Mercedes Benz ML500
Owners filed 108 complaints across 8 model years of the Mercedes Benz ML500. The 2006 drew the most (37); the 2011 the fewest (1).
Model years8
Complaints108
Recalls6
Fires15
Deaths0
Every Mercedes Benz ML500 model year compared
Complaints per year| Year | Complaints | Relative volume | Recalls | Fires | Crashes | Most reported | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 1 | 0 | — | — | Air Bags | Routine | |
| 2008 | 0 | 1 | — | — | — | Do not drive | |
| 2007 | 9 | 2 | 5 | 1 | Seats | Do not drive | |
| 2006 | 37 | 2 | 5 | 3 | Electrical System | Do not drive | |
| 2005 | 3 | 0 | — | — | Service Brakes, Hydraulic › Foundation Components › Disc | Routine | |
| 2004 | 18 | 0 | 3 | — | Electrical System | Routine | |
| 2003 | 13 | 0 | 2 | — | Engine | Routine | |
| 2002 | 27 | 1 | — | 1 | Steering | Routine |
Which Mercedes Benz ML500 years should you avoid?
On raw complaint volume the 2006 is the weakest year on record, with 37 complaints concentrated in the electrical system. It carries 2 recalls.
Read these numbers with sales volume in mind. A model year that sold in huge numbers naturally accumulates more reports than a rare one, and older cars have had more years to fail. The stronger signal is the severity columns and whether the same component keeps coming up year after year.
Data: NHTSA complaint and recall files, September 2026. Complaints are unverified owner reports.