What is the worst year for a Mercedes Benz M Class?

The 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class has the worst FaultScore of any year of this model, with 12 complaints filed with NHTSA, most of them about the electrical system.

What is the best year for a Mercedes Benz M Class?

The 1999 Mercedes Benz M Class has the cleanest record of the graded years, with 28 complaints on file.

What breaks most often on a Mercedes Benz M Class?

Steering accounts for more complaints than any other part on the Mercedes Benz M Class.

Worst years for a Mercedes Benz M Class

Owners have filed 93 complaints about the Mercedes Benz M Class with NHTSA across model years 1998 to 2008. More of them are about the steering than anything else.

Avoid

2003 Mercedes Benz M Class

12 complaints — the highest FaultScore of any year, mostly electrical system.

Cleanest on record

1999 Mercedes Benz M Class

28 complaints — the lowest FaultScore of the graded years.

Every Mercedes Benz M Class year, graded

The grade compares each year against the rest of this model's own run — never against another car. Click any bar or row to open that year's report.

6 28 32 9 5 12 1

98 99 00 01 02 03 08

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

Year	Grade	Complaints	Crashes	Fires	Median miles	Most reported
2008	—	1	0	0	—	Steering
2003	D	12	1	2	24,684	Electrical System
2002	—	5	0	0	—	Engine & Cooling
2001	—	9	3	0	30,000	Electrical System
2000	C	32	1	0	75,000	Steering
1999	B	28	0	1	100,100	Steering
1998	—	6	1	0	—	Engine & Cooling

What breaks on a Mercedes Benz M Class

Across every model year on file. Follow a row for that part's complaints and the year it was worst.

Steering 19 20.4%

Worst in 2000

Engine & Cooling 11 11.8%

Worst in 1999

Electrical System 11 11.8%

Worst in 2003

Brakes 10 10.8%

Worst in 2000

Stability & Traction Control 8 8.6%

Worst in 2000

Transmission & Drivetrain 7 7.5%

Worst in 1999

Fuel & Propulsion 5 5.4%

Worst in 1999

Seat Belts 4 4.3%

Worst in 1999

Body & Structure 3 3.2%

Worst in 1998

Airbags 2 2.2%

Worst in 2002

Acceleration & Cruise Control 2 2.2%

Worst in 2000

Windows, Mirrors & Wipers 2 2.2%

Worst in 1999

Seats 2 2.2%

Worst in 2003

Equipment & Accessories 2 2.2%

Worst in 1999

Complaints filed over time

Every complaint about every Mercedes Benz M Class, by the month it reached NHTSA.

Mar 2000 peak 10 May 2012

Compare the Mercedes Benz M Class

Side by side on complaint history. Remember that raw totals track how many were sold as much as how good they were.

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