2002 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500 Complaints

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 THE DIAGNOSTIC TO BE DONE, EVEN THOUGH ONE WAS SUPPOSEDLY DONE 2 WEEKS PRIOR. NOW IT WAS THE POWER STEERING PUMP AT A $1400 FIX. I WAS PISSED. HOW DID THEY MISS THIS 2 WEEKS PRIOR? HOW DID I EVEN KNOW IT WAS THE HOSE AT FIRST AND NOT THE PUMP? HOW WAS THIS FOUND CONVENIENTLY AFTER MY WARRANTY IS NO GOOD WHEN THE NOISE WAS THERE BEFORE? A COMPLIMENTARY DIAGNOSTIC WAS DONE BY THE SERVICE MGR ON AUG 29TH AND NOW I AM BEING ASKED TO PAY $2100 FOR FIX THE PROBLEMS FOUND. THE WARRANTY SHOULD BE HONORED. *TR

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 BELIEVE THAT THEY MUST HAVE MISTAKENLY SHORTED IT. WE HAVE SPENT ALMOST $10,000.00 IN THE PAST YEAR FOR REPAIRS TO THIS VEHICLE AND ONE OTHER MERCEDES. THEY DID NOT GOOD WILL CREDIT THE WORK SO I DID NOT ACCEPT THE REPAIR SERVICE. THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS A $750.00 COINCIDENCE. THE SOUND WORKED FOR ALMOST 80,000 MILES BEFORE SERVICE AND NOW RIGHT AFTER IT FAILED... I DON'T THINK SO. THE MERCEDES SERVICE CENTER REFUSED TO DO ANY WORK FOR WHAT WE BELIEVE TO BE THEIR RESPONSIBILITY. *TR

THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED AT A PARKING LOT FOR APPROXIMATELY 2 HRS. I ATTEMPTED TO START THE ENGINE. IT STARTED THEN ABRUPTLY STOPPED. THIS HAPPENED 3 TIMES. UPON THE 4TH ATTEMPT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I LOOKED AT THE DASH LIGHTS THE COMPUTER WAS SHOWING ERROR START. I PROCEEDED TO JIGGLE THE KEY AND EVEN USED THE SECOND MASTER KEY. THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT ALL. I TALKED WITH MB ROADSIDE SERVICE THEY SUGGESTED CLEANING THE KEY, JIGGLING THE RING AROUND THE IGNITION KEY AREA. NOTHING WORKED. AFTER 2 HOURS OF ATTEMPTS, I HAD THE ML TOWED BY FLAT BED TRUCK TO THE NEAREST MB DEALERSHIP. EVERY SINCE I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE ( 2002) I HAVE COMPLAINED ON AT LEAST 3 OCCASIONS EVERY YEAR, THAT THE CAR WOULD NOT START AT TIMES AND I WOULD JIGGLE THE KEY AND KEEP TURNING THE VEHICLE ON AND OFF SEVERAL TIMES. IN THE PAST IT FINALLY MANAGED TO START. WHEN I WOULD REPORT THIS TO THE DEALERSHIP THEY WOULD STATE THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO UNTIL IT ACTUALLY WAS DOING THE SAME THING WHEN I BROUGHT IT TO THEM. I KNOW THERE IS SOME PART THAT HAS BEEN DEFECTIVE FROM DAY 1 AFTER WE PURCHASED THE CAR. THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP HAD THE CAR FOR 3 DAYS. THEY FOUND A FAULTY TRANSPONDER RING AND ALSO ADVISED ME THAT MY SECOND MASTER KEY WOULD NOT COORDINATE WITH THE COMPUTER AND THE NEW TRANSPONDER RING. IT READS ERROR START. JUST LIKE IT WAS DOING WHEN I HAD IT TOWED. I HAVE THE MERCEDES RETURNED TO ME 6 DAYS AND I GET IN THE CAR AND THE GEARS ARE LOCKED. I TURN THE ENGINE ON AND OFF FOR 5 MINUTES BEFORE I CAN GET THE GEAR TO SHIFT INTO REVERSE. I CALLED THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP. THEY WANT ME TO BRING IT BACK TOMORROW FOR THEM TO CHECK SOME SWITCH COMPONENT WHICH MAY BE DEFECTIVE. THIS ML 500 ONLY HAS 51,806 MILES ON IT. HOWEVER, I DO NOT FEEL COMFORTABLE DEPENDING ON IT. I AM AFRAID I WILL BE OUT SOMEWHERE AT NIGHT OR IN AN ISOLATED AREA AND THIS ML 500 WILL NOT START OR THE GEAR BOX WILL BE LOCKED UP. *TR