Model year record

1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class recalls & problems

The 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class has 4 safety recalls and 18 owner complaints on file with NHTSA. The most-reported problem area is steering (6 complaints).

Recalls4safety recalls

Complaints18filed by owners

Crashes · fires0 · 1reported in complaints

Injuries · deaths0 · 0reported in complaints

Safety recalls

Vehicle speed controlMar 31, 2011

Cruise control

Recall 11V208000136,751 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2002 M-CLASS AND MODEL YEAR 2000-2003 M-CLASS AMG VEHICLES. THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, USING THE CRUISE CONTROL STALK, OR BRAKING THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO REACH A CERTAIN RATE OF DECELERATION. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS DETERMINED THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES USE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL AS EXPECTED BY THE DRIVER, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER MEANS OF DEACTIVATING CRUISE CONTROL REMAIN FULLY OPERATIVE. SPECIFICALLY, WHERE THE DRIVER PUMPS THE BRAKES RATHER THAN APPLYING CONSISTENT PEDAL FORCE, THE LEVEL OF FORCE REQUIRED MAY BE UNUSUALLY HIGH.
Risk: DIFFICULTY OR DELAY IN DISENGAGING CRUISE CONTROL CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN DURING OCTOBER 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

SteeringSep 17, 2008

Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections

Recall 08V465000125,228 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 125,228 MY 1998-2004 M-CLASS VEHICLES. THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
Risk: THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THIS COULD RESULT IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A CRASH WITHOUT WARNING.
Fix: AN EARLIER RECALL REPAIR PERFORMED ON THESE VEHICLES MAY NOT BE SUFFICIENT TO PREVENT A FUTURE LEAKAGE OR FAILURE OF THE POWER STEERING HOSE CONNECTION (PLEASE SEE 03V121). SINCE IT IS NOT POSSIBLE THROUGH INSPECTION TO IDENTIFY SPECIFIC VEHICLES THAT MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY REPAIRED, ALL VEHICLES REPAIRED PRIOR TO NOVEMBER 15, 2003, WILL BE REPAIRED AGAIN. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN DURING NOVEMBER 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MERCEDES-BENZ AT 1-800-367-6372.

SteeringMar 27, 2003

Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections

Recall 03V121000211,000 vehiclesopened after NHTSA action (ODI)

Problem: ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
Risk: THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN DIMINISHED POWER STEERING OVER TIME AND ULTIMATELY CAN DAMAGE THE POWER STEERING PUMP.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A NEW HOSE CLAMP ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING COOLER. DURING CLAMP REPLACEMENT, THE POWER STEERING COOLING HOSE WILL BE INSPECTED AND REPLACED AS NECESSARY. OWNER NOTIFICATION BEGAN JUNE 16, 2003. 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.

Seat beltsNov 22, 1999

Front › Anchorage

Recall 99V32800085,970 vehicles

Problem: VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LATCHING MECHANISM ON THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. IF THE PLASTIC COVER IS LOOSE DURING THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE BUCKLE TONGUE TO THE LATCH MECHANISM, THE BUCKLE COULD UNLATCH.
Risk: IN THE EVENT OF A CRASH, THE SEAT OCCUPANT MAY NOT BE PROPERLY RESTRAINED, INCREASING THE RISK OF PERSONAL INJURY.
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE SEAT BELT BUCKLES. IF EITHER THE DRIVER OR FRONT PASSENGER SEAT BELT BUCKLE IS FOUND TO BE DEFECTIVE, IT WILL BE REPLACED.

Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. A recall listed here may already have been fixed on a particular car: enter its 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls.

What owners report

Problem area	Complaints	Fires	Typical mileage*
SteeringHydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections	6	0	115,000 mi
Seat beltsFront › Buckle assembly; Front › Anchorage	4	0	—
Power trainManual transmission; Driveline › Driveshaft	4	0	221,000 mi
Engine and engine coolingExhaust system › Emission control; Engine › Gasoline › Belts and associated pulleys	4	0	84,000 mi
Electrical systemIgnition › Module	3	0	—
Fuel system, gasolineDelivery › Fuel pump; Delivery › Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings	2	1	—
VisibilityRearview mirrors/devices › Exterior	1	0	—
EquipmentElectrical	1	0	—
Tires	1	0	—
Electronic stability control (esc)	1	0	—
Service brakes, hydraulic	1	0	—

*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.

