↗

    Defect investigations

    0

    No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.

    An investigation is not a finding of a defect, and closure does not prove a vehicle is problem-free.