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U.S. public vehicle records

2000 Mercedes Benz ML320: complaints, problems and recalls

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

166 owner complaints analyzed

0 distinct recall campaigns

79,000 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2000 model year. Data snapshot: . 107 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Steering is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 166 complaints (11.4%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
TopicMatching reportsShare of complaints
Steering behavior4527.1%
Braking behavior4225.3%
Engine operation1810.8%
Fuel system concerns127.2%
Electrical and battery issues116.6%
Transmission and shifting74.2%

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.

Steering
19
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections
18
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)
15
Service Brakes
15
Air Bags
11
Electrical System
11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic
11
Power Train:Automatic Transmission
10
Component breakdown data
CategoryCount
Steering19
Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections18
Electronic Stability Control (Esc)15
Service Brakes15
Air Bags11
Electrical System11
Service Brakes, Hydraulic11
Power Train:Automatic Transmission10

Steering: 19; Steering:Hydraulic Power Assist:Hose, Piping, And Connections: 18; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 15; Service Brakes: 15; Air Bags: 11; Electrical System: 11; Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 11; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 10

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000
9
25,000 to 49,999
20
50,000 to 74,999
22
75,000 to 99,999
17
100,000 to 149,999
20
150,000 and above
19
Reported problems by failure mileage data
CategoryCount
Under 25,0009
25,000 to 49,99920
50,000 to 74,99922
75,000 to 99,99917
100,000 to 149,99920
150,000 and above19

Under 25,000: 9; 25,000 to 49,999: 20; 50,000 to 74,999: 22; 75,000 to 99,999: 17; 100,000 to 149,999: 20; 150,000 and above: 19

50,000 to 74,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (22). 59 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.

2000
11
2001
5
2002
13
2003
33
2004
10
2005
11
2006
13
2007
2
2008
9
2009
5
2010
12
2011
8
2012
5
2013
8
2015
6
2016
3
2017
1
2018
3
2019
2
2020
4
2023
2
Complaints over time data
CategoryCount
200011
20015
200213
200333
200410
200511
200613
20072
20089
20095
201012
20118
20125
20138
20156
20163
20171
20183
20192
20204
20232

2000: 11; 2001: 5; 2002: 13; 2003: 33; 2004: 10; 2005: 11; 2006: 13; 2007: 2; 2008: 9; 2009: 5; 2010: 12; 2011: 8; 2012: 5; 2013: 8; 2015: 6; 2016: 3; 2017: 1; 2018: 3; 2019: 2; 2020: 4; 2023: 2

Pattern summary

Steering leads the component reports. Steering behavior appears in 45 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 42 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 18 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.

Examples from the source records

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10000458 · 2003-01-01 (January 1, 2003)

CAR WOULD CRANK BUT WOULD NOT START. BROUGHT TO DEALER THEY CHANGED THE FUEL PUMP, FUEL LINES, FUEL FILTER, AND CLEANED FUEL INJECTORS. PICKED UP CAR, WORKED FINE FOR A COUPLE OF DAYS THEN SAME PROBLEM HAPPEND AGAIN. CALLED DEALER FOR A TOW. BECAUSE AT THE TIME I WAS TO DRIVE TO DEALER THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT MAKING CAR INOPERABLE. DEALER SAID THE CLAMP THAT CONNECTS TO THE POWER STEERING HOSE CAME LOOSE CAUSING THE POWER STEERING FLUID TO LEAK OUT. THAT PROBLEM SEEMS TO BE FIXED. MY DEALER ADDRESSED MY ORIGINAL PROBLEM BY THINKING THAT MY…

Owner-reported narrative. 45,552 miles reported. Look up ODI 10000458 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10002339 · 2003-01-08 (January 8, 2003)

WHILE DRIVING POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED OUT, RESULTING IN TOTAL LOSS OF POWER STEERING. DEALER CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. TS

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10002339 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10004857 · 2003-01-28 (January 28, 2003)

POWER STEERING FAILURE. THE FLUID WAS GUSHING OUT. DEALER REPAIRED WITH NEW POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE AND CLAMP. TS

Owner-reported narrative. 22,039 miles reported. Look up ODI 10004857 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10005271 · 2003-02-04 (February 4, 2003)

I OWN A 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML 320. WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ON FEBRUARY 1, 2003, THE ENGINE QUIT TWICE WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE LOST ALL ELECTRICAL POWER AND STEERING AND BRAKING CONTROL. THE FIRST FAILURE HAPPENED AS SHE ACCELERATED FROM A STOP AT AN INTERSECTION. THE SECOND FAILURE OCCURRED SHORTLY THEREAFTER WHILE DRIVING DOWN A STREET. SHE HAD TO RUN INTO THE CURB TO STOP THE VEHICLE. I HAVE TALKED TO ANOTHER OWNER OF A ML 320 THAT EXPERIENCED AN ENGINE SHUTDOWN WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. I HAVE …

Owner-reported narrative. 51,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10005271 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007686 · 2003-02-17 (February 17, 2003)

I OWN A 2000 MERCEDES ML320. THE CAR RECENTLY SHUT DOWN WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS, THE CAR IS CURRENTLY AT THE DEALER. THERE WAS NO POWER. ONCE YOU STOP THE CAR, PLACE IT IN PARK, IT WILL RE-START.

Owner-reported narrative. 50,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007686 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10007971 · 2003-02-22 (February 22, 2003)

LOSS OF POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING. VEHICLE NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO MANEUVER AT SLOWER SPEEDS. CAUSE: HOSE CAME OFF POWER STEERING SYSTEM AND FLUID WAS LOST.

Owner-reported narrative. 27,175 miles reported. Look up ODI 10007971 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008034 · 2003-02-24 (February 24, 2003)

3 POWER STEERING HOSE CLAMPS LOOSE ON 2000 MERCEDES ML320 WITH ~45,000 MILES. ONE ON LOWER RADIATOR REQUIRED 3 FULL TURNS TO TIGHTEN. HAD THIS HOSE COME OFF POWER STEERING FLUID WOULD HAVE LEAKED OUT AND CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN VERY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL.

Owner-reported narrative. 45,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008034 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10008383 · 2003-03-04 (March 4, 2003)

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAS LEAKED CAUSING SUDDEN LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. FIRST TIME (FEB 2002) THE DEALER TERMED IT AS FAULT OF "CLAMP" AND NOW THE SECOND TIME (MARCH 2003) THE DEALER IS TERMING IT AS PROBLEM WITH "POWER FLUID HOSE" FIRST TIME THE INCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN FATAL AS HAPPENED WHILE CAR IN MOTION AT 60 MILES / HOUR ON FREEWAY. LUCKILY BEING SUNDAY MORNING THERE WAS LOW TRAFFIC AND MANAGED TO PULL IT TO SIDE. SECOND TIME COULD HAVE CAUSED SIGNIFICANT PROPERTY DAMAGES AS CAR WAS BEING PULLED OUT…

Owner-reported narrative. 32,950 miles reported. Look up ODI 10008383 at NHTSA ↗

Recall history

0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.

No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.