19 of the 200 complaints about the 1998 Mercedes Benz ML320 are about the braking system — 10% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 78,560 miles.
19
Complaints
2
Crashes
1
Fires
2
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
SERVICE BRAKES
SUDDENLY I COULD NOT GAIN OR GET ANY MORE SPEED. I WAS JUST COASTING ALONG, I THEN ARRIVED AT MY DESTINATION AND GOT OUT AND SMELLED BURNING SMELL FROM FRONT WHEELS. I COULD NOT GET OUT OF THE GEAR I WAS IN.
NHTSA complaint #10616862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
MESSAGE DISPLAY INDICATES LEFT BRAKE LIGHT NOT WORKING. REPLACED BULB AND MESSAGE DISAPPEARED FOR ONE DAY AND THEN REAPPEARED. REMOVED BULB AND BULB WAS OK. WENT ONLINE AND FOUND WHERE MERCEDES HAD A BRAKE LIGHT REPAIR KIT FOR THIS PROBLEM BUT I WAS NOT NOTIFIED. I CALLED THE DEALER AND THIS REPAIR KIT IS NOT UNDER WARRANTY OR RECALL. I CONTACTED A LOCAL EUROPEAN CAR REPAIR SHOP WHO HAD THE REPAIR KIT IN STOCK GOING BACK TO 2010 MERCEDES HAS KNOWN ABOUT THIS PROBLEM BUT NEVER NOTIFIED ME OR FIXED THE PROBLEM WHEN I BROUGHT MY CAR IN FOR NORMAL SERVICE. VERY DISAPPOINTED IN MERCEDES.
NHTSA complaint #10615645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES
THE BRAKING SYSTEM FAILED AND WORKED AGAIN AFTER SOME PUMPING AND COASTING TO AVOID COLLISION. THE CAR THEN CAUGHT ON FIRE.
NHTSA complaint #10474364 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:HOSES, LINES/PIPING, AND FITTINGS
WHILE APPLYING BRAKES AT 25 MPH THE BRAKE PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR AND THE VEHICLE CONTINUED ON THROUGH AN INTERSECTION CONTROLLED BY A STOP SIGN. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE THROUGH THE INTERSECTION WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A STOP. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A REPAIR SHOP AND TO A DEALER, WHO INFORMED CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKE LINE LEADING TO THE REAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED DUE TO CORROSION.
NHTSA complaint #10117013 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY CAR ROLLED OVER ON KLONDIKE HIGHWAY IN YUKON, CANADA. IT HAPPENED WHEN DRIVEN ON DOWN SLOPE LOOSE GRAVEL. THE ROAD CONDITION WAS NOT GOOD ON THAT HIGHWAY. WHEN THE CAR TRAVEL FROM THE PAVED ROAD CONDITION TO LOOSE GRAVEL, IT SLIPPED IN THE BEGINNING THEN LOST CONTROL AND ROLLOVER. I COULD NOT STOP THE CAR BY STEPPING HARD ON THE BRAKE. MY WIFE GOT A BROKEN SHOULDER WHEN IT ROLLED OVER. I GOT SOME CUT AND SCRATCHES ON MY RIGHT HAND. THE CAR WAS UPSIDE DOWN FINALLY. I DON'T THINK THE ABS AND ETS KICKED IN AT THAT MOMENT. ALTHOUGH DRIVER'S SIDE AIR BAG WENT OFF, MY WIFE WAS NOT THAT LUCKY BECAUSE HER SIDE AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY FROM HER DOOR TO PROTECT HER SO HER RIGHT SHOULDER BROKEN. I TOLD MBUSI ABOUT THE UN- DEPLOYED SIDE AIRBAG AFTER MY CAR ROLLING OVER. SHE ASKED FOR MY BEING PATIENT. TWO MONTHS HAVE PAST SINCE THEN, SHE DID NOT EVEN GIVE ME A WORD. I READ FROM NEWSPAPER KNOWING THAT GM RECALLED THOUSANDS OF CAR WHEN SHE FOUND THE SAME PROBLEM BEFORE ANYONE GET INJURED. I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHY MB PUT THIS FATAL PROBLEM OFF? SO WHAT'S WRONG WITH ML320 AND THE CUSTOMER SERVICE OF MERCEDES BENZ.
NHTSA complaint #767047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS HAD SYSTEM REPLACED TWICE SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #8000573 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
WHILE TRAVELING 30-40MPH, COULD SMELL BRAKES BURNING. WOULD HAVE BURNING BRAKES EVERY 12,000 MILES. PADS AND ROTORS WOULD NEED TO BE CHANGED. HAS BEEN THROUGH 5 SETS OF BRAKES ALREADY.
NHTSA complaint #882134 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
MY MERCEDES TRUCK HAS BURNED THROUGH 4 OR 5 SETS OF BRAKE PADS IN THE FRONT AND TWO SETS FOR THE REAR WITHIN 63300 MILES OF DRIVING, OUR DRIVING IS MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, WHICH I ALREADY DID. MY DEALER TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM WITH THE ML 320 AND ML 430 TRUCKS, THEY ARE HEAVY VEHICLES AND THE COMPONENTS OF THE BRAKE PADS ARE SOFT AND SO ARE THE BRAKE ROTORS. IT IS THE DESIGN OF THESE COMPONENTS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A HIGH BURNING RATE OF THESE BRAKES. THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY THE DEALER AS WELL AS ANOTHER MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER.
NHTSA complaint #740843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
MY MERCEDES TRUCK HAS BURNED THROUGH 4 OR 5 SETS OF BRAKE PADS IN THE FRONT AND TWO SETS FOR THE REAR WITHIN 63300 MILES OF DRIVING, OUR DRIVING IS MOSTLY ON THE FREEWAY. I CALLED MERCEDES BENZ THEY TOLD ME TO TAKE IT TO THE DEALER, WHICH I ALREADY DID. MY DEALER TELLS ME THAT THIS IS A UNIVERSAL PROBLEM WITH THE ML 320 AND ML 430 TRUCKS, THEY ARE HEAVY VEHICLES AND THE COMPONENTS OF THE BRAKE PADS ARE SOFT AND SO ARE THE BRAKE ROTORS. IT IS THE DESIGN OF THESE COMPONENTS AND THE WEIGHT OF THE VEHICLE THAT CONTRIBUTES TO A HIGH BURNING RATE OF THESE BRAKES. THIS WAS TOLD TO ME BY THE DEALER AS WELL AS ANOTHER MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER.
NHTSA complaint #740843 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE FAILURE,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) YH
NHTSA complaint #549474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE FAILURE,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) YH
NHTSA complaint #549474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKE FAILURE,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) YH
NHTSA complaint #549474 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
WHILE DRIVING BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.
NHTSA complaint #849375 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS
BRAKES SQUEAKING. YH
NHTSA complaint #606328 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:ROTOR
BRAKE ROTORS FAILED.
NHTSA complaint #606183 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC
FRONT DISC BRAKES FAILED. MJS
NHTSA complaint #606212 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI LOCK BRAKE LOCKED UP ON RIGHT SIDE OF CAR CAUSING IT TO SPIN OUT OF CONTROL RESULTING IN VEHICLE COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #607576 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
POOR FITTING DOORS, CAUSING EXCESSIVE WIND NOISE.AUTOMATIC WINDOWS FAILED/SQUEAKING ABS BRAKES/NOISY WINDSHIELD WIPER MOTOR.
NHTSA complaint #540637 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP
ANTI LOCK BRAKES FAILED RESULTING IN A COLLISION.
NHTSA complaint #535318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.