2006 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Powertrain & Transmission Problems

My car was included in the balance right shaft recall as 2nd owner I was just made aware as a result my check engine light came on. It was also learned that the car was included in faulty “balance shaft”. I should be included because my car has same diagnosis as defective equipment

i encountered a major issue with the Mercedes ML350, while doing a 3 point turn in a busy suburban Toronto street.The electronic shift module left me stuck in Road way. Causing traffic back up and could not move vehicle.neither forward or reverse.tried pushing and different tactics to move vehicle off road. Had to call CAA-AAA. It was a caos situation,first tow truck could not load vehicle,all wheels were locked in drive and would not shift. Had to wait for special tow Have all four wheels lifted off onto dolly. Tow truck driver said it is a common problem.with MB,BMW and Audi.Vehicles towed to dealer sat at dealer. parts on back order and Not available for repair.Since was in Toronto away from Home. Had to source original equipment supplier to purchase part.Dealer and factory Mercedes could Not source part.back ordered.The dealer agreed to install the factory OEM part they could not source. My concern to all owners including myself in line traffic a basic traffic maneuver stuck in blocking traffic. Cannot moving vehicle jammed in gear that controlled by a shift module.no safe limp mode or emergency shift to neutral to move vehicle safely.

Brakes feel spongy,, when letting off accelerate feels as if transmission has a brake applied

PULLING OUT INTO LANE OF TRAFFIC ACCELERATING WHERE CAR ABRUPTLY STARTS TO RUN VERY VERY ROUGH. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS COME ON AND CAN BECOME UNSAFE WITH NO POWER AND ONCOMING TRAFFIC APPROACHING. SIMILARLY WHILE DRIVING OVER 60MPH SAME SCENARIO CAUSING CEL TO COME ON AND CAR TO DISENGAGE CRUISE AND SLOW EXTREMELY FAST. VERY ROUGH RUNNING AND IDLE. TERRIBLE FEELING OF BEING UNSAFE AND AT RISK. FINDING P0016 AND P0017 CODES AND ALL SYMPTOMS OF BALANCE SHAFT ISSUE THAT THE MB M272 IS KNOWN FOR. MY WIFE AND I ARE AFRAID TO DRIVE THIS VEHICLE NOW KNOWING IT HAD A KNOWN DEFECTIVE ENGINE COMPONENT IN A SOFTWARE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, A GRINDING NOISE WAS DETECTED FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF STEVENS CREEK (4500 STEVENS CREEK BLVD, SAN JOSE, CA 95129, (408) 641-4610) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 130,000.

WHILE DRIVING AT MOST ANY SPEED,TRANSMISSION PERIODICALLY GOES INTO NO GEAR OR A SINGLE GEAR (LOW OR A HIGHER GEAR) AND 'LIMP MODE' WITHOUT WARNING....SOMETIMES A "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT. VERY SCARY ESPECIALLY IN TRAFFIC ON THE FREEWAY. BOUGHT THE VEHICLE EARLIER THIS YEAR WITH 60,000 MILES ON IT...I AM 72 AND WIFE IS 71...SHE IS AFRAID TO DRIVE IT BECAUSE OF THE UNCERTAINTY OF THE DRIVE TRAIN. I FINALLY TOOK IT TO MERCEDES BENZ AS THE WOULD NOT SELL MY MY INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THE PARTS TO REPAIR PROBLEM. MERCEDES SAYS THAT I NEED TO HAVE THE 722.9 TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY REPLACED AT $3,000 PERIOD. I HAVE READ OF A MYRIAD OF SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH OTHER OWNERS OF CARS WITH THIS TYPE OF TRANSMISSION....EVEN CLASS ACTION SUITS. I BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS CONDITION THAT MUST BE RESOLVED AND REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER. I EVEN CALLED MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH AMERICA AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVE SAID HE KNEW OF NO PROBLEMS WITH THIS MODEL OF TRANSMISSION. I ALSO READ THAT THEY ARE NOT CHANGING ANY PARTS....JUST REPROGRAMMING THE TRANSMISSION TO NOT GO INTO LIMP MODE AND NOT ACTIVATING THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT.....HOW CAN I INSURE THAT MY VEHICLE WILL BE REPAIRED CORRECTLY AND BE SAFE TO DRIVE?

