1998 Mercedes Benz ML320 complaints

DRIVERSIDE BACKSEAT FRAME WELDED SUPPORT BOLT FELL APART. (WELDED TO BACK FRAME) THIS MAKES BACK OF SEAT UNSTABLE AND UNSAFE TO SIT IN. CAR IS DRIVEN MOSTLY TO WORK AND IS WELL MAINTAINED. DEALER SAID NO ONE TO SIT THERE, IT IS UNSAFE.

SAME PROBLEM AS THE DRIVERS POSTED ON THIS FORUM IN THE PROVIDED LINKHTTP://FORUMS.MBWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/SHOWTHREAD.PHP?S=EE805591A42AA150D9DA7BBB66F73A95&THREADID=40287&HIGHLIGHT=HARMONIC. *AK

CONSUMER STATES WHILE TRAVELING NOTICED ENGINE RUNNING ROUGH,RESULTING IN STALLING.VEHICLE WAS SERVICED, TECHNICIAN INDICATED FUEL PUMP NEEDED REPLACEMENT. *AK

CONSUMER STATES VEHICLE STALLED AT HIGHWAY SPEED. VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED. DEALER STATED THAT THE ELECTRONIC COMPUTER THAT CONTROLS THE CAR WAS BAD. *AK

THE CONSUMER PULLED INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHERE BOTH LIGHTS HAD COME ON AT THE SAME TIME AND HAD BECOME UNABLE TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON, BECAUSE THE BELT CAME OFF THE ALTERNATOR, POWER STEERING, AND THE AC, WHICH MADE THE VEHICLE DIFFICULT TO STEER. *SCC *JB

AFTER BUCKLING THE SEAT BELT, THE SHOULDER HARNESS ON THE DRIVERS SIDE EXPLODED. THE HARNESS YANJED ME BACK AGAINST THE SEAT BURNING MY SHOULDER AND THE CAR FILLED WITH SMOKE. THE CAR IS A 1998 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. IF I HAD BEEN ON THE ROAD WHEN THIS HAPPENED, IT WOULD HAVE CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING?*AK

IGNITION LOCK FAILED, ENABLING KEY TO BE REMOVED FROM IGNITION WHILE IN DRIVE GEAR.*AK

THE MBUSA GENERAL MANAGER IS WRITING TO INFORM CONSUMER'S OF THE USE OF CONVENTIONAL OIL WHICH COULD RESULT IN ENGINE DAMAGE-MAY EXPERIENCE OIL SLUDGE. DEALER/MANUFACTURER WILL COVER THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE UP TO 10 YRS FROM THE DATE OF PURCHASE, LEASE, OR 150,000 MILE'S UNDER TERMS OF EXISTING WARRANTY/REIMBURSEMENT. SCC

CONSUMER STATES WHILE DRIVING THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED, INSTRUMENT PANEL WENT COMPLETELY OUT. DEALER NOTIFIED 19 TIMES PROBLEM REOCCURRED. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.

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. *AK

WHILE DRIVING VEHICLE AT 55 MPH BATTERY LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON DASHBOARD, AND SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD. DEALER WAS NOTIFIED.*AK

THE SERPENTINE BELT HAD BROKEN WHILE DRIVING AT 45MPH AND CAUSED THE ENGINE TO OVERHEAT. MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. *AK THE CONSUMER STATED THAT AFTER THE INVESTIGATION PER GARRETT ENGINEERING, THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE A CRANK SHAFT PULLEY FAILURE WHICH CAUSED THE OTHER SYSTEMS TO FAIL. THE BELTS, ALTENATOR, AND THE COOLING SYSTEMS FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE PULLEY FAILURE. THIS PART WAS SUPPOSED TO BE COVERED UNDER THE 80K WARRANTY, BUT HAS NOT BEEN HONORED. *SCC

