Mercedes-Benz ML320Years to avoid, problems & recalls

Based on 742 NHTSA owner complaints across 13 model years, no Mercedes-Benz ML320 year stands out as one to avoid, and the strongest years are 1999, 2001, 2002 and 2009. The ML320 has 4 safety recalls on record.

Years to avoidNoneBased on weighted complaints Best years'99 '01 '02 '09Fewest complaints for their age Owner complaints742Top: Steering Safety recalls41998–2011 model years

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports. Updated daily. How we score years.

Best & worst years

Mercedes-Benz ML320 years to avoid

Complaints by model year, colored by the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the ML320 median. Tap a year for its full report.

13312516613688 22 5 1 16 21 28 0 1

'98'99'00'01'02'03'05'06'07'08'09'10'11

Avoid
Caution
Solid
Best
Not rated

2011Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls 2010Not rated–/1000 complaints · 1 recall 2009Best85/10028 complaints · 3 recalls 2008Not rated–/10021 complaints · 2 recalls 2007Not rated–/10016 complaints · 2 recalls 2006Not rated–/1001 complaint · 0 recalls 2005Not rated–/1005 complaints · 0 recalls 2003Not rated–/10022 complaints · 0 recalls 2002Solid59/10088 complaints · 1 recall 2001Solid49/100136 complaints · 0 recalls 2000Solid43/100166 complaints · 0 recalls 1999Solid51/100125 complaints · 0 recalls 1998Solid49/100133 complaints · 0 recalls

Complaints by system

Most common Mercedes-Benz ML320 problems

All model years combined: 742 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

140Steering15 crash/fire/injury

112Engine and engine cooling7 crash/fire/injury

90Electrical system18 crash/fire/injury

70Service brakes1 crash/fire/injury

70Service brakes, hydraulic10 crash/fire/injury

63Electronic stability control (ESC)3 crash/fire/injury

57Power train

56Vehicle speed control

47Fuel system, gasoline

31725 other systems70 crash/fire/injury

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.

Complaints by system
System	Complaints	Crash, fire or injury
Steering	140	15
Engine and engine cooling	112	7
Electrical system	90	18
Service brakes	70	1
Service brakes, hydraulic	70	10
Electronic stability control (ESC)	63	3
Power train	57	8
Vehicle speed control	56	15
Fuel system, gasoline	47	6
25 other systems	317	70

4 recalls

Mercedes-Benz ML320 recalls

Newest first. The ring shows the share of affected vehicles repaired, from the manufacturer's latest report to NHTSA.

Power assist: vacuum24V-298 · 2007–2009 · Apr 26, 2024 · 15,604 vehiclesDo not drive Power assist: vacuum22V-315 · 2007–2009 · May 9, 2022 · 350,294 vehiclesDo not drive Driver side: inflator module16V-081 · 2009–2010 · Feb 11, 2016 · 711,159 vehicles Control arm: upper arm01V-290 · 2002 · Sep 10, 2001 · 870 vehicles

6 investigations

NHTSA investigations of the ML320

Sep 17, 2021
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator RuptureEA21002 · 2009–2010 · still open
Open
Dec 21, 2010
Brake lamp switch failure.PE10050 · 2000–2002 · closed May 4, 2011
Led to recall 11V-208
Feb 1, 2007
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTIONPE07007 · 2000–2001 · closed Jul 11, 2007
No recall
Feb 2, 2005
ELECTRIC SEAT WARMER OVERHEATS/BURNSPE05005 · 2003 · closed Jun 29, 2005
No recall
Dec 17, 2003
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILUREPE03058 · 1998–2000 · closed Apr 22, 2004
No recall
Feb 13, 2003
POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY LEAKAGEPE03006 · 1999–2001 · closed Apr 4, 2003
Led to recall 03V-121