2006 ML350 WITH ONLY 112,000 MILES ON IT THE VEHICLE, WENT INTO LIMP MODE WHILE ENTERING A MAJOR INTERSTATE HIGHWAY NEARLY CAUSING A TERRIFYING ACCIDENT. MB USA RESTRICTS THE REPAIR OF THIS "MFG DEFECT" AND IT MUST BE REPAIRED AT AN MB DEALERSHIP ONLY, TYPICALLY AT A COST OVER $2,000. THE PROBLEM WILL NOT GO AWAY UNLESS REPAIRED. I MADE MB USA AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND THEY DENIED THAT ANY ISSUE EXISTS. I AM AWARE THOUGH, OF A CLASS-ACTION LAWSUIT OVER THE DEFECT IN THE 722-9-7GTRONIC-AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION. THE LIMP MODE PREVENTS THE TRANSMISSION FROM UPSHIFTING OR DOWNSHIFTING. WHILE AT A STOP SIGN, IF THE TRANSMISSION GOES INTO LIMP MODE, THE ENGINE WILL RACE BUT THE CAR WILL NOT MOVE. I HAVE TO TURN THE CAR OFF, TAKE THE KEY OUT OF IGNITION, PUT BACK IN, AND START CAR. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO ME MANY TIMES IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WITH OTHER CARS BLOWING THEIR HORN AT ME. THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO OTHER THAN SHUT THE CAR OFF AND RESTART, THEN PUTTING IN GEAR. THIS IS HAPPENING TYPICALLY ABOUT 2-4 TIMES A DAY. THE PROBLEM TYPICALLY HAPPENS WHILE THE CAR IS DRIVING, BUT NOT NOTICED UNTIL I SLOW DOWN AND ULTIMATELY COME TO A STOP (WITH EXPERIENCE I NOW AM AWARE THAT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT DOWNSHIFTING AND I KNOW THAT IT IS IN LIMP MODE, AND IF I HAVE TO STOP, I WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GET THE CAR TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT HAVING TO TURN THE ENGINE OFF AND RESTARTING THE CAR). AS I MENTIONED BEFORE, THIS STARTED HAPPENING ONLY OCCASIONALLY, BUT IS NOW HAPPENING 3-4 TIMES A DAY WHILE DRIVING AROUND TOWN.

MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST POWER IN THE HIGHWAY, AND DIDN'T WANT TO ACCELERATE,CAUSING CAR TO HIGH RPM REV,GOING INTO LIMP MODE AND NOT ACCELERATE, ALMOST CAUSING MY FAMILY AND TO HAVE A SERIOUS ACCIDENT.VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED BY A SHOP WHICH STATED MY SPEED SENSOR CONDUCTOR PLATE IS DEFECTIVE...UPON DOING RESEARCH, I HAVE NOTICED THAT THIS IS COMMON DANGEROUS ISSUE ON THE 06 MERCEDES ML MODELS..MERCEDES EVEN HAS A CLASS ACTION SUITE AGAINST THEM DUE TO THIS ISSUE..

