2008 Mercedes Benz ML320 problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
21 owner complaints analyzed
2 distinct recall campaigns
94,500 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2008 model year. Data snapshot: . 16 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Exterior Lighting is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 21 complaints (23.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Braking behavior | 5 | 23.8% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 2 | 9.5% |
| Steering behavior | 2 | 9.5% |
| Transmission and shifting | 1 | 4.8% |
| Engine operation | 1 | 4.8% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 5 |
| Electrical System | 4 |
| Engine | 2 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel | 2 |
| Seat Belts | 2 |
| Steering | 2 |
| Unknown Or Other | 2 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 2 |
Exterior Lighting: 5; Electrical System: 4; Engine: 2; Engine And Engine Cooling:Engine:Diesel: 2; Seat Belts: 2; Steering: 2; Unknown Or Other: 2; Vehicle Speed Control: 2
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 1 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 0 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 4 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 7 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 1; 25,000 to 49,999: 0; 50,000 to 74,999: 4; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 7; 150,000 and above: 1
100,000 to 149,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (7). 5 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2008 | 1 |
| 2010 | 1 |
| 2012 | 2 |
| 2013 | 2 |
| 2014 | 2 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 2 |
| 2018 | 3 |
| 2021 | 2 |
| 2022 | 1 |
| 2024 | 1 |
2008: 1; 2010: 1; 2012: 2; 2013: 2; 2014: 2; 2015: 4; 2016: 2; 2018: 3; 2021: 2; 2022: 1; 2024: 1
Pattern summary
Exterior Lighting leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 5 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 2 complaint narratives. Steering behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10455203 · 2012-04-13 (April 13, 2012)
BOTH REAR BRAKE LIGHT ASSEMBLIES HAVE FAILED. THESE FAILURES INCREASE THE LIKELIHOOD OF A REAR END COLLISION. WHEN THE LEFT ASSEMBLY FAILED IN 2011, I ATTRIBUTED IT TO BAD LUCK. WHEN THE RIGHT ASSEMBLY FAILED AT 66000 MILES IN 2012, IT OCCURRED TO ME THAT MERCEDES MAY HAVE A PROBLEM THAT DESERVES A RECALL ACTION. INSTEAD OF COSTING ABOUT $5 TO $10 FOR LIGHT BULBS THESE ASSEMBLIES COST ABOUT $300 EACH TO REPLACE AND INSTALL. $600 IS ENOUGH TO CAUSE SOME PEOPLE TO NOT REPAIR THEM AND THUS CREATE A SAFETY HAZARD. AT 65000 MILES I ALSO ENCO…
Owner-reported narrative. 55,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10455203 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10817760 · 2016-01-05 (January 5, 2016)
WATER ENTERED THE VEHICLE (RAIN) STANDING WATER IN THE SPARE TIRE AREA OF THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD WIPER QUIT WORKING. GOT ERROR MESSAGES ON THE DASH REAR HATCH OPEN, CHECKED REAR HATCH WAS CLOSED AND IT WOULD NOT OPEN EITHER MANUALLY OR USING THE REMOTE OPENER OR THE BUTTON IN THE CAR, MULTIPLE ERROR MESSAGES REAR BRAKE LIGHTS LEFT RIGHT SIDE AND TRAILER, ERROR MESSAGE SRS FAILURE, FUEL GAUGE QUIT WORKING, LOCKS NOT WORKING..... PARKED THE CAR IT WAS RAINING UNABLE TO DRIVE, THE NEXT DAY DROVE IT TO A MECHANIC WHO FOUND 1" OF STANDING WATER …
Owner-reported narrative. 127,555 miles reported. Look up ODI 10817760 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11067316 · 2018-02-06 (February 6, 2018)
MY 2008 IS HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM AS THIS 2009. MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING 16,130 MY 2009 M-CLASS W164 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL POWER LIFT GATE. AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY SEAL AROUND THE REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY, WATER MAY ENTER THE REAR COMPARTMENT CONTAINING THE SPARE TIRE. WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE CONTROL UNIT FOR THE POWER LIFT GATE CAN RESULT IN DISABLING OF THE POWER LIFT GATE MOTOR. HAZARD:WATER WILL CAUSE A SHORT CIRCUIT WHICH COULD LEAD TO A FIRE. REMEDY:DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE SEAL OF THE REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBL…
