30 of the
603 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz ML350
are about the transmission —
5% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2011.
30
Complaints
5%
Share of all complaints
6
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350. While the contact’s wife was driving approximately 30 - 35 MPH, the message "Do Not Drive Vehicle" was suddenly displayed. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, and the brake fluid reservoir was topped off. The mechanic was unable to find any leaks. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The message turned off and was displayed again 4 hours later. The contact was called by his wife, and the vehicle was driven to the residence after the brake fluid reservoir was refilled. The contact stated that a half mile later, the message was displayed again. The vehicle was driven to the residence and parked. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that there was no recall associated with the VIN related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
NHTSA complaint #11749928 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated while driving 20-25 MPH, the transmission shifted from second to third gear and was slipping. The contact stated that the transmission had previously been replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that there was water intrusion into the transmission and determined that the transmission coolant line, radiator, transmission, and transmission cooler needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired and remained at the dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 136,000.
NHTSA complaint #11582358 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated while reversing, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and determined that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11543484 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Blind spot assists and turn signals go out without warning. This model should have been included in the previous recall for timing. Having the same issues as other recalled cars.
NHTSA complaint #11540845 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
HELLO, REF: ML350 CAMSHAFT SOLENOID LEAK! I AM SEEKING OUT FOR YOUR HELP WRT TO A SITUATION WITH 2012 ML350. ENCLOSED HEREWITH IS AN INSPECTION REPORT FROM A RECENT SERVICE VISIT REQUIRING CLOSE OF $8K IN REPAIRS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. ENGINE HARNESS (OIL LLED HARNESS AND VARIOUS COMPONENTS HAVE OIL IN THEM, ALL COMPONENTS WITH OIL SHOULD BE REPLACED, QUICK INSP FOUND A FEW COMPONENTS BUT THERE MAY BE MORE THAT NEED TO BE REPLACED) AFTER REVIEWING THE INSPECTION REPORT, I DID SOME RESEARCH AND CAME ACROSS CAMPAIGN NO. 2012070002, SEPTEMBER 2012 (COPY ENCLOSED FOR YOUR REFERENCE), WHEREIN MERCEDES HAD IDENTIFIED IT AS A PART OF RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGN AND AGREES TO COVER THE COST AND LABOR DAMAGES TO ANY DOWNSTREAM COMPONENTS DUE TO THE CAMSHAFT SOLENOID LEAK. THIS SERVICE CAMPAIGN HAS BEEN INITIATED BECAUSE DAIMLER AG (DAG), THE MANUFACTURER OF MERCEDES- BENZ VEHICLES, HAS DETERMINED THAT DUE TO THE SETTLING PROPERTIES OF THE SEAL, OIL MAY LEAK FROM THE CAMSHAFT ADJUSTMENT SOLENOID. DEALERS WILL RETROFIT FOUR ADAPTER HARNESSES ONTO THE ENGINE WIRING HARNESS AS A PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE AT THE NEXT WORKSHOP VISIT. PLEASE NOTE THAT RECALL AND SERVICE CAMPAIGNS DO NOT EXPIRE AND MAY ALSO BE PERFORMED ON A VEHICLE WITH A VEHICLE STATUS INDICATOR. APPROXIMATELY 557,108 VEHICLES ARE AFFECTED PLEASE REVIEW AND LET ME KNOW IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. MERCEDES IS NOT OWNING THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR REPAIR. APPRECIATE YOUR HELP IN THIS REGARD.
NHTSA complaint #11414943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT VEHICLE SUDDENLY SURGED FORWARD PLOWING INTO VEHICLE IN FRONT CAUSING FOUR CAR COLLISION. VEHICLE ON TWO PRIOR OCCASIONS, HAD SURGED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THIS OCCURRED ON A CITY STREET IN VOHESS, NJ. THE CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.
