Heated Seat was warming up too much, had to be replaced twice.
Driver's window wouldn't roll up, new motor.
Fuel Pump failed, was replaced.
Sunroof insulation got loose and sunroof wouldn't work right.
Power Steering hose fell off so there was no power steering.
Engine Coolant hose fell off.
CD Changer stopped working, new CD Changer.
Catalytic Converter had a hole in it, needed to be replaced.
Front Brakes already needed to be replaced after 30K, and Rear Brakes need replacing soon.
Tires are very worn, need replacing.
Fluid leaking during cold weather, dealer can't figure out what's leaking.
Can't think of any others, but I think there were some more.
The vehicle has a very nice ride and is very comfortable, but definitely not worth the money that was paid for it.
My last vehicle had no problems for the 5 years that I owned it for.
I will never consider to buy another Mercedes in my life. I always thought that a Mercedes would be reliable and last me a very long time, but after almost 3 years I want to get rid of it very bad.
Ditto, ditto, ditto ditto, could not of had said it better, pretty much the same problems. Factory people Arrogant, could not care less. Would like to form a group for a Class action suit. Just for the attitude they take, let alone the quality. They know they built a BUM (Big Ugly Monster), but won't admit it JG77777@msn.com.
Replaced fuel guage 4 times, power steering hoses, rear compartment lights, numerous attempts to fix rattles failed. This car is a failure.
My ML500 had to have brake pads and rotors replaced at 35000
miles at a cost of $1200 using MB Parts at Precision Tune.
MB service center wanted $1800. Never again will I trust MB
to deliver a decent vehicle!I am a 46year Benz customer.
I purchased a 2002 ML 500 about a 1 1/2 year ago. The car online has 21000 miles on it and now the brakes ALREADY wore out badly. I can hear the loud noise when the brake hit the rotor. I called the dealer this morning and 4 pads cost $300 (just for parts, no labor). If I remember correcty, under normal driving the pads should last you approximately, 40,000 miles. Terrible terrible.
A quick word to those so soon to say never to mercedes benz. I work for an unnamed car corp. normally I handle concerns exactly as those address in the above comments. I realize that your particular vehicle has exhibited some serious issues, I'm not discounting that, but it might behoove you to do a little research into exaclty what goes into making a vehicle. allow me to explain. out of the several hundred thousand cell phone produced by company A, only a hundred will be faulty. however, when that same company designs a new cell phone, and produces the same amount of phones, a thousand will be faulty. the same concept applies to cars. I realize that your one vehicle has in your opinion been a lemon. but coming from someone who s owned several mercedes benz vehicles in my life time (and yes, one was an ML) I ask that you reconsider your hasty words, and take another look at a company that truly inspires loyalty.
Below is a list of just SOME of the problems off the top of my head I had or (have) with my 2000 ML320. I would be glad to get in on any class-action suit. I'm not the suing type, and am never quick to cry "lawsuit" in ANY event or situation... but I MUST say, this is one time where it is 100% warranted and Chrylser needs to pay for their abundant negligence with this cheaply put-together lemon made in Alabama with cheap labor and poor-quality Mexican and Chinese parts. This is NOT your father's Mercedes! German engineering, design and construction is undoubtedly the finest in the world with just about any type of product. So ONCE was the Great Mercedes-Benz! However, since Chrysler acquired Mercedes, reliability, solid construction, consumer safety, responsibility and accountability no longer exist in the company building Mercedes cars. They care more about profit margins than quality, In order to save money and increase profits they now purchase cheap parts and build inferior products. Worse of all Corporate just continues to insult our intelligence by not taking responsibility and admitting ANY wrong-doing! The ML320 is a perfect case in point. Good luck everyone!
'00 ML320 problems
• Cracked Catalytic Converter broke/replaced
• Brakes replaced 5 times before 59k
• Rotors needed replacing at 30K
• Leather Trim on elbow rest warped and came off, needed replacement
• Interior cloth trim around windshield warping and coming off on both sides
• Plastic trim in dash (defrost vent) popped off for no apparent reason
• Windshield Washer reservoir leaked needed replacement
• Power steering hose broke twice-(hose-clamp) leaving me stranded both times (only RECALL so far)
• Sunroof wind deflector arms broke off making it impossible to drive with SR open as a loud ear baffling noise occurs
• Glove compartment latch broke off opening glove box
• Ignition key broke in half in ignition while trying to start car
• ESP/BAS (brake assist) light coming on for no apparent reason
• Oil light constantly coming on even shortly after oil changes
• Driver side electronic window switch gone bad 3 times
• Heated seats get way too hot to the point of burning the skin.