Owner-reported narrative. 107,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11067316 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11164312 · 2018-12-31 (December 31, 2018)
WHILE DRIVING THE MERCEDES ML320 AT NIGHT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY POSTED THE FOLLOWING MESSAGE "BATTERY VOLTAGE IS TOO LOW. PLEASE START THE ENGINE. OTHERWISE, COMAND WILL SHUT OFF IN 3 MINUTES." THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING AT THIS TIME AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. A SHORT TIME LATER THE HEADLIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY WENT OUT. I TURNED ON THE FLASHERS AND THEY ALSO WENT OUT IN A SHORT TIME. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AND WOULD NOT RE-START. ABOUT 15 MINUTES WENT BY AND THE VEHICLE WAS STARTED AND FULLY FUNCTIONAL. NO SIGNS OF CODES OR REDUCED…
Owner-reported narrative. 200,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11164312 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10491302 · 2013-01-07 (January 7, 2013)
2008 MERCEDES ML320. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STEERING WHEEL ISSUES. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED BEFORE THE VEHICLE REACHED 50,000 MILES, HE BEGAN TO HEAR AN UNUSUAL SOUND WHEN SHE TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONSUMER'S HUSBAND ADDED POWER STEERING FLUID, BUT THE NOISE WOULD SOON RETURN. THE CONSUMER LEARNED OF A RECALL. HOWEVER, HER VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. ACCORDING TO THE INVOICE, THE LEAK WAS COMING FROM THE POWER STEERING RACK.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10491302 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10664708 · 2014-12-16 (December 16, 2014)
AT 57,000 THE RACK AND PINION SEALS WENT OUT ON THE STEERING MAKING THE CAR EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. REAR SEAT BELTS HAD NEVER BEEN USED UNTIL 12/1/14 AT WHICH TIME I FOUND THEY WERE NOT USABLE. THEY WERE LOCKED INTO POSITION. THE SERVICE WRITER AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP SAID HE OWNED THE SAME MODEL AND HAD TO REPLACE HIS TWICE. DEALER AND FACTORY BOTH REFUSED TO REPAIR EITHER ITEM. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 57,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10664708 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10486587 · 2012-11-30 (November 30, 2012)
TRANSMISSION IS HAVING PROBLEMS ACCELERATING AND SHIFTING GEARS. WOULD "REV" UP THEN NOT SHIFT AND NOT ALLOW MY CAR TO ACCELERATE WHILE I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY, CAUSING CARS TO BACK UP BEHIND ME AND PUTTING ME IN DANGER. AT OTHER TIMES IT WILL NOT ALLOW ME TO EVEN ACCELERATE. HAVE TO CONSISTENTLY RESTART MY CAR IN DANGEROUS PLACES ON THE ROAD TO GET IT TO EVENTUALLY WORK. WENT BY BODY SHOP AND TURNS OUT TO BE A SPEED SENSOR CODE ISSUE WITH THE TRANSMISSION. NEEDS SOME FORM OF A VALVE BODY REPAIR, BUT UNSURE TO WHAT EXTENT. THIS IS ONE OF…
Owner-reported narrative. 75,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10486587 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10850680 · 2016-03-21 (March 21, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE ENGINE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE RESTARTED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED TWICE. THE SECOND TIME THE FAILURE RECURRED, THE VEHICLE DID NOT RESTART. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT THE HORN SOUNDED WITHOUT BEING PROMPTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE WHERE IT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 89,000.
Owner-reported narrative. 89,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10850680 at NHTSA ↗