2002 Mercedes Benz ML500

Defect. VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM MAY NOT MEET THE SPECIFIED STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS.

Risk. THE CONTROL ARM COULD FAIL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy. DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE LEFT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN SEPTEMBER 29, 2001. OWNERS WHO TAKE THEIR VEHICLES TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON AN AGREED UPON SERVICE DATE AND DO NOT RECEIVE THE FREE REMEDY WITHIN A REASONABLE TIME SHOULD CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

Motor vehicle accident head on and the airbags did not deploy.

There is a serious defect in the YAW rate sensors in these Mercedes ML W163's. Thank God I was driving down a secluded road and nobody was behind me, but my vehicles brakes locked up, on their own, even with my foot on the accelerator pedal, with no warning lights or warning signals. I have no error codes, and my vehicle is well maintained. There are many many people that are having the same issue with their Mercedes ML's. Some people have experienced this happening to them at freeway speeds. The YAW rate sensors are at fault, and send a signal to the ABS pump which in turn locks up the brakes without even touching the brake pedal! This is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS to everyone in the vehicle, and to ANY other vehicle in the area. People can DIE! Again.. This is a terrible defective function of a sensor that will spontaneously apply the brakes fully to lock up automatically with no persuasion from the driver. It is extremely dangerous and can cause fatal injuries. This has been researched thru many Mercedes forums including benzworld.org, mbworld.org, Mercedesforum.com, and ml w163 Facebook forum, all of which many ML owners have experienced the braking system lockup, and in some cases accidents have occurred. Another unfortunate issue in this happening, is that the brake lights do not light up when this sudden braking happens due to the YAW rate sensor malfunction. If there is a vehicle behind a Mercedes ML when this sudden braking occurs, there is NO WARNING LIGHTS, and can cause

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND THE LOW RANGE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER AND TURNED OFF THE ENGINE. ONCE RESTARTED, THE VEHICLE OPERATED NORMALLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE KEY FOB WAS UPDATED AND AN OIL CHANGE WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. WALTER'S MERCEDES-BENZ OF RIVERSIDE (3213 ADAMS ST, RIVERSIDE, CA 92504, (951) 441-6182) WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WAS NEEDED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 201,000.

HOUSE FROM POWER STEERING POMP IS LEAKING , DURING DRIVE I LOOSE POWER STEERING FLUID AND ALMOST I HIT CAT FROM ANOTHER LINE.

THIS WAS THE 3RD TIME IT HAPPENED, THIS TIME ON THE FREEWAY IN CALIFORNIA AND LASTED UNTIL THE CAR CAME TO A STOP. THE CAR WENT INTO BREAK MODE ON ITS OWN, THE CAR FISHTAILED AND CAME TO A STOP BEFORE RECOVERING. LUCKILY THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS ABLE TO STOP, I HEARD BREAKS SCREECHING, BUT NO KNOWN CRASHES. I SCARED ME TO DEATH AS THIS COULD HAVE IT COULD HAVE CAUSE A MULTI-CAR CRASH. I PULLED OFF THE FWY AND INTO A NEARBY GAS STATION AND CALLED AAA TO TOW MY VEHICLE TO THE MERCEDES REPAIR CENTER. THEY CANNOT RE-CREATE THE PROBLEM AND I WILL NOT TAKE MY CAR BACK UNTIL I AM SURE THE PROBLEM HAS BEEN FIXED. MERCEDES NEEDS TO RE-OPEN THIS CASE AND FIND OUT WHAT IS HAPPENING. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

I, 12 YEARS AGO WAS DRIVING MY ML 500 MERCEDES ON US 23 BETWEEN ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN AND SYLVANIA, IN OHIO. MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL POWER. I FORTUNATELY WAS ABLE TO SWERVE TO THE RIGHT AND THE CAR STOPPED. THIS OCCURRED TWICE. I HAVE SINCE SOLD MY CAR SEVERAL YEARS AGO. I CALLED MY DEALERSHIP IN SYLVANIA AT THE TIME, AND THEY CHECKED WITH MERCEDES, WHO RELAYED THAT IT HAS TO DO WITH THE WEIGHT OF THE KEYS ON MY KEYCHAIN. THIS SOUNDED EERILY SIMILAR TO WHAT APPARENTLY HAS OCCURRED WITH THE GM CARS BEING RECALLED. PLEASE MAKE SURE THIS ISSUE IS INVESTIGATED FURTHER SO THAT NO INJURIES THAT CAN BE PREVENTED HAPPEN . REGARDS, *TR