NHTSA complaint #11407897 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING ON A LEVEL ROAD SURFACE AND MAKING A TURN, THE VEHICLE MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO STATED THAT THE DRIVESHAFT FAILED. THE MECHANIC ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TAKE THE VEHICLE TO A DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V900000 (POWER TRAIN). THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 74,000.
NHTSA complaint #11244284 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
VEHICLE HAS 129,000 MILES. WHEN TRYING TO ACCELERATE FROM A STOP, MOSTLY NOTICEABLE WHEN FUEL IS LOWER IN THE TANK AND/OR ON AN INCLINE, RPM DROPS TO ZERO, NO AMOUNT OF PRESSURE ON GAS PEDAL DOES ANYTHING UNTIL THE ENGINE SPEED PICKS UP, USUALLY WITH A JERK FORWARD. MAKES GOING ONTO A BUSY STREET VERY UNSAFE. HAVE READ IT MAY BE SOFTWARE RELATED.
NHTSA complaint #11217365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
THIS CAR'S TRANSMISSION WENT OUT AT 70,000 MILES (2015), WHICH IS WAY TOO EARLY. DRIVING WHEN THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO ACT UP WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND POTENTIALLY AS IT LOST POWER COULD HAVE CAUSED COLLISION. I REPLACED TRANSMISSION FOR $14,000 AND THEN THE TRANSMISSION WENT OUT FOR A SECOND TIME (2019). CAUSING THE SAME SAFETY CONCERNS AS IT LOST POWER. THIS TIME I WAS NOT STUPID ENOUGH TO FIX IT AND WILL NOT BE BUYING A MERCEDES EVER AGAIN.
NHTSA complaint #11196639 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE ENGINE JERKED AND THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. ALSO, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE ENGINE AND WAS ABLE TO REGAIN ACCELERATION. ON ONE OCCASION, WHILE EXITING TRAFFIC AT 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST ACCELERATION. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS SHUT OFF AND RESTARTED, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO REGAIN ACCELERATION AND DROVE TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS "SLEEPING". THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 60,000.
NHTSA complaint #11194871 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN CAR COMES TO A STOP, AND THE DRIVER PUSHES THE BUTTON TO PUT THE CAR IN "PARK", THE CAR DOES NOT GO INTO PARK, BUT STAYS IN "DRIVE" OR "REVERSE". DRIVER LEAVES CAR, AND BECAUSE DRIVER IS UNAWARE THAT THE VEHICLE REMAINS IN "DRIVE", AND DID NOT SWITCH TO "PARK", THE CAR CAN BEGIN TO IDLE FORWARD WHILE DRIVER LEAVES OR HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE, OR IDLES IN REVERSE, AS DRIVER LEAVES OR HAS LEFT THE VEHICLE, AS THE "PARK" POSITION IS NOT ACTIVATED. THIS CAN BE QUITE DANGEROUS TO THE DRIVER, OR TO PASSENGERS OR PEDESTRIANS. AT TIMES, THE CAR DOES GO INTO "PARK", BUT AT OTHER TIMES, IT DOES NOT, IT STAYS IN "DRIVE" OR "REVERSE", MISINFORMING THE DRIVER. THIS IS AN UNSAFE SITUATION.
NHTSA complaint #11184031 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED. IN ADDITION, THE SRS AND ABS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED, AND THE SIDE VIEW AND BLIND SIDE INDICATORS WERE INOPERABLE. THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO ENGAGE IN THE PARK POSITION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A FRIEND'S RESIDENCE. THE LOCAL DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, BUT NO ASSISTANCE WAS PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 95,000. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
NHTSA complaint #11102382 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE VEHICLE STALLED. AT THE TIME OF THE FAILURE, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED TO THE FLOORBOARD, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO RESPOND. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS EVENTUALLY TOWED TO THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER (JAMES MOTOR COMPANY (2440 RICHMOND RD, LEXINGTON, KY 40502, (859) 268-1150). THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000.