Recent owner complaints

Electronic stability control (esc)
DRIVING ON TAPPAN ZEE BRIDGE NEAR NYC AND SLOWED DOWN TO APPROX 15 MPH FOR TOLL BOOTH AND TRIED TO ACCELERATE OUT OF THE TOLLS. THE VEHICLE WAS VERY LOUD AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. IT ALMOST SOUNDED LIKE I WAS DRIVING OVER RUMBLE STRIPS AND I ALMOST CRASHED TRYING TO PULL OVER AS THE EZ-PASS IS ALL THE WAY ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE FREEWAY. AFTER I GOT OUT THE FRONT PASSENGER ROTOR/CALIPER WAS ALMOST GLOWING AND ERUPTING WITH SMOKE, THE 3 OTHER BRAKES LOOKED FINE. THE SMOKE DID NOT STOP FOR AT LEAST 10-15 MINUTES AND IT SMELLED ABSOLUTELY TERRIBLE EVEN STANDING 15 FEET AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE FLAT-BEDDED TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY WHERE NOT ABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE ISSUE, THEY…
Aug 20, 2011 · 100,100 miles
Seat belts
NHTSA CAMPAIGN 99V328000. SEAT BELT BUCKLE RECALL. SEAT BELT BUCKLE EVEN AFTER THE RECALL INSPECTION AND REPLACEMENT IS DEFECTIVE, THE CONNECTION IN BETWEEN METAL SPRING AND PLASTIC IS UNSAFE AND UNSAFE, IT IS MADE OUT OF CHEAP PLASTIC, EVENTUALLY PLASTIC WILL FAIL AND SEAT BELT WILL UNLATCH. IT WILL CAUSE SERIOUS INJURIES IN A CRASH OR HARD STOP, MERCEDES IS NOT OFFERING ANY WARRANTY OR REPLACEMENT I WAS KICKED OUT OF THE DEALER WHEN I COMPLAINED, THEY SAID THEY WILL CALL THE POLICE ON ME. *TR
Dec 29, 2010 · 120,000 miles
Electrical system
MY 1999 MERCEDES ML320 STALLED IN TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE. I HAD IT TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO REPLACED THE CRANKSHAFT POSITION SENSOR WHICH SHOWED A MARGINAL PROBLEM. WE PICKED UP THE CAR AND BROUGHT TO THE ATTENTION OF THE MANAGER THAT THE "CHECK ENGINE" WAS ILLUMINATED. HE SAID THAT WAS BECAUSE THERE WERE SOME PLUGS MISFIRING, BUT THAT WOULD HAVE NO BEARING ON THE CAR STALLING. THE NEXT DAY, THE CAR STALLED IN TRAFFIC AND WAS AGAIN TOWED TO THE DEALER. THEY CAN FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR AND SAY IT RUNS LIKE A TOP. WE REFUSED TO TAKE THE CAR UNTIL THE PROBLEM WAS RESOLVED SO IT WAS DECIDED THAT A TECHNICIAN WOULD DRIVE THE CAR UNTIL IT STALLED AGAIN. THAT HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR ONE…
Sep 5, 2010 · 70,650 miles
Tires
TIRE ALMOST NO TREAD AFTER 31,000 MILES WARRANTY FOR 65,000 MILES. *TR
Feb 2, 2010 · 98,000 miles
Steering
WHEN TRYING TO TURN MY VEHICLE FROM A PARKING LOT, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME SO HARD TO TURN. THE CAR WAS NOT IN DRIVABLE CONDITION AND I TOWED IT TO MY NEAREST SERVICE STATION. AFTER DIAGNOSIS, POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLAMP WERE REPLACED AND THE CAR IS RUNNING GOOD NOW. LATER I FOUND THAT THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE IN 1999 MERCEDES ML 320 AND FOUND RECALL CAMPAIGN DETAILS OF THIS ISSUE IN NHTSA WEBSITE. BUT WHEN I CALLED MERCEDES USA TO GET A REIMBURSEMENT FOR THE REPAIR COST, THEY ARE REFUSING TO GIVE REIMBURSEMENT FOR A STRANGE REASON. I AM STILL FOLLOWING THIS ISSUE WITH THEM. *TR
Oct 7, 2009 · 117,000 miles
Power train › Driveline
1999 ML 320 BEGAN JERKING ON MEDIUM GRADES. JERKING WAS REPORTED TO KNOXVILLE TN. MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP. THEY REPORTED THE TRANSFER CASE IS FAILING. THEY INDICATED THAT TO THEIR KNOWLEDGE THERE HAS NEVER BEEN A TRANSFER CASE FAILURE ON AN ML 320. I HAD THE TRANSFER CASE REPLACED AT A COST OF $4300.00. *TR
May 6, 2009 · 221,000 miles
Steering
MY CAR STOPPED STEERING. I COULD NOT TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. IT OCCURRED ON SATURDAY, DECEMBER 13,2008. I HAD MY CAR TOWED TO A MEINEKE SHOP. THEY DISCOVERED THAT MY HOSE AND CLAMP HAD TO BE REPLACED. I WENT TO MY CLOSEST MERECEDES BENZ SERVICE CENTER IN GREENWICH, CT THE NEXT WEEK. THEY COMPLETED THE REPAIR. I SUBMITTED MY MEINEKE BILL OF $50.35 FOR REIMBURSEMENT TO MY SALESMAN, PHIL BOUTALL. I WAS TOLD THAT I WOULD GET THE REFUND IN A FEW DAYS. IT HAS NOW BEEN OVER 3 MONTHS. I HAVE MADE NUMEROUS CALLS TO MR BOUTALL AND SPOKE TO HIM PERSONALLY AS WELL AS LEFT MESSAGES. BESIDES EMPTY PROMISES AND UNRETURNED VOICE MAILS I HAVE NOT RECEIVED MY REIMBURSEMENT. *TR
Dec 13, 2008
Steering
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH ON NORMAL ROAD CONDITIONS, THE POWER STEERING FAILED WITHOUT WARNING. IMMEDIATELY, THE DRIVER EXERTED MORE EFFORT TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL. THERE WAS ALSO EXCESSIVE POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER FOR INSPECTION AND THEY DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 03V121000 (STEERING;HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST;HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS). THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED FOR THE RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER ON TWO SEPARATE OCCASIONS FOR IDENTICAL FAILURES, BUT THERE WERE NO RESOLUTIONS. THE VEHICLE IS IN THE PROCESS OF BEING TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT…
Dec 8, 2007 · 120,000 miles