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING IN SMALL DRIPS WHEN PARKED. HARD TO STEER AT TIMES AND MAKES LOUD NOISE. HAVE CONCERNS THAT STEERING MAY BE AFFECTED AND CAUSE TOTAL LOSS OF STEERING. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES ML500. WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED AN OPTICAL DISTORTION ON THE REAR VIEW MIRROR WHICH AFFECTED HIS VISIBILITY OF THE VEHICLES LOCATED IN THE REAR. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING WHERE THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE REAR VIEW MIRROR HAD TO BE REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THE INTERIOR OF THE MIRROR CONTAINED LIQUID WHICH DETERIORATED OVER TIME AND CAUSED THE DISTORTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 97,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML 500. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY AN AUTHORIZED DEALER UNDER THE RECALL ASSOCIATED WITH NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 08V465000 (STEERING: HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST: HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). WHEN RECEIVING THE VEHICLE FROM THE AUTHORIZED DEALER, THE CONTACT BEGAN TO NOTICE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING ONTO THE GROUND WHEREVER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE BUT NO REMEDY WAS OFFERED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,726 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 101,000.

2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML 500. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING VEHICLE BRAKE FAILURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE BRAKES FAILED ON THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE BRAKE LINES LEAKING. *JB

WHILE DRIVING AT 70 MPH WITH CRUISE CONTROL ON ESP/BAS LIGHT CAME ON. CRUISE CONTROL FAILED TO DISENGAGE WHEN BRAKE PEDAL PUSHED TO SLOW VEHICLE, CAUSING ENGINE TO RACE FORCING VEHICLE TO SPEED UP ALMOST CRASHING INTO VEHICLE AHEAD. CRUISE CONTROL COULD ONLY BE DISENGAGED BY PUTTING TRANSMISSION INTO NEUTRAL AND DEPRESSING BRAKE. THIS IS FIRST TIME FAILURE OCCURRED. DEALER REPLACES STOP LAMP SWITCH (PART IS AVAILABLE), RECOMMENDED REPLACING BRAKE PRESSURE SENSOR AND BAS RELEASE SWITCH AT A COST TO ME OVER $1,000. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY MATTER. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT START AND AN HOUR LATER, HE WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. A LOCAL MECHANIC STATED THAT THE CRANK SHAFT SENSOR CAUSED THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AND THAT THERE ARE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 117,000.

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH FAILED. THE FAILURE OCCURS CONSTANTLY AND PREVENTS HIM FROM SHIFTING OUT OF PARK. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY ELEVEN TIMES. THE DEALER CONTINUED TO REPLACE THE STOP LIGHT SWITCH INSTEAD OF RE-ENGINEERING THE PART AND ISSUING A RECALL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT IT WAS A HUGE SAFETY HAZARD DRIVING WITHOUT BRAKE LIGHTS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 9,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 112,000. UPDATED 09/23/09. *LJ THE CONSUMER STATED IF THE PART FAILS AND THE STOP LIGHT DOES NOT WORK HE CAN'T TURN OFF THE SPEED CONTROL IF IT IS BEING USED AND THERE ARE NO BRAKE LIGHTS AND THE VEHICLE WON'T COME OUT OF PARK. IF IT FAILS WITH THE BRAKE LIGHTS ON, THE LIGHTS NEVER GO OUT. UPDATED 09/23/09*JB

MY CAR LOST ALL OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID AND I ALMOST HAD AN ACCIDENT. I LOST ALMOST ALL STEERING CONTROL. IT IS RELATED TO MERCEDES BENZ RECALL #2003-040005. I RECEIVED A LETTER ABOUT THIS RECALL AND IT SAID MY CAR HAD ALREADY BEEN FIXED. THEY SAID THAT IS WHAT THEIR RECORDS SHOW. THAT IS NOT TRUE AND NOW I ALMOST LOST MY LIFE BECAUSE OF THIS DEFECT AND I AM QUITE UPSET. MY CAR IS COMPLETELY IMMOBILE. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE SEAL IN THE POWER STEERING PUMP FAILED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO LOSE FUEL. THE REPAIR SHOP REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP AT THE COST OF $525.22. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED ACCORDING TO A RECALL FIVE YEARS PRIOR TO THIS FAILURE. TEN DAYS LATER, THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V121000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). HE CALLED THE DEALER AND STATED THAT THERE WAS AN ISSUE WITH THE POWER STEERING PUMP, IN WHICH HE PAID TO HAVE REPAIRED PRIOR TO RECEIVING THE RECALL NOTICE. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER STATED THAT NO REIMBURSEMENT WOULD BE PROVIDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 40,752.