• Transmission hesitates then engages abruptly-had checked 3 times, say nothings wrong
• Rubber seals around shifter gone bad
• Air conditioning fan voltage regulator needed replacement
* Air conditioner not cooling properly
• Radio volume turns up and down without touching knob for no apparent reason
• CD changer often gets changer errors
• Currently have strange pitter-patter noise coming from engine after 1st B-service
• Get many "start errors" when starting up car, it turns off immediately with "start error" warning light
• Starter problems with gas not getting to engine... couldn't start car 3 out of 4 times. Left stranded many a time
There were more problems than even this. I would have to check my repair paperwork to list EVERY problem!
email: info@danakamide.com
I agree that the quality of new Benzes has declined over the past decade, in fact a car dealer once told me that the only car manufacturer which could guarantee decently long-lasting bodywork was BMW (and new Citroens and Peugeots).
Mercedes-Benz began a cost-cutting programme (I think) in the mid 1990s. Under the previous system engineers designed a new car and presented it to the accountants to be priced. Now, the accountants say 'this car should cost £X'000, go and design it.' This accounts for the drop in quality of the recent Mercs.
Re. the Chrysler issues the facts are the other way round. Mercedes Benz bought Chrysler (thinly disguised as a merger) and to my knowledge the US company has been rather a weight round the German's necks, rather like the Rover and BMW debacle.
I am a United Kingdom owner of a ML320, which I bought new in September 2000. Due to the adverse comments I had heard about the build quality of the first ML's made in Alabama, I waited until I could get one built in Europe (Austria I believe). The ride, comfort, space and 'drive-ability' is very good, which you ought to expect for a 4x4 vehicle that cost £37,000 new in the UK. That's about US$65,000. However the mechanical & repair problems I have experienced put me off ever buying another one.
In fact given the long list of faults that I have now read affect this model, I suppose I should almost feel lucky... except I don't. For your info the car has now done 45k miles, and here are my experiences with it.
Brake pads having to be changed at less than 10K miles. It is a heavy car, and I realise that such wear is very much dependant on individual driving style, but if it is a heavy vehicle then it should have pads to cope with the extra weight in the first place. Now on to fourth set of pads, and probably have to replace brake disks at next pad change.
All 4 tyres originally supplied from new needed changing at 24,000 miles.
Lumpy running traced to faulty high tension lead. £16 for replacement lead, £220 just to diagnose this as the problem in the MB dealership!
Second period of lumpy running, occurred and again it was another faulty high tension lead. This time I just about avoided another diagnosis charge, having told MB that I thought it could be the same problem, but it did not stop them attempting to charge me a second diagnosis fee!
Biggest shock came in March 2005 at just 39,000 miles, when I was told I had a hairline crack in both catalytic converters. Estimate to repair was around £3200! MB refused/would not weld the cracks, but were quite happy to try and flog me two new cats, and 4 new lamda units. They subsequently offered to reduce this by 25%, but quite frankly this was still remained an enormous potential charge regardless. Anyway, I discovered with a bit of research how COMMON this cat problem is on the ML's. No doubt MB is more than aware of the high failure rates of their ML cats, but were not prepared to correct at a more reasonable charge.
To cut this saga short, after a lot of looking I was lucky enough to find an independant garage that does stainless steel welding and they fixed them both for the princely sum of just £90!. Amazing.
Currently in Nov 05, I have discovered the power steering to be giving a loud 'groaning' sound when turning the steering wheel, and this is the case when stationary or moving. A brief inspection by myself shows evidence of an oil leak from what I presume is a component of the power steering. My past experience has taught me to go nowhere near a MB dealership to get this fixed!
