2005 Mercedes Benz ML350

BOUGHT THE 2005 ML350 USED LAST SUMMER (2010). IN THE FIRST FEW WEEKS OF OWNING THE VEHICLE WHILE SLOWING DOWN OR STOPPED, THE ACCELERATION SEEMED TO DROP LOW ENOUGH TO MAKE THE VEHICLE STALL. NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ON, BUT TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY COULDN'T FIGURE OUT WHAT WAS WRONG. SINCE THEN, IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES OVER THE YEAR. ALSO, WHILE STARTING THE VEHICLE IT WILL STALL AND I WILL HAVE TO KEEP RETRYING TO START IT AND PRESS THE ACCELERATION PEDAL TO GET IT TO FINALLY START. (ONLY USE THE RECOMMENDED OCTANE SUGGESTIONS FROM THE MERCEDES BOOKLET, AND FOLLOW ALL DIRECTIONS DURING FUELING) FINALLY, SEEMS TO POSSIBLY HAVE A STEERING FLUID LEAK. (ONLY USE MERCEDES POWER STEERING FLUID FROM DEALERSHIP). *TR

THE 2005 ML 350 I BELIEVE IS EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEMS THAT LED TO RECALLS FOR ML SERIES IN 2003, 2004 AND POSSIBLY OTHER YEARS. THE POWER STEERING SYSTEM LOOSES FLUID CAUSED BY LEAKS IN THE PLUMBING OF THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THE ONLY SIGN OF AN INITIAL PROBLEM WAS THE NOISE MADE BY THE PUMP BECAUSE OF LOSS OF FLUID. THIS VEHICLE REQUIRES SPECIAL FLUID WHICH IS NOT COMMONLY AVAILABLE. LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL IS THE RESULT OF THE LOSS OF FLUID.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GROAN COMING FROM THE STEERING WHEEL WHEN TURNING. THE STEERING WOULD ALSO SPORADICALLY BECOME TIGHT WHEN ATTEMPTING A SHARP TURN. THE FAILURE PROGRESSED AND THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE DEALER ADVISED THE FAILURE COULD POTENTIALLY BE CAUSE BY MOISTURE IN THE RACK AND PINION. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE TWO TECHNICAL SERVICE BULLETINS RELATIVE TO THE FAILURE BUT THERE WAS NOT A RECALL (NHTSA ITEM NUMBERS: 10028646 AND 10020460). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 110,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE ATTEMPTING TO CHANGE LANES AT APPROXIMATELY 57 MPH, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE STEERING COLUMN COMPLETELY LOCKED. SHE ATTEMPTED TO PULL THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE EMERGENCY LANE, BUT WAS HEADED TOWARDS A CEMENT BARRIER BECAUSE THE STEERING COLUMN WAS INOPERABLE. SHE APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED ABRUPTLY. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR SHOP AND THE MECHANIC STATED THAT THE HOSE CLAMP DETACHED AND ALL OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID DRAINED OUT OF THE VEHICLE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE DEALER AND THE MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 100,000.