Owner complaints are submitted to NHTSA by the public and are not verified. Shown as filed (NHTSA removes personal details); long reports are shortened.

NHTSA defect investigations

BRAKE LINE CHAFEClosed
ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND MERCEDES AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA SUBMITTED BY MERCEDES INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A LOW RATE (36.5 COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES AND 0.29 PERCENT WARRANTY CLAIM RATE), WITH NO DISCERNABLE DEFECT TREND INDICATING THAT THE RATE OF CHAFING RELATED BRAKE LINE FAILURES IS INCREASING.THERE HAVE BEEN NO NEW COMPLAINTS SINCE JANUARY 2009.WHEN THE ANALYSIS IS LIMITED TO INCIDENTS OF BRAKE LINE LEAKAGE THAT RESULTED IN ALLEGATIONS OF REDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS, THE RATE DROPS EVEN FURTHER (22.3 COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES AND 0.04 PERCENT WARRANTY CLAIM RATE). MERCEDES PROVIDED DATA SHOWING THAT IN THE RARE INSTANCES WHEN CHAFING DID PROGRESS TO BRAKE LINE LEAKAGE THE DRIVER WOULD BE IMMEDIATELY ALERTED TO A PROBLEM BY ILLUMINATION OF THE BRIGHT YELLOW ESP/BAS WARNING LAMP AND CHANGES IN BRAKE PEDAL FEEL.CONTINUED OPERATION WITH A…
EA08009 · opened Apr 28, 2008 · closed Dec 16, 2009
POWER STEERING HOSE LEAKClosedLed to recall 08V465000
MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) WILL NOTIFY CERTAIN MODEL YEAR (MY) 1998 THROUGH 2003 M-CLASS OWNERS OF THE NEED TO BRING THEIR VEHICLES INTO DEALERS TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE PREVIOUSLY CAMPAIGNED UNDER MBUSA RECALL 2003-040005 (NHTSA RECALL 03V-121).THE MBUSA CAMPAIGN, WHICH ODI IS DESIGNATING RECALL 08V-465, WILL REPLACE THE POWER STEERING COOLER HOSE AND CLAMP IN ALL VEHICLES THAT RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL RECALL REMEDY FOR 03V-121 AND WHICH HAVEN'T RECEIVED A SUBSEQUENT REPAIR TO INSTALL A REVISED HOSE AND CLAMP.APPROXIMATELY ONE-THIRD OF THE VEHICLES THAT RECEIVED THE ORIGINAL REPAIR PROCEDURE AND PARTS RETURNED FOR SUBSEQUENT SERVICE FOR LEAKAGE FROM THE HOSE FITTING AND, IN APPROXIMATELY 10 PERCENT OF THESE VEHICLES, COMPLETE SEPARATION OF THE HOSE FROM THE COOLER.A REVISED SERVICE PROCEDURE FOR 03V-121, WHICH INVOLVED REPLACING THE OLD HOSE AND CLAMP WITH MODIFIED PARTS, HAD SIGNIFICANTLY…
RQ08002 · opened Mar 11, 2008 · closed Sep 17, 2008
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILUREClosed
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE…
PE03058 · opened Dec 17, 2003 · closed Apr 22, 2004