2002 Mercedes Benz M CLASS: complaints, problems and recalls

ONE DAY AFTER WASHING THE CAR, THE REAR BRAKE STICKS UNTIL PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND FORCE THE BRAKE TO RELEASE. IT MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE DURING THE FORCE RELEASE. THE NOISE IS SO LOUD THAT YOU MAY THINK YOU HIT SOMETHING FROM YOUR BUMPER IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. MBZ SAID THAT'S NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE RUST OVERNIGHT. THEY DID TOOK THE BRAKE APART, CLEAN AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER. THEY TOLD ME IT'S MY RESPONSIBLITY TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER I WASH TO CAR TO GET RID OF THE EXCESS WATER WITHIN THE BRAKE PADS. YESTERDAY, IT WAS A RAINLY D…

Owner-reported narrative. 3,261 miles reported. Look up ODI 10070801 at NHTSA ↗

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED TO REPORT THAT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF IN HER 2002 MERCEDES M CLASS. THERE IS A LIGHT NEXT TO THE AIRBAG THAT SAYS SRS WHICH IS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADJUSTED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT DEPLOYED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10176796 at NHTSA ↗

RECALL CAMPAIGN # 2003-040005 - MERCEDES BENZ ML 320 RECALL OF POWER STEERING CLAMP. ITEM WAS REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT DEALER IN VIRGINIA AND THE CHARGE WAS COMPLETED FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED. RECALL NOTICE CAME IN THE MAIL 3 DAYS LATER, AND INDEPENDENT DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO REFUND ANY OR ALL OF THE SERVICE COST. INFORMATION RECEIVED CLAIMS THAT MERCEDES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUND NOW. COST FOR PART AND SERVICE WAS $133.57. LOOKING FOR REFUND, WORK IS COMPLETE AND VEHICLE RUNS FINE. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 95,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10259218 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING HER 2002 MERCEDES ML 500 AT A STEADY 40 MPH IN TRAFFIC THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGED FOR NO REASON LOCKING THE BRAKES AND MAKING THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE AND UNRESPONSIVE TO DRIVER INPUT. THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED US FROM BEING HIT WAS THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND US, HAD THIS OF OCCURRED GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN HIT. OUR VEHICLE IS AT THE MERCEDES DEALER NOW AND WE ARE BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A BRAKE SWITCH THIS WILL BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH ONE CHANGED ON THE VEHICLE, IT ALSO HAS A …

Owner-reported narrative. 60,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10351389 at NHTSA ↗

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M430. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND IT SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSES DEALER. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Owner-reported narrative. 40,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10442484 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2002-02-13 (February 13, 2002)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DUNLOP SP5000 TIRES. SOME OF THESE TIRES HAVE A SEPARATION AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE IN THE AREA OF THE SIDE WALL AND TREAD.

Consequence: THIS COULD RESULT IN PREMATURE TIRE WEAR.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND IF NECESSARY REPLACE THE DUNLOP TIRES WHICH EXHIBIT THIS DEFECT WHEN VISUALLY INSPECTED. ONLY DUNLOP TIRES IN WEEK 4901 WITH TIRE CODES 4909 OR 4917 ARE INVOLVED AND WILL BE REPLACED. OWNER NOTIFICATION BY TELEPHONE BEGAN FEBUARY 27, 2002. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2002-07-26 (July 26, 2002)

CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, S7.3, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE SEAT BELT CHIMES MAY NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED AND IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.

Consequence: IF THE DRIVER BUCKLES HIS SEAT BELT PRIOR TO STARTING THE VEHICLE, THE CHIME WILL NOT SOUND AT ALL WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE VEHICLES TO ENSURE THAT THE SEAT BELT CHIME OPERATES AS REQUIRED BY THE STANDARD. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 25, 2002. OWNERS WHO DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE INSTRUCTIONS WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-201-573-0117.

Reported: 2003-03-27 (March 27, 2003)

ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.

Consequence: THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOSE CLAMP ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING COOLER. DURING CLAMP REPLACEMENT, THE POWER STEERING COOLING HOSE WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED AS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 16, 2003. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2008-09-17 (September 17, 2008)

MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 125,228 MY 1998-2004 M-CLASS VEHICLES. THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.

Consequence: THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.

Remedy: AN EARLIER RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT A FUTURE LEAKAGE OR FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE CONNECTION (PLEASE SEE 03V121). SINCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH INSPECTION TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC VEHICLES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED, ALL VEHICLES REPAIRED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 15, 2003, WILL BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Reported: 2011-03-31 (March 31, 2011)

MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2002 M-CLASS AND MODEL YEAR 2000-2003 M-CLASS AMG VEHICLES. THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, USING THE CRUISE CONTROL STALK, OR BRAKING THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO REACH A CERTAIN RATE OF DECELERATION. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS DETERMINED THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES USE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL AS EXPECTED BY THE DRIVER, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER MEANS OF DEACTIVATING CRUISE CONTROL REMAIN FULLY OPERATIVE. SPECIFICALLY, WHERE THE DRIVER PUMPS THE BRAKES RATHER THAN APPLYING CONSISTENT PEDAL FORCE, THE LEVEL OF FORCE REQUIRED MAY BE UNUSUALLY HIGH.

Consequence: DIFFICULTY OR DELAY IN DISENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN DURING OCTOBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.