THERE IS A SYSTEMIC PROBLEM WITH THE MERCEDES BENZ 7G TRONIC 722.9 TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE'S TRANSMISSION TO, WITHOUT NOTICE, FAIL TO SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR WHICH CREATES A SERIOUS SAFETY HAZARD WHILE DRIVING INCLUDING ENTERING THE FREEWAY AND ATTEMPTING TO MERGE INTO TRAFFIC. THE ISSUE IS WELL DOCUMENTED ON A NUMBER OF WEBSITE ON THE INTERNET WHICH INCLUDES SUPPORT GROUPS INCLUDING ONE ADVOCATING AND SOLICITING A CLASS ACTION SUIT IN THE STATE OF CA. THE NHTSA NEEDS TO LOOK INTO THIS MANUFACTURER'S DEFECT SO AS TO PREVENT SERIOUS INJURY INCLUDING THE LOSS OF LIFE. MB USA IS VERY MUCH AWARE OF THE ISSUE WHICH REQUIRES THE REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE (TCM). ADDING INSULT TO INJURY, MB RESTRICTS THE SALE OF THE TCM SO THAT THE REPAIR CAN ONLY BE MADE AT AN AUTHORIZED MB DEALERSHIP ADDING TO THE CONSUMER'S COST TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE ESTIMATE REPAIR COST IS $1,500 AT THE DEALERSHIP. COST ESTIMATES OUTSIDE OF THE DEALERSHIP, IF THE ITEM WAS ABLE TO BE PURCHASED, IS LESS THAN HALF THAT. I WAS NEARLY REAR ENDED BY A TRACTOR TRAILER WHILE ENTERING I-91 IN CT JUST LAST WEEK WHEN THE VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY WENT INTO WHAT MB CALLS "LIMP MODE" WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AND THE VEHICLE SPEED IS RESTRICTED TO 30 MPH IMMEDIATELY. THIS NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCE WAS QUITE ALARMING. I CONTACTED MB USA AND THEY DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE THAT THE PROBLEM WAS AT ALL DUE TO DEFECTIVE MANUFACTURING. AS AN INDIVIDUAL CONSUMER WE HAVE NO RIGHTS IN THIS MATTER TO ELIMINATE THIS MANUFACTURERS SAFETY DEFECT WHILE MB RESTRICTS AND MONOPOLIZES THE REPAIR OF A PROBLEM THAT THEY CREATED. THE FAILURE OF THIS PART CAN HAPPEN AT ANY TIME REGARDLESS OF VEHICLE MILES. *TR

CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND GOT BOTH CODES P0016 AND P0017. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, THIS SEEMS TO BE A KNOWN DEFECT BY MERCEDES BENZ FOR THE BALANCER SHAFT WORN SPROCKET ISSUE. THIS IS AN EXPENSIVE REPAIR, ALMOST THE COST OF THE VEHICLE! MBUSA PICKS AND CHOOSES WHO THEY WILL HELP? WOW, WISH I NEVER GOT THIS CAR!

THE VEHICLE IS GETTING STUCK IN 7 GEAR ON THE FREEWAY AND NOT DOWN-SHIFTING TO ALLOW PASSING. EVEN WHEN COMING TO A STOP, THE CAR WILL REMAIN IN 7TH GEAR. THIS IS A DANGEROUS CONDITION BECAUSE THE CONSUMER DOES NOT KNOW THE CAR IS NOT SHIFTING CORRECTLY. MERCEDES IS AWARE OF VALVEBODY AND CONDUCTOR PLATE ISSUES WITH THESE CARS. *TR

WARNING MESSAGE DISPLAYED THAT SAID TAKE TO WORKSHOP BEFORE PUTTING IN GEAR. VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIP OUT OF PARK. TRIED SEVERAL TIMES, FINALLY TURNED IGNITION OFF , TRIED AGAIN AND VEHICLE WENT INTO DRIVE. THIS SAME INCIDENT HAPPENED AGAIN ON NOVEMBER 26, 2014. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE SOLENOID SENSOR AND THE CAM SHAFT FUSES NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED; HOWEVER, THE SERVICE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE BALANCE SHAFT GEAR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. A MONTH AFTER THE REPAIRS, THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 65 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CONDUCTOR PLATE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 57,000. ...UPDATED 02/11/15 *BF THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE BALANCE SHIFT GEAR ALSO NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. UPDATED 02/19/15

VEHICLE WAS MAKING A ROARING NOISE, REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS GONE AND HAD TO BE REPLACED. FRONT DIFFERENTIAL IS ALSO BAD AND WILL HAVE TO BE REPLACED IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *TR

SPORADICALLY, WHILE DRIVING ALONG ON LOCAL ROADS OR THE HIGHWAY, THE CAR'S TRANSMISSION DOES NOT SWITCH HIGHER THAN THIRD GEAR. THE PROBLEM OCCURS ABOUT ONCE A MONTH. UPON ENGINE RESTART, VEHICLE DRIVES PROPERLY. MY PEDAL SHIFTERS DO NOT WORK WHEN THIS PROBLEM OCCURS; I CAN TRY TO SHIFT GEARS WITH THE PEDAL SHIFTERS, AND THE SOFTWARE INDICATES A CHANGE FROM 3RD TO 4TH GEAR, BUT THE ACTUAL TRANSMISSION DOES NOT CHANGE GEARS. IT REMAINS STUCK IN THIRD GEAR WHETHER I SPEED UP OR SLOW DOWN. IF I PLACE THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TRY TO REVERSE, THERE IS NO POWER TO THE VEHICLE UNTIL I RESTART THE CAR. THIS SEEMS TO BE OCCURRING WITH MORE AND MORE FREQUENCY. I HAVE A SAFETY CONCERN THAT I HAVE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD AND RESTART MY CAR WHENEVER THIS OCCURS. THIS SEEMS TO BE PROBLEMATIC FOR SEVERAL OWNERS ON THE NHTSA SITE AND ONLINE. *JB