AS TOLD BY THE MERCEDES BENZ COMPANY, THE FUEL LINE AND FUEL FILTER ON THIS PARTICUALER MODEL, ARE MUCH TOO SMALL TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUEL TO THE ENGINE WHILE DRIVING. DEALERSHIP REFUSED TO CHANGE THE LINE AND FILTER WHILE UNDER WARRANTY CLAIMING IT WOULD BE CHANGED AT THE 60,000 MILE SERVICE CHECK UP AT OWNERS EXPENSE. *JG

FRONT CRASH AT 25 MPH, PASSENGER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER AIRBAG OPENED, AND DRIVER SUFFERED CHEMICAL BURNS TO THE FACE. $ 12000.00 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK *YH

FUEL GAUGE HAS BEEN READING INCORRECTLY SINCE PURCHASE. DEALER HAS REPAIRED THE FUEL GAUGE 10 TIMES, DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM.*AK *SLC

VEHICLE HAS BEEN STALLING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS SINCE PURCHASE, DEALER HAS EXAMINED VEHICLE NUMEROUS TIMES, BUT CANNOT REMEDY THE PROBLEM.*AK *TT

VEHICLE IS EXPERIENCING CATALYTIC CONVERTERS PROBLEM. *YD

THE SEATBELT RANDOMLY EXPLODED AND THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOT ABLE TO FIGURE OUT WHY.*AK

BRAKING SYSTEM IS DEFECTIVE, SYSTEM IS NOT WORKING PROPERLY. CONSUMER HAS HAD SYSTEM REPLACED TWICE SINCE PURCHASING VEHICLE. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION. *AK

DRIVESHAFT BROKE. ASSOCIATED CABLE BROKE ACTIVATING SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR. MINOR CONTUSIONS.*AK

IGNITION KEY DID NOT WORK. HAD TO USE SPARE KEY IN ORDER TO TURN VEHICLE ON.*AK CONSUMER STATES WITHOUT WARNING, AT STARTUP, WHILE STOPPED, OR MOVING, VEHICLE WILL STALL, CONSUMER STATES IF YOU HAVE A SPARE KEY, SOMETIMES IT WILL WORK. *SLC

WHILE TRAVELING ON WET ROAD AND WITHOUT ANY INDICATION VEHICLE FISHTAILED OUT OF CONTROL, CAUSING VEHICLE TO FLIP OVER. CONSUMER STATED THAT SPEED CONTROL CAME ON. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

DRIVESHAFT BEARING BROKE WHILE DRIVING. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

FUEL TANK FILLER NECK IS DEFECTIVE. WHEN FUELING VEHICLE THERE IS FUEL SPILLAGE. DEALER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED.*AK

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.*AK

MY 1998 MLK 320 IS GOING INTO THE SHOP FOR THE TENTH TIME IN 31 MONTHS, AND THE ONLY REASON IT HASN'T BEEN IN MORE OFTEN IS I LIVE 30 MILES FROM THE DEALER. THE CAR HAS BEEN A NIGHTMARE. THE PROBLEMS ARE NUMEROUS; MANY HAVE NEVER BEEN SUCCESSFULLY REPAIRED. THE MAIN PROBLEM THAT STARTED NOT LONG AFTER I PURCHASED THE CAR (NEW) IS, WHEN I START IT THE CAR DIES. I HAVE TO REPEAT THE PROCESS AND EVENTUALLY THE CAR WILL START. THERE ARE ALSO A MYRIAD OF SMALL, CONTINUOUS PROBLEMS; WINDOWS THAT WON'T GO UP, LOCKS THAT LOCK AND UNLOCK ON THEIR OWN, PLASTIC PARTS THAT HAVE FALLEN OFF. IT HAS IS AWFUL. IT MAKES MY 95 FORD RANGER TRUCK SEEM LIKE A DREAM AUTO.

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.