Fuel consumption is obviously compromised in a heavy 4x4, however I would have hoped to have better than 16 miles per gallon that I have measured over 1000 miles of urban driving which is invariably in quite free flowing traffic, rather than stop start.
In summary I echo many of the negative sentiments I have read regarding the reliability of this car, so much so when I get to replace the ML it will almost certainly mean going Japanese with a 4x4 Lexus. We used to have a Toyota RAV4, and it did not need a single repair in 5 years.
We have had our 2000 ML320 and have not seen anything remotely similar to these outlandish comments.
Just normal maintenance and service.
I think this model attracted a lot of non-Mercedes customers with this popular model. Some of which are not accustomed to the stern maintenance requirements these vehicles demand.
Either that or these comments are from some very jealous competitors!
I bought my ml 320, 2001 and it keeps cutting out even during normal driving. if the cars engine is warm it will give problems before starting.
By the way when it when it cuts an error message comes on the dashboard. took it to mercedes benz centre they didn't appear at all concerned or bothered. I don't feel safe in this car anymore the way it cuts out may result in a serious accident.
I am surprised with all the above problems I have read and just to add on, I have had to replace the brack pads all round just recently and the from tyres need change this car is due for an mot and I worry if it will pass. not nice.uk.
I can't believe all the things that have gone wrong with my ml320 Air pump $1200 some kind of valve $120 the next day another valve $120.Then went to get the brakes done cost me another $1000 (we had to fix something when we were doing the brakes).For such a good car it feels like its not worth time and effort to keep fixing it.
I call my 2000 ML320 the X-mas car. Every month a new light comes on. I think Mercedes makes more money in repair than they do in sales. I have had enough after 3 years. I have a large stack of blue repair sheets. My 2000 Honda Civic EX has never lets me down. When I go to that cheap little car I know I am going where I need to go. The ML is very nice looking and gets an A+ for comfort, however not reliable at all. I think I am going for an All wheel drive Lexus. No more Mercedes for me. It's not just the cost, it's about having a good car. A car that spends more time on the road than in the shop. I know a guy with a 2003 E500. He has had 1 problem after the next. My dad had a 380SL. That was the hot car of its day, however it spent more time sitting and waiting for repair than on the road. He gave it away free to a mechanic. People that like to waste time and money should own a Mercedes. I told my mom to get a 1998 E320, she got a 1998 Lexus GS300. I am glad she did not listen to me now.
We are busy with other daily challenges; car is the least thing that we want to be worried about so we pay big $$ for a M-B, even used.
I used to lease an E320, the automatic temperature control went out with no A/C in the hot summer with only 30K miles; I thought that was an isolated case.
Then I bought a ML 320 (year 2000) model from a M-B Dealer in '05, for its "reputation". The car had its problems from the start, like the pooping noise from sunroof, malfunctioning CD changer, leaked sound dampening fluid on the side window, and long brake travel. These are poor design problems that I could live with. It was that cracking debacle of the catalytic converter really drove me mad since the cracking incident took place on a steep slope on our family trip to Yosemite. The SUV sounded like it was going to roll off the cliff any minute... Guess how would you trust your entire family to this piece of crap!
Bought a ML320 in 2000 and have been surprised about how many problems we have had with the vehicle given the reputation of Mercedes as a well made vehicle. Brakes need replacing often, trouble lights come on often, power windows broke, latest problem was with recalled Catalytic Converter (both cracked) that our dealer cannot get in stock. We found a great local mechanic specializing in German vehicles who thinks he can get the parts now, since the dealer has had them on backorder for two months. We would be reluctant to purchase another product from Mercedes given the service issues and weak dealer network in our area of the Western US.
I have a 2000 ML320 with 46K on it. I have had a couple of CO2 sensors go bad, but that's about it. The vehicle has been very cost effective. When I bought it I searched the web forums and had the dealer fix the following issues at no charge (power steering hose, fuel filter, fan wiring harness, harmonic balancer, and catalytic converter). Even with oil changes (as per the on board computer) I have only spent $800 on it in the past 6 years. After reading the many negative posts in this forum I consider myself very lucky or at least that my proactive efforts to obtain no charge dealer fixes were well worth the occasional persistence on my part. Then again my positive experience may be attributed to the low mileage I put on each year.