NHTSA complaint #11023516 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
IN MAY 2017, WHILE DRIVING, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. ACCELERATION WAS EXTREMELY REDUCED IN A VERY DANGEROUS WAY. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER. DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS AN OIL LEAK THAT HAS BEEN LEAKING ON THE WIRING HARNESS, WHICH CAUSED WIRING/ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FOR ENTIRE VEHICLE TO COMPLETELY FAIL. ESTIMATED REPAIR IS $13,500. THE VEHICLE HAS 34K MILES, AND THE ORIGINAL FACTORY WARRANTY EXPIRED IN LATE FEBRUARY 2017. HAD ROUTINE OIL CHANGE AT DEALER IN FEBRUARY, NO OIL LEAK DETECTED. DEALER SERVICE TECH WAS VERY FAMILIAR WITH THIS ISSUE AND HAS SEEN TEN OR SO OF THEM. UNPROTECTED WIRING HARNESS SEEMS TO BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT. SEVERAL MONTHS PRIOR TO WARRANTY EXPIRATION, REPORTED SMALL ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS TO MB DEALER, BUT DEALER WAS UNABLE TO REPLICATE/DETERMINE CAUSE. ALL SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE COMPLETED AT MB DEALER PER MB SCHEDULE. CONTACTED MBUSA TO REQUEST A GOODWILL REPAIR CREDIT GIVEN THE NATURE OF THE REPAIR, THE HISTORY OF THE VEHICLE, HISTORY WITH MB, ETC. AND SINCE THIS DEFECT LIKELY PREDATED WARRANTY EXPIRATION. MBUSA CUSTOMER CARE CENTER WAS INDIFFERENT. PARTS ALONE ARE $8,000. MBUSA OFFERED TO CONTRIBUTE ONLY 10%.
NHTSA complaint #10991521 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN REVERSE AND THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A WALL AND THE REAR WINDOW BROKE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED UP TO 19 MPH IN REVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE THEN SWITCHED GEARS INTO DRIVE INDEPENDENTLY, LUNGED FORWARD, AND CRASHED INTO THE GARAGE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE FRONT AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE CONTACT WAS NOT OFFERED AN EXPLANATION FOR THE INDEPENDENT ACCELERATION. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 19,300. UPDATED 01/31/17*LJ THE CONSUMER STATED THERE WAS DAMAGED TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE AS WELL. UPDATED 03/06/17.
NHTSA complaint #10934032 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE PARKING THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKE PEDAL DEPRESSED AND THE GEAR SHIFTER IN THE REVERSE POSITION, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED BACKWARDS ON ITS OWN. THE FAILURE RECURRED MULTIPLE TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #10918462 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
FROM THE DAY ONE, DURING THE FIRST 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING, MY NEW 2012 MB ML350 VIBRATES AND MAKE GRINDING NOISE JUST IN BETWEEN 40 TO 45 MILES PER HOUR STEADY DRIVING. AFTER ABOUT 30 MINUTES OF DRIVING, THE VIBRATION AND THE NOISE ARE NOT NOTICEABLE. MB AND THE DEALER WERE TRYING TO FIX THE PROBLEM BUT FAILED TO RESOLVED THE PROBLEM. NOW, THEY HAVE CONCLUDED THAT THE VIBRATION IS NORMAL AND IS CHARACTERISTIC OF THE CAR. ANY PROBLEMS MB CAN'T SOLVE IS NORMAL!! WHAT KIND OF CAR IS IT THAT VIBRATES FOR FIRST 25 MINUTES OF DRIVING AT CERTAIN SPEED IS NORMAL!!
NHTSA complaint #10838764 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
WHEN THE VEHICLE'S PARKING MECHANISM IS ENGAGED, THE VEHICLE ROLLS SEVERAL FEET BEFORE COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP; THEREBY ENDANGERING ANYONE IN, NEAR, OR AROUND THE VEHICLE AT THAT TIME FROM GETTING RUN OVER OR, SERIOUSLY INJURED BY THE MOVING VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10837160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.