2003 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Complaint Log

STEERING IS MAKING A WHEEZING NOISE AND IT FEELS HARD TO STEER COMPARED TO OTHER VEHICLES. ENGINE FELLS LIKE STALLING AFTER HITTING BRAKES; ENGINE IS SHAKING ON THE DRIVE MODE WHEN YOU ARE NOT MOVING AND ON BRAKE MODE; MORE THAN 10 TIMES, WILL TAKE TO THE DEALERSHIP SOON. *NM

DRIVER SIDE HEATED SEAT BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT CAUSING A BURN HOLE IN THE SEAT . DAMAGED DRIVERS PANTS AND WALLET. DEALER TO REPAIR/REPLACE SEAT IN MID JULY

I OWN A 2003 MERCEDES ML320, WHILE I WAS DRIVING W/THE HEATED SEATS ON I STARTED TO NOTICE A BURNING ODOR. THE ODOR GOT STRONGER & IT SMELT LIKE BURNING PLASTIC. I NOTICED MY REAR WAS STARTING TO GET A TAD TOO WARM SO I PUT MY HAND DOWN ON THE SEAT & ALMOST BURN MY HAND. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE SEAT WARMER & CALLED MERCEDES THE FOLLOWING MORNING TO ARRANGE FOR SERVICE. WHEN I ARRIVED AT MERCEDES THE MANAGER INFORMED ME THAT THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST INCIDENT & THAT A GENTLEMENS SUIT HAD BEEN REPLACED B/C IT BURNT THROUGH HIS CLOTHING. I ASKED WHY MERCEDES HAD NOT PUT OUT A RECALL & HE INFORMED ME THAT IT WAS CHEAPER TO JUST REPLACE THE ONE'S WITH PROBLEMS. MY SEATS WHERE REPLACED FREE OF CHARGE & THE OLD ONE'S DISCARDED BY MERCEDES.

- NO PRECURSORS OR APPARENT DAMAGE - DRIVERS SEAT HEATER FAILED RESULTING IN STRONG BURNING SMELL, AND SUPERFICIAL BURN TO LEFT UPPER LEG OF DRIVER

2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML500 ABS LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE DASHBOARD AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER NOTIFIED THE CONSUMER THAT THE BRAKES AND TIRES NEEDED TO BE CHANGED.*MR *NM

THE DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT OVERHEAT BURNING A HOLE THROUGH THE SEAT AND BURNED THE DRIVER. *JB *BF *NM

DRIVER'S SEAT HEATER SHORTED OUT WHILE VEHICLE WAS BEING DRIVEN. THE EVENT OCURRED SO QUICKLY AND WAS SO SEVERE THAT IT BURNED THROUGH THE LEATHER SEAT UPHOLSTERY AND A VERY HEAVY PAIR OF DENIM JEANS I WAS WEARING ALMOST IMEDIATELY AND UNEXPECTEDLY. THE CONSEQUENCES ARE PRETTY MUCH OBVIOUS AND COULD RANGE FROM SEVERE BURNS, TO THE VEHICLE BURNING TO CAUSING A SERIOUS ACCIDENT BECAUSE OF THE SPONTANEOUS HAPPENING. NO RESPONSE FROM MERCEDES BENZ TO DATE.*AK

WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S HEATED SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. MANUFACTURER OFFERED TO REPLACE THE VEHICLE WITH A NEWER MODEL.*AK

WHEN FILLING THE VEHICLE WITH FUEL, THE FUEL GAUGE DOES NOT GIVE A PROPER READING. MANUFACTURER SERVICED THE VEHICLE 6-7 TIMES, BUT COULDN'T FIND THE CAUSE OF THE PROBLEM. *AK

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

2003 ML 320 ROLLS BACK IN DRIVE. *TR

ON THE HIGHWAY DRIVING 65 MY 2003 ML500 MERCEDES - BENZ COMPUTER SHUT DOWN AFTER HITTING A SMALL BUMP. IT WAS VERY DANGEROUS AND WAS SCARED FOR MY LIFE THERE ENGINE TURNED OFF AND WAS LUCKILY ABLE TO STOP AT THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND START THE CAR AGAIN. THIS HAPPENED A COUPLE OF WEEKS BEFORE BUT IT STOPED FOR JUST A SECOND OR TWO. THIS ISN;T AN LD CAR WITH ABOUT 25K MILES ON IT. FOR A 55 THOUSAND DOLLARS CAR TO DO THAT IS UNACCEPTABLE.*AK

THE TRANSMISSION OF THE SUV "JAMMED" WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY, AND MY WIFE WHO WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE ALMOST GOT INTO A ACCIDENT. THE SUV WAS PREVIOUSLY MAKING SUDDEN JUMPS WHILE AUTOMATICALLY SHIFTING THE GEARS. THE PROBLEM WAS REPORTED TO THE DEALER, BUT DEALER DID NOT DIAGNOSE THE TRANSMISSION PROBLEM CORRECTLY. NOW THE VEHICLE IS WITH THE DEALER AND THE SERVICE MANAGER TELLS ME THAT THERE WAS METAL DEBRIS IN THE TRASMISSION WHICH, ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER, COULD BE DUE TO FAILURE OF THE CLUTCH.

