10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
75,088 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

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problem #6

Aug 142006

ML320 4WD 4-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 78,446 miles
I and my 7 year old daughter and her friend were entering my driveway on Aug 14,2006, paused to open my garage door from the car and I was slowly moving in. All of a sudden car went out of my control in a flash that I did not even have time to react. It went and hit our other parked car in the garage with such a huge force that the second car literally went and tore the bedroom wall. Our second car is badly damaged on the front, back and one side (scraping a pole in garage) and wall needs fixing too. I truly suspect there is some mechanical problem for the sudden/unintended acceleration that led to this unexpected behavior. So far we found the ignition got jammed (could not start and had to be towed in), other than the bumper/front damages. Car is still in the body shop for repairs, once finished it will be taken to the dealer for further analysis and check up.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #5

Aug 012005

ML320 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 72,460 miles
The consumer stated that E oil filter housing failed. When the filter housing failed the oil sprayed all over the engine and the manifold. The oil had been changed on 7-30-2005. The oil filter on failed on August 1, 2005. The oil filter had been tightened and checked. The vehicle ran normally after the oil was changed and the vehicle was started. The owner changed the oil himself. The oil filter takes 8 ' quarts of oil. Consumer ha not taken the vehicle to the dealership. Instead, he purchased an oil filter, a plastic housing that holds the filter) and corrected the problem himself. Consumer talked to the dealership, and they said that the part was not covered by the warranty. Tconsumer ha not contacted the manufacturer. Consumer said that the oil filter design changed since the oil was changed last, and this new design was suppose to be an improvement.

- Virginia Beach, VA, USA

problem #4

Aug 232004

ML320 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 87,000 miles
While driving a loud noise came from the front of the engine. I took the car to the dealer and the crankshft pulley has failed making a hole in the oil pan. The pulley and the oil pan were replaced and found out that this kind of premature failures has happened with this model. The dealer will not pick up the full cost for repairs since the car had 85000 miles. I think mb realizes that they have an issue with this type of failures but will not do a recall.

- San Clemente, CA, USA

problem #3

May 072004

ML320

  • 65,000 miles
While driving 30 mph the vehicle's engine stalled without warning. Please provide additional information.

- Phoenix, AZ, USA

problem #2

Oct 082003

ML320 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 79,120 miles
1999 Mercedes Benz ML320 - harmonic balancer failure resulting in loss of power steering, overheating, damage to fan, and oil pan.

- Thousand Oaks, CA, USA

problem #1

Mar 042003

ML320 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 68,500 miles
Harmonic balancer seal came loose and caused extensive engine damage. This happened while driving on a congested highway at ~60 mph! the local Mercedes dealer(regal Nissan/Mercedes, huntsville, al, ph #256726-0077) claimed this was a unique failure as faras they were concerned. The fix including replacement of the oil pan was ~$900. Upon subsequent research I've discovered that this is an extremely common problem.

- Madison, AL, USA