FaultScore

BMW 330XI vs Mercedes Benz ML350

Both cars' complete complaint records, side by side.

Read the totals carefully. NHTSA publishes no sales figures, so the car that sold more collects more complaints regardless of quality. The rows worth weighing are the proportions — the share of complaints that involved harm, and which part dominates.

Measure BMW 330XI Mercedes Benz ML350
Complaints on file 248 603
Model years covered 2001–2006 2010–2015
Worst model year 2006 2015
Best model year 2004 2010
Crashes reported 5 60
Fires reported 12 13
Injuries reported 7 34
Deaths reported 1 0
Most complained-about part Airbags Airbags
Share of complaints involving harm 10.1% 17.7%

BMW 330XI by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 111 44.8%
Engine & Cooling 19 7.7%
Seat Belts 16 6.5%
Lights 12 4.8%
Seats 10 4.0%
Steering 9 3.6%
Tires 9 3.6%

Mercedes Benz ML350 by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA, by model year. Bar colour is the FaultScore grade: A B C D F ungraded

What breaks

Airbags 139 23.1%
Engine & Cooling 76 12.6%
Brakes 40 6.6%
Steering 23 3.8%