VEHICLE WAS IN GARAGE AND IT CAUGHT ON FIRE. THERE WAS DAMAGE TO GARAGE. DEALER SAID FIRE WAS DUE TO DEFECT IN BATTERY. *AK THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE VOLTAGE REGULATOR/ALTERNATOR, THE FIRE DESTROYED THE VEHICLE AND DAMAGED THE DRIVEWAY AND GARAGE. *SLC

WAS DRIVING 70 MPH ON CALIFORNIA FREEWAY AND VEHICLE STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC. EMERGENCY FLASHERS FAILED TO WORK & HAD NO BRAKE LIGHTS. RADIO WAS STILL WORKING. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALER & MECHANIC INDICATED THAT RELAY SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. HAVING AN ENGINEER CHECK VEHICLE OVER FOR CAUSE OF STALLING.*AK THE DEALER CHANGED VARIETY OF SWITCHES AND THE PROBLEM WAS SOLVED. *YH

THE AIR BAG AND SAFETY RESRAINT SYSTEM DID NOT OPERATE DURING MY ACCIDENT. SEVERAL MONTHS AFTER MY ACCIDENT I RECIEVED A RECALL ON MY SEAT BELTS. THE COMPANY THAT REPAIRED MY VEHICLE TOLD ME THE AIR BAG HAD NOT BEEN CONNECTED. NO WARNINGS WERE GIVEN UNTIL AFTER THE ACCIDENT THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE AIR BAG SYSTEM.*AK

VEHICLE HAS BEEN IN THE SHOP 4 TIMES FOR SAME PROBLEM. THROTTLE DOESN'T ACTUATE PROPERLY OR SMOOTHLY. TRYING TO GO AT CERTAIN SPEEDS AND THROTTLE GIVES A RESISTANTCE TO CERTAIN SPEED. PARTS HAVE BEEN ORDERED TO REMEDEY THE PROBLEM, BUT THUS FAR IT HASN'T BEEN DONE SO.*AK

HAD TWO (2) FUEL PUMP FAILURES IN LESS THAN 3 YEARS. SUV STOPS RUNNING, GOT OFF ROAD SAFELY.*AK

WHILE DRIVING THE WINDSHIELD WILL SUDDENLY AND TOTALLY FOG IN CERTAIN TEMPERATURE AND HUMIDITY CONDITIONS. THIS HAS HAPPEND SEVERAL TIMES WHILE DRIVING A WARMED UP VEHICLE AT VARIOUS TRAFFIC SPEEDS. THE DEFROSTER IS UNABLE TO CLEAR THIS EVEN WHEN IT IS ANTICIPATED AND HAS FORCED US TO ROLL SIDE WINDOWS DOWN AND PULL TO THE ROADSIDE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. THIS APPEARS TO BE A DESIGN FLAW IN THE DEFROSTER BECAUSE IT WILL TAKE AT TIMES 10 MINUTES TO CLEAR AND IT WON'T STOP THE PROCESS ONCE IT IS STARTED EVEN WHEN RUN AT FULL FORCE.

APPARENTLY, THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM ON THE 1998 ML320 FAILS QUITE OFTEN....EVEN ON TRUCKS WITH LOW MILEAGE. *AK *JB ***** DIMSII IVOQ ENTRY POSTED AFTER 12/12/02 CUT-OVER TO ARTEMIS*****731049.

