There are 5 owner-reported powertrain & transmission complaints for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML-Classin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
VEHICLE IN MOTION ON FREEWAY, LOST POWER AND SEVERAL CARS RAN OFF THE ROAD TO AVOID MY VEHICLE AS IT SUDDENLY LOST POWER AND SLOWED DOWN WITHOUT WARNING. VEHICLE SAT AND COULD NOT BE DRIVEN FASTER THEN 25 MILES AS IT WAS STUCK IN LIMP MODE (UNABLE TO GET OUT OF FIRST GEAR). A CODE DISPLAYED SHOWING THE TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE HAD FAILED. AN INTERNET SEARCH FOUND THOUSANDS OF OTHER PEOPLE HAVE HAD THE SAME PROBLEM AND THE TCM ON MERCEDES ARE KNOWN TO ALL GO FAULTY AFTER WARRANTY HAS EXPIRED. MBENZ IS EXTORTING MONEY OUT OF PEOPLE FOR A PRODUCT THAT CLEARLY NEEDS TO BE RECALLED. THEY QUOTE 6 HOURS TO REMOVE AND REPLACE THIS COMPONANT BUT THE ACTUAL TIME TO REMOVE AND REPLACE IS 1.5 HRS PLUS 1 HOUR FOR REPROGRAMMING THE TCM. THIS IS FRAUDULENT AND UNETHICAL AND THIS COMPANY SHOULD BE DEALT WITH ACCORDING TO THE FAIR TRADE LAWS THAT PROTECT CONSUMERS.
ENGINE COOLER SEAL LEAKING MASSIVELY AND LEAKING OIL IN TURBO.
AS I WAS GETTING READY TO SHIFT THE GEAR LEVER TO DRIVE THE LEVER SHEARED OFF AND I WAS UNABLE TO HAVE CONTROL OF SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION TO ANY OTHER POSITION SUCH AS (P/N/R). I STOP THE CAR AS A SAFETY CONCERN AND LOOKED AT THE BROKEN GEAR SHIFT LEVER AND IT APPEAR TO BE SHEARED OFF THE WEAKEST AREA OF THE LEVER OR WHERE THE SHIFTING LOAD TAKES PLACE. CAR STILL UNDER WARRANTY BUT DEALER REFUSED TO FIX IT UNDER WARRANTY WITH THE EXCUSE EXCESSIVE FORCE APPLIED TO SHIFT WHICH CAUSE THE LEVER TO BRAKE. I AM SURE THE IS A MATERIAL DEFECTS AND FATIGUE. I HAVE THE BAD PART ON HAND AND WHICH IF I CAN SEND IT FOR LAB TEST TO FIND THE CAUSE OF THE DAMAGE AND MAY BE THIS WILL ALERT FOR A RECALL. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE GOING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE VEHICLE HESITATED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THE ENGINE WOULD REV AND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESPOND. THE CONTACT THEN SHIFTED INTO GEAR AND THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED RAPIDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE FAILURE WAS UNABLE TO BE DETERMINED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES LATER AND THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE BACK TO THE DEALER FOR ANOTHER INSPECTION WHERE THEY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION MODULE SOFTWARE NEEDED TO BE UPDATED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED BUT THE CONTACT HAD NOT RECEIVED A RESPONSE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.
ML320 BLUETEC, RANDOMLY LOSES POWER. THE POWER WILL BE RESTORED ONCE THE CAR IS TURNED OFF AND ON AGAIN. CAR HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 7 TIMES FOR REPAIR OF THIS ONE ISSUE, INCLUDING TWICE IN A STATE WITH LIMITED POWER. DEALER HAS DONE MULTIPLE SOFTWARE UPDATES, TURBO REPLACEMENT, EXHAUST VALVES REPLACEMENT AND THE ISSUE IS STILL PRESENT. ON ONE OF THE LAST OCCASIONS THIS HAPPENED, THE CAR LOST POWER WHEN TRYING TO MERGE ON TO THE HWY. THIS ALMOST RESULTED IN ME BEING REAR ENDED BY A BIG RIG. LUCKILY I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER BEFORE I WAS REAR ENDED. THIS IS SERIOUS SAFETY CONCERN THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED AND RECTIFIED. AS OF 02/17/2014 THIS ISSUE HAS NOT BEEN CORRECTED. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026