2002 Mercedes Benz ML320 problems and owner complaints

EMERGENCY BRAKES FAILED TO RELEASE UNLESS STEPPED ON GAS TO FORWARD OR REVERSE. A DAY LATER AFTER WHEELS WERE WASHED AND DRIED UP, EMERGENCY BRAKES WOULD NOT RELEASE TOTALLY UNTIL STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL. YOU CAN HEAR A LOUD NOISE(FEEL LIKE HITTING YOUR BUMPER TO SOMETHING) WHEN STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL DURING THE RELEASE OF THE BRAKES. LOCAL DEALER SAID THEIR REGIONAL TECHNICIAN TOLD THEM THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. IT'S MY REPSONSIBILITY TO DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL THE BRAKE PADS ARE DRIED UP, THEN PARK THE CAR. I TOLD THEM IT IS DANGEROUS FOR SOMEON…

Owner-reported narrative. 100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10033499 at NHTSA ↗

DASH BOARD BRAKE LIGHT WENT ON AND THE BRAKES FAILED. *LA

Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10047273 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2001 MERCEDES BENX ML320, MY WIFE EXPIERENCED SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING AND WAS THROWN OFF THE ROAD.

Owner-reported narrative. 27,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007696 at NHTSA ↗

MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT AFTER MAKING A SLOW, 180 DEGREE TURN WHEN EXITING A CAR WASH--I WAS TURNING INTO THE STREET WHEN I NOTICED IT. I WAS TOLD THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN RECALLED TO REPLACE THE POWER STEERING PART. I NEVER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE (THAT I CAN REMEMBER) AND I HAVE HAD THE CAR IN FOR SERVICE AND THIS WAS NOT POINTED OUT. THE SITUATION COULD HAVE CAUSE AN ACCIDENT IF THERE HAD BEEN TRAFFIC COMING IN EITHER LANE. I HAD THREE KIDS IN THE CAR WITH ME. *NLM

Owner-reported narrative. 19,475 miles reported. Look up ODI 10016473 at NHTSA ↗

I HAVE A 2002 MERCEDES ML320. THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT HEATER WAS ON, IT STARTED TO SMOKE, WAS VERY HOT IN ONE SPOT, ALMOST TO THE POINT OF MELTING THE LEATHER. THE HEATER HAD ONLY BEEN ON FOR LESS THAN 10 MINUTES. COULD ALSO FEEL AN ELECTRICAL PULSING, LIKE A CURRENT AT THE SIGHT.WE PARKED THE CAR OUTSIDE OVERNIGHT, FOR FEAR OF IT STARTING ON FIRE. CONTACTED BLACK FOREST MOTORS THE NEXT DAY, THEY SAID IT WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THAT WE COULD ORDER A NEW SEAT AT OUR COST. THIS TOOK PLACE ON 1-27-05. ON 2-8-5, IN THE DETROIT FREE PRESS, THERE IS A…

Owner-reported narrative. 65,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10110075 at NHTSA ↗

THIS CAR HAS BEEN INTO SERVICE OV 27 TIME IN THE LAST 2 1/2 YEARS REGARDING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM/ ALL OF THE LIGHT ON THE DASH BOARD TURN ON. MY LASTEST ISSUE WAS ON THE HIGHWAY MY CAR JUST COMPLETELY TURN OFF ON ME WILL ON THE EXPRESSWAY WHEN I TURNED THE KEY AGAIN THE WARNING LIGHT CAME ON THIS CAR HAS BEEN FIX NUMEROUS TIMES BUT THE PROBLEM COMES BACK. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10235901 at NHTSA ↗

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THE BRAKE ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. THE PROBLEM PRESENTED ITSELF BY THE ILLUMINATION OF THE DASHBOARD WARNING LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN IN SEVEN TIMES FOR SERVICE ON THE BRAKE ASSISTANCE SYSTEM. THE VEHICLE ALSO HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SHUT OFF, AND RESTARTED LATER, THE GEARSHIFT BECAME STUCK IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A SERVICE DEALER, AND THE DEALER TEMPORARILY REPAIRED BOTH ISSUES. THE DEALER DETERMINED THAT THE TWO P…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10153332 at NHTSA ↗

WAS DRIVING VEHICLE ON HIGHWAY AT 75 MPH SET SPEED IN CRUISE CONTROL AND STEPPED ON BRAKE AS I APPROACHED TRAFFIC CONGESTION. VEHICLE WOULD NOT STOP AND CONTINUED TO MAINTAIN SET SPEED REGARDLESS HOW HARD I PRESSED ON THE BRAKE. EVENTUALLY, I DECIDED TO TRY SHIFTING INTO NEUTRAL AND THE VEHICLE WAS PLACED BACK UNDER CONTROL OF THE FOOTBRAKE. THANKFULLY, THE VEHICLE WAS SLOWED DOWN WITHOUT INCIDENT BUT IT WAS A VERY SCARY MOMENT. NOTICED, AT THIS TIME, THE BAS/ESP MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LAMP WAS DISPLAYED ON THE DASHBOARD. DROVE VEHICLE DIRECTLY …

Owner-reported narrative. 105,003 miles reported. Look up ODI 10247405 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. A MONTH AFTER PURCHASING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT EXPERIENCED DASHBOARD FAILURE. THE HAZARD LIGHTS BEGAN FLASHING ON AND OFF. SHE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THEY DISCOVERED A DEFECT IN THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENT. THEY REPLACED A FUSE, WHICH CORRECTED THE FAILURE FOR APPROXIMATELY A MONTH, BUT THE FAILURE EVENTUALLY RECURRED. WHEN ALL OF THE LIGHTS ILLUMINATED AGAIN, THEY REMAINED LIT AND LOCKED THE GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO BE DRIVEN AND EVEN STALLED WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH. THE C…

Owner-reported narrative. 20,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10235966 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE'S DRIVE AUTHORIZATION SYSTEM FAILS TO RECOGNIZE KEY RESULTING IN A 'START ERROR' DISPLAYING ON DASH AND VEHICLE WILL NOT START. THIS ITEM CAN ONLY BE REPLACED BY THE DEALER AND IS A KNOWN DEFECT BY MERCEDES BENZ. THE DASH CONTROL UNIT IS PART # A163 545 28 32 AND IS REPLACED BY A MODIFIED VERSION A163 545 07 06. MERCEDES REQUIRES OWNERS TO BEAR FULL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS REPAIR, EVEN THOUGH IT IS A KNOWN DEFECT WHICH CAN RESULT IN STALLS AND NO START SITUATION, POTENTIALLY PUTTING THE DRIVER AND PASSENGERS IN DANGER. THE COS…

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10250462 at NHTSA ↗

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE MAKING A TURN AT APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE DRIVER HAD TO EXERT GREATER EFFORT TO MAKE A LEFT TURN. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC TO HAVE THE POWER STEERING FLUID RESERVOIR FILLED BECAUSE IT WAS EXTREMELY LOW. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THEY REPAIRED THE VEHICLE ACCORDI…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10260239 at NHTSA ↗