1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320 problems
Owners have filed 164 complaints with NHTSA about the 1999 Mercedes-Benz ML320. Engine is the most reported problem area, at 22% of complaints. After that come steering (20%) and fuel system (10%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 164 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Engine 22% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 17 and 2
- Injuries and deaths
- 12 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 72,000 miles 94 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 6 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 8 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 12 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 34 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 10 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 6 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 9 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 3 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 3 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 0 |
| 200k+ miles | 3 |
What the data shows
Among the 94 complaints that report mileage, the typical (median) problem appeared at about 72,000 miles. For engine specifically, the median reported mileage is about 73,000 miles (25 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 17 complaints mention a crash; 2 complaints mention a fire; 12 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1999 ranks 3rd most-complained-about out of 8 model years of the Mercedes-Benz ML320 with enough data (89 complaints in that window).
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
My wife drove from las vegas on 15 fwy back home when the engine light came on. About 10 minutes later, the vehicle pulled to the left so she steered to the right but it pulled to the left again. While the vehicle was pulling, she applied brakes to slow it down but it seem like the vehicle went faster and faster. She heard a sound "shhh" sound like a vacuum leaks. The steering wheel was pulling too hard to the left so she could not hold on anymore.
Car was stopped put into park position on the transmission. Car lurched forward, crashed thru garage adjoining porch and deck and rolled off dropping 10 feet and turning on it's side. Dt
Car was in park at the top of the driveway and rolled down my driveway down a hill and crashed into a tree to stop. The car maker sent an investigator out (after a month) who determined it was a defect in the transmission. (I am awaiting their report to me) car is not drivable.
Consumer was able to remove the key from ignition without the vehicle being in park. The consumer stated that she could shift the gear lever to all gears when the key was not in the ignition and engine in an off position. The vehicle rolled down the hill and ran over a mailbox damaging the vehicle and back while the gear lever was still in park. The rear seat belts does not retract and had to be manually pushed back into the mechanism.