FaultScore

Buick Riviera vs Mercedes Benz ML320

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 Buick Riviera Mercedes Benz ML320
Complaints on file 439 1,087
Model years covered 1969–1999 1998–2009
Worst model year 1995 2000
Best model year 1996 2009
Crashes reported 30 93
Fires reported 23 39
Injuries reported 18 83
Deaths reported 5 0
Most complained-about part Engine & Cooling Brakes
Share of complaints involving harm 17.3% 19.8%

Buick Riviera by year

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

What breaks

Engine & Cooling 66 15.0%
Brakes 60 13.7%
Steering 42 9.6%
Seat Belts 38 8.7%
Airbags 22 5.0%

Mercedes Benz ML320 by year

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

What breaks