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE HEATED SEATS CAUSED SECOND DEGREE BURNS TO THE DRIVER'S BOTTOM. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE'S SEAT. THIS PROBLEM ALSO CAUSE SOME REDNESS TO ANOTHER DRIVER'S BOTTOM. *NM AFTER VISITING DOCTOR FOR TREATMENT OF BURNS, TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER THE SAME WEEK. WAS INFORMED BY THREE DIFFERENT MECHANIC'S PROBLEM COULD NOT BE FOUND OR RESOLVED. "PICTURES ENCLOSED" THE VEHICLE SEATS WERE HEATED.

HELLO, I HAVE RECENTLY PURCHASED A BRAND NEW MERCEDES ML500 TRUCK FROM MILLENNIUM IN BRIDGEWATER, NJ 908-685-0800. THE PROBLEM I HAVE IS THAT ONE OF THE HEADLIGHTS IS DEFECTIVE AND HAS CONDENSATION BUILD IN IT ALL THE TIMES. WHILE THE DEALER SYMPTHISES WITH ME, THE DEALER REFUSES TO REPLACE IT BECAUSE MERCEDES WOULD NOT PAY FOR IT. MERCEDES SAYS IT IS NOT A PROBLEM. HOW CAN IT NOT BE A PROBLEM WHEN AT NIGHT IS PRESENTS A SAFTY PROBLEM AS IT IS LIKE DRIVING WITH ONE HEAD LIGHT ON, AND THE GLASS ON HEADLIGHT IS COVERED WITH CONDENSATION. SECONDLY, I HAVE YET TO SEE ANOTHER CAR WITH CONDENSATION BUILD IN THE HEADLIGHTS. IT IS A BRAND NEW SUV. *AK

AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THAT WHEN THAT LIGHT WERE ON THE AIR BAG DID NOT WORK. THE SENSOR WASA REPLACED. HOWEVER, THE PROBLEM RECURRED.*AK

I PURCHASED A NEW 2003 ML 350 DURING THE MEMORIAL DAY SALE FROM OUR LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER IN IOWA CITY, IA. THE SUV SHUTS OFF AUTOMATICALLY. INITIALLY, THE DEALER REPLACED THE BATTERY. THE SUV HAS BEEN INTO THE DEALER THREE ADDITIONAL TIMES FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. EACH TIME, THE DAY AFTER I RECEIVED THE ML350 BACK, THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN. TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHERE THE SUV WOULD NOT START IN MY GARAGE (WHICH PRESENTED NO HAZARD). TWO INCIDENTS OCCURRED WHERE I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE. THIS IS AN EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD - PARTICULARLY IF YOU TRAVELING AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THE DATE LISTED BELOW IS THE MOST RECENT INCIDENT. *LA

I WAS PULLING INTO A PARKING SPACE (WITH MY 3 SMALL CHILDREN STRAPPED IN THE BACK), WHEN I REALIZED THAT THE CAR WAS NOT STOPPING. I PRESSED THE BRAKE HARDER, THE CAR ACCELERATED, JUMPED THE CEMENT MEDIAN, AND HIT A PARKED CAR. THANK GOD NO ONE WAS INJURED. I AM SICK THINKING WHAT COULD OF HAPPENED. THE CAR IS 6 MONTHS OLD AND HAS BEEN BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP TWICE FOR A PROBLEM I BELIEVE WAS THE BEGINNING OF THIS, I.E., WHEN I WOULD STEP ON THE BRAKE IT WOULD GO TO STALL, BUCK FORWARD AND THEN BE OK. THE DEALERSHIP WAS UNABLE TO FIND IT OR DUPLICATE IT. I HAVE SEEN WHERE OTHER PEOPLE ARE HAVING THIS SAME PROBLEM. ALSO FOR 2003 THE MODEL IS ML 350 - MERCEDES. AGAIN THEY HAVE NOT FOUND A PROBLEM. THEY SENT THE MANUFACTURER OUT TO CHECK THE CAR AND NOTHING. I HAVE A POLICE REPORT THAT STATES THE RESPONDING POLICE OFFICER AND TOW TRUCK DRIVER CONCUR THAT THE BRAKES WERE DOWN TO THE FLOOR BOARD AND NOT ENGAGING.*JB

THE HEATED PASSENGER SEAT OVER HEATED AND BURNED A HOLE ON THE FAR RIGHT EDGE OF THE LEATHER CAPTAIN SEAT.*JB

2003 MERCEDES ML 350 SEAT CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS WHEN THE CONSUMER TURNED ON THE HEAT SEATING DEVICE THAT IS WHEN THE SEATS CAUGHT ON FIRE. *JB

CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER FOR THE LAST 6 WEEKS REGARDING RECALL REMEDY 03V121000, BUT DEALER CONTINUALLY ASKED CONSUMER TO CALL BACK AND NEVER GAVE VALID REASON OF WHY COULD NOT PERFORM RECALL REPAIRS. DEALER HAS YET TO SET UP AN APPOINTMENT OR EVEN STATE WHETHER PARTS WERE AVAILABLE OR BEEN ORDERED.*AK