IN MARCH OF 2003 MERCEDES INITIATED A RECALL FOR MY VEHICLE FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE POWER STEERING HOSE, THE CAR WAS TAKEN IN FOR SERVICING AND THE PROBLEM SUPPOSEDLY FIXED. ON APRIL 2ND OF 2008 I TOOK THE CAR TO MERCEDES BECAUSE IT WAS MAKING A REALLY LOUD SOUND I WAS TOLD THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS LEAKING A $665 FIX. I HAD THE WORK DONE. ON APRIL 15TH OF 2008 THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TOOK THE CAR BACK TO MERCEDES AND WAS TOLD THE POWER STEERING PUMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED A $1211 FIX. I WAS FURIOUS AT THIS POINT. IN SEPTEMBER OF 2008 THE NHTSA ISSUED A RECALL ON THE MODEL FOR A PROBLEM WITH THE CLAMP FOR THE POWER STEERING HOSE. I CONTACTED MERCEDES WHEN I BECAME AWARE OF THIS RECALL EARLIER THIS WEEK. I WAS TOLD THAT THE HOSE THAT WAS REPLACED ON MY CAR'S POWER STEERING SYSTEM IS NOT THE ONE BEING RECALLED. I DO NOT QUALIFY FOR THE RECALL BECAUSE MY CAR'S VIN NUMBER WAS NOT A PART OF THE SPECIFIC CARS THAT WERE RECALLED EVEN THOUGH IT WAS INCLUDED IN THE 2003 RECALL. I ARGUED THAT MY POWER STEERING PUMP WENT BAD BECAUSE OF MERCEDES NEGLIGENCE WITH THE HOSE ISSUE AND I HAVE GOTTEN NOWHERE WITH THEM. THE DEALER WILL NOT HELP ME AND MB USA WILL NOT HELP ME BECAUSE MY VIN IS NOT ON THAT RECALL EVEN THOUGH I AM STILL HAVING THE ISSUE AND YES MY CAR IS STILL LEAKING FLUID ALL OVER MY GARAGE. *TR

I HAVE 2002 MERCEDES ML-500 AND MY CLIMATE CONTROL DOES NOT WORKS AND BLOWING COOLED AIR ALL THE TIME EVEN WHEN I SELECTED TO FULL HOT. I DID BUY MERCEDES SHOP MANUAL AND AS I WAS READING THE SERVICE BULLETINS ISSUED BY MERCEDES MANUFACTURER I FOUND THAT THE FACTORY IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE THE A/C SYSTEM SOMETIMES DOES NOT PRODUCE HEAT OR COOLED AIR. MERCEDES CONFORMED THAT CERTAIN CONTROL UNITS PART NUMBERS HAVE LOW VOLTAGE PROBLEMS WHICH CAUSES THIS AND THE WANT THE CAR OWNER TO REPLACE THE A/C CONTROL UNIT WITH THE UPDATED PART NUMBER 163 829 57 89 AT THE CAR OWNER EXPENSE BECAUSE AS THEY SAY IT IS NOT SAFETY ISSUE? WELL CAN THAT BE WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE HEAT IN THE VERY COLD / SNOW WEATHER AS WE HAVE HERE IN BOSTON? AS FAR AS I AM CONCERN THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE WHEN IT COMES TO HEATING THE WINDSHIELD IN THE BAD WINTER STATES. PLEASE LET ME KNOW IF MY COMPLAIN MAKES CORRECT. *TR

FOUND IDENTICAL PROBLEM PER NHTSA ACTION # EA08009 DEFECT INVESTIGATION. CONSTANT LOSS OF BRAKE PRESSURE. WARNING LIGHTS INDICATED LOW BRAKE FLUID. FOUND FLUID UNDER CAR AND IN FRONT LEFT WHEEL-WELL. UPON INSPECTION, FOUND BRAKE HARD LINE FROM MASTER CYLINDER WAS CHAFFED FROM ADJACENT FUEL LINE, CAUSING SMALL PIN-HOLE LEAK IN BRAKE LINE. WHEN BRAKES WERE APPLIED, BRAKE FLUID WOULD SPRAY OUT, RESULTING IN INSUFFICIENT BRAKING PRESSURE TO HOLD VEHICLE AT STOPS. CONTACTED MERCEDES DEALERSHIP SERVICE DEPARTMENT, THEY WERE UN-AWARE OF ANY PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH THIS. ESTIMATED COST OF REPAIR WAS >$1000. ($112 FOR PART, $975 FOR 6HRS LABOR) PART NUMBER: A1634201526 PURCHASED LENGTH OF HARDLINE MYSELF AT PARTS STORE. CONSTRUCTED AND INSTALLED MY OWN REPLACEMENT PART FOR $155 INCLUDING PURCHASE OF TOOLS TO COMPLETE JOB. *TR

THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED IN SACRAMENTO CA IN AUG OF 06, AT THIS TIME WE ALSO PURCHASED AN EXTENDED 2 YEAR WARRANTY WHICH WE UNDERSTOOD TO BE EXPIRING IN AUG OF 08. THE CAR WORKED FINE WITH NO ISSUES UNTIL SEPT OF 07. I STARTED THE CAR AT 4 AM TO HEAD TO WORK AND IT MAKE A REALLY LOUD NOISE, IT GOT WORSE WHEN I TURNED THE STEERING WHEEL. I CONTACTED THE MB DEALER AND WAS TOLD TO BRING THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP. I EXPRESSED CONCERN ABOUT NOT WANTING TO DRIVE THE CAR MAKING THAT SOUND, HE ASSURED ME THAT IT WAS FINE. I BROUGHT THE CAR INTO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT JUST NEEDED POWER STEERING FLUID SO THEY WILL TOP IT OFF FOR ME AT NO CHARGE AND IT WILL BE FINE. TOOK MY CAR AND LEFT. TWO MONTHS LATER ON NOV1ST, SAME ISSUE, TOOK THE CAR IN AGAIN, WAS TOLD WE WILL JUST TOP IT OFF FOR YOU AT NO CHARGE, TOOK MY CAR AND LEFT AGAIN. ON NOV 15TH I HAD MY CAR TRANSFERRED TO ATLANTA BY MOVING TRUCK SINCE I WAS MOVING BUT DID NOT WANT TO PUT THE MILEAGE ON IT. TOOK IT TO MB FOR ITS REGULAR SERVICING 1 WEEK LATER NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND AT THAT TIME."" ON APR 5TH 08 THE NOISE CAME BACK, I TOOK THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD WE WOULD JUST TOP IT OFF FOR YOU BUT WE NOTICED THAT THERE ARE SOME LEAKS SO YOU MAY WANT TO BRING IT IN TO GET THAT CHECKED OUT. I DID THIS 2 DAYS LATER AND WAS TOLD IT WAS THE POWER STEERING HOSE AN $800 FIX THAT WAS NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. I HAD THE WORK DONE. ON APR 20TH MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, I WENT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP HAD TO PAY AGAIN FOR

WHILE DRIVING, ML500 BEGAN TO BRAKE RANDOMLY . ALSO ABS TURNED ON WHILE STOPPING AND ACCELERATING. ALSO BRAKES WERE CONSTANTLY SCREECHING. WARNING LIGHTS FOR ABS, BAS, AND WASHER FLUID. FLUID LEVEL WAS FINE. I TOLD DEALER ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS BEFORE WARRANTY HAD EXPIRED. THEY RAN A DIAGNOSTICS TEST AND FOUND NOTHING WAS WRONG. THEY ADVISED ME TO BRING THE VEHICLE IN SHOULD THE SAME EVENTS OCCUR. (THE RANDOM BREAKING BEGAN TO OCCUR AFTER WARRANTY EXPIRED). THE PROBLEM CONTINUED TO PERSIST AND WITH THE FAILURE OF ABS SYSTEM, I BROUGHT THE ML500 BACK TO THE SERVICE CENTER. AFTER TWO DAYS, I RETRIEVED THE VEHICLE AND THE COST TO REPAIR WAS $1100.00. "CONVENIENTLY" THEY FOUND THE SAME PROBLEMS I SPOKE OF BEFORE AFTER THE WARRANTY WAS UP. WE HAD NO CHOICE BUT TO PAY TO RESTORE FUNCTION TO THE VEHICLE. AFTER TAKING IT HOME WE NOTICED THAT THE THERE WAS NO SOUND IN THE VEHICLE. THE SOUND AND NAVIGATION VOICE WORKED PERFECTLY BEFORE GETTING SERVICE. AND AFTERWARDS IT DID NOT. WE CALLED THE SERVICE CENTER, AND THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK AT OUR EARLIEST CONVENIENCE, AND THEY WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. I ASSUME THAT THIS WAS A MISTAKE ON THEIR PART. WHEN I RETURNED TO RESTORE THE SOUND THEY APPROACHED ME AND TOLD ME THAT A "VOICE MODULATION UNIT" BENEATH THE DRIVER'S SEAT HAD GONE OUT, AND THAT IT WOULD COST $750.00 PARTS AND LABOR TO REPAIR. THEY TRIED TO EXPLAIN TO ME THAT THIS WAS JUST A COINCIDENCE, AND THAT THE UNIT WAS IN NO WAY RELATED OR CIRCUIT LINKED TO THE SENSORS THEY REPLACED. I