THE REAR LOWER CONTROL ARM FAILED AND TOOK TWO WEEKS TO HAVE REPAIRED. NLM

I PURCHASED A MERCEDES SPORT-UTILITY VEHICLE IN 1998 (ML320). THE DRIVER-SIDE, SIDE-VIEW MIRROR IS A "MAJOR-LEAGUE" DRIVING HAZARD. THE MIRROR DOES NOT ADJUST SUFFICIENTLY, LEAVING A HUGE BLIND SPOT. EVERY CAR I HAVE EVER OWNED ALLOWED THE MIRRORS TO BE ADJUSTED SO THAT A CAR PASSING ON THE DRIVERS SIDE COULD BE TRACKED FROM THE REAR-VIEW MIRROR, TO THE SIDE MIRROR, TO THE DRIVERS PERIPHERAL VISION. WITH THE ML320 A PASSING CAR GETS LOST IN THE TRANSITION BETWEEN THE SIDE-VIEW MIRROR AND THE DRIVER'S PERIPHERAL VISION. THE MIRROR CANNOT BE ADJUSTED FAR ENOUGH OUTWARD TO COVER THIS BLIND SPOT. THIS PROBLEM IS EXCASCERBATED BY THE POSITION OF THE WIDE ROOF-SUPPORT COLUMN. *AK

SEAT BELT LATCHING MECHANISM FAILED PRIOR TO RECALL NOTICE # 99V328 RESULTING IN SERIOUS INJURIES TO CONSUMER DURING ACCIDENT. (ATTORNEY FOR CONSUMER) *ET

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK

KEY LOCK PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START DUE TO KEY PROBLEMS, WOULD NOT START BECAUSE OF FUEL PUMP FAILURES, WOULD NOT START DUE TO GAS TANK PROBLEMS, DOOR LOCK ASSEMBLIES MOVE UP AND DOWN BY THEMSELVES, LATCH ON HATCH DOOR RATTLED, REAR SEAT BELTS RATTLE, OIL OUT LIGHT CAME ON AT RANDOM TIMES, ENGINE CHECK LIGHT ON, LAST THE FLY-BY WIRE GAS PEDAL WENT TO THE FLOOR WITH SUDDEN ACCELERATION CAUSING AN ACCIDENT OF THE VEHICLE WITH $14,000 DAMAGE. *AK

IN TEMPERATURES BELOW 20 DEGREES THE WINDSHIELD WASHER FLUID FREEZES UP, EVEN WITH DE-ICER ADDITIVE ADDED TO THE SYSTEM. WHEN DIRT IS KICKED UP FROM A PRECEDING AUTOMOBILE, YOU CANNOT CLEAN OFF THE WINDOWS, THIS LEADS TO IMPOSSIBLE VISIBILITY. PULLING OFF THE ROAD EVERY 5 MINUTES TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM IS NOT ALWAYS EASY TO DO. I'M 5FT. AND ITS ALSO HARD TO REACH THE WINDOW TO CLEAN IT OFF. SEVERAL CALLS WERE PLACED FOR ASSISTANCE, BUT I WAS TOLD THAT THE NOZZLES ARE NOT HEATED AND NOT PROTECTED TO KEEP THE COMPONENT PARTS FROM FREEZING. I ALMOST HIT A PEDESTRIAN SINCE IT WAS HARD TO SEE THROUGH THE WINDOW. DRIVING LIKE THIS ALL WINTER WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE. *AK

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE IN THE REAR UNDER THE WHEEL WELL, CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

BRAKE FAILURE,CAUSING AN ACCIDENT.(ATTORNEY FOR CLIENT) YH

TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT FROM LOW. ONLY HAPPENS IF VEHICLE IS PLACED IN GEAR & HAS NOT STOP. TRANSMISSION WOULD LOCK INTO 1ST GEAR OR 2ND GEAR. PROBLEM NOT FIXED IF VEHICLE IS SHUT DOWN. *AK

WHILE DRIVING BRAKES MALFUNCTIONED, VEHICLE LOST CONTROL, RESULTING IN A CRASH. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK

ALARM SYSTEM, ALARM CONTROL COMPUTER.

WHEEL LUG NUTS RUST; REAR SEAT CONTROL LEVER BREAKS; GAS GAUGE DOESN'T WORK CORRECTLY.

MIRROR AND FRAME HIDE TRAFFIC, CREATING A BLIND SPOT ON THE RIGHT SIDE.

ALARM/LOCK SYSTEM REMOTE.

CHECK ENGINE SENSOR.

FUEL PUMP.