MY 2006 ML350 (AUTOMATIC) HAS A TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WHERE SHIFTING DOWN CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD. ALL GEAR SHIFTS (UP OR DOWN) ARE HARD AND CAN BE FELT BY THE OCCUPANTS IN THE CAR IN THE FORM OF A JERKY MOTION. SCOURING THE INTERNET FOR THIS ISSUE SHOWS THAT THIS IS A WIDELY REPORTED PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS WHO OFFERED TO REPLACE THE TRANSMISSION FOR $7500. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE ISSUE, THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD NOT KNOW UNTIL THEY TAKE THE TRANSMISSION APART AND WOULD END UP COSTING ROUGHLY THE SAME AS REPLACING THE TRANSMISSION. THE DOWN SHIFTING PRESENTS A DANGER WHEN MAKING SUDDEN STOPS DUE TO UNFORESEEN TRAFFIC CHANGES IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AS BRAKING HARD CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO DOWN SHIFT QUICKLY WHICH CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO LUNGE FORWARD.

COATING FORMATION ON GEAR SELECTOR ACTUATOR MOTOR. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER PARKED IN A RESIDENTIAL DRIVEWAY WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING AND EXITED THE VEHICLE FOR THIRTY SECONDS. AFTER ATTEMPTING TO RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY LUNGED FORWARD, DRAGGING THE DRIVER AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO STOP THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER NOTICED THAT THE GEAR SHIFTER HAD ABNORMALLY SHIFTED OUT OF PARK. BEFORE THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO FULLY ENTER THE VEHICLE, THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A RESIDENTIAL GATE. THE DRIVER SUSTAINED MINOR ABRASIONS TO THE HEAD BUT DID NOT SEEK ANY MEDICAL TREATMENT. THE POLICE WERE CONTACTED THE FOLLOWING DAY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND OFFERED NO ASSISTANCE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 42,689.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A WINING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE NOISE HAPPENED AT LOW AND HIGH SPEEDS AS WELL AS WHEN MAKING A TURN. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THAT THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 73,000.

2006 MERCEDES ML350 75K NO WARNING LIGHT OR CHECK ENGINE LIGHT/UNABLE TO DRIVE,VEHICLE RUNNING. DRIVE GEARS NOT MOVING OR REVERSE NOT WORKING/TOWED TO MERCEDES DEALER/SERVICE ADVISORY NEED REPLACE COMPLETE TRANSMISSION WILL COST 6.5K TO REPLACE TRANSMISSION. AFTER RESEARCH. MERCEDES U.S.A HAVE A CLASS ACTION COMPLAINT. DEFECTIVE IDLE GEARS/THESE DEFECTIVE GEARS WEAR OUT PREMATURELY,EXCESSIVELY, AND WITHOUT WARNING,CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO MALFUNCTION, THE "CHECK ENGINE LIGHT" TO REMAIN ILLUMINATED, AND THE VEHICLE TO MISFIRE AND /OR STORE DRIVING. MERCEDES ACTUAL KNOWLEDGE AND INTENTIONAL CONCEALMENT OF THE DEFECT DUE TO COMPANY REPUTATION DON'T WANT THE PUBLIC TO KNOW AND MAY HURT THE COMPANY IMAGE. I WAS SHOCK AFTER WHAT I WAS EXPLAINED BY MERCEDES ADVISORY NOT TAKING ANY RESPONSIBLE FOR DEFECTED GEARS AND WANTED TO CHARGE ME. VERY BAD EXPERIENCE WITH MERCEDES. *TR