Model year record
2001 Mercedes-Benz ML320 recalls & problems
The 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML320 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 136 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is electronic stability control (esc) (33 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML320.
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.
Fuel economy
ML320
| City / highway | 15 / 19 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
3.2 L · 6 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $4,850/year to fuel
EPA estimates from fueleconomy.gov for each engine and transmission sold. Annual cost is the EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year at its current fuel and electricity price assumptions. Your results will vary.
What owners report
| Problem area | Complaints | Typical mileage* |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 33 | 109,470 mi |
| Service brakes | 26 | 132,425 mi |
| SteeringHydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections; Hydraulic power assist system | 25 | 60,012 mi |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip; Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip › Wheel speed sensor/tone ring | 19 | 92,970 mi |
| Electrical systemWiring; Wiring › Interior/under dash | 17 | 52,025 mi |
| Vehicle speed controlAccelerator pedal | 16 | 125,000 mi |
| Air bagsFrontal › Sensor/control module | 8 | 72,000 mi |
| Fuel system, gasolineDelivery › Fuel pump; Delivery | 7 | 53,000 mi |
| VisibilityPower window devices and controls; Windshield wiper/washer | 5 | 50,512 mi |
| SeatsFront assembly › Power adjust; Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler | 4 | — |
| Fuel system, otherStorage › Fuel gauge system | 3 | — |
| Power trainAutomatic transmission | 3 | 83,208 mi |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Vehicle speed control
The failed component is the YAW rate sensor, original part number A1635426340 (ATE part number 10.0980-0454.2), manufactured by ATE. I have experienced multiple incidents of sudden, unintended braking at highway speeds. These events occurred without warning and created an immediate and significant risk of a serious collision, endangering not only myself and my family but also other motorists sharing the roadway. While the defect has not been reproduced or confirmed by either a Mercedes-Benz dealer or an independent repair facility, the absence of a successful diagnosis does not diminish the seriousness of the safety hazard. In fact, your agency opened an investigation into this issue in…
- Latches/locks/linkages › Doors › Latch
The contact owns a 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML320. The contact stated that the front passengerâs door failed to open more than 6 inches. The contact stated that no warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
- Air bags
The contact owns a 2001 Mercedes Benz ML320. The contact stated that when they entered their vehicle and turned it on, the vehicle's passenger front door air bag made a sudden boom sound and then deployed. The contact stated that there were no warning lights. The contact had not taken the vehicle to the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 132,000.
- Air bags
AIR BAG OFF, PEDAL CONTROL SISTEM IS IN RECALL FROM MARCH 31 2011, SMOKE PASS BELONG TO NISSAN MENDOZA AUTO GROUP SOLD THIS CAR IN CA CAR IN RECALL DON'T PASS SMOKE, THEY SAID YES...PASS, PLEASE INVESTIGATION
- Electrical system
ECM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND NOT CONTROLLING FUEL INJECTION AND GIVING RANDOM MISFIRE ON CYLINDERS 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. CAUSING CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO COME ON . CODES 0300, 0302,0303,0304,0305,0306.
- Structure › BodyCrash
MY CAT BRAKE WOULD STOP CAR ROLL OVER
- Service brakes
THE FRONT BRAKE SYSTEM ON MERCEDES BENZ ML320 LOCKS UP WHILE DRIVING.
- Service brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320. ON TWO OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE SLOWED DOWN INDEPENDENTLY AND CAME TO AN ABRUPT STOP. THERE WAS NO CRASH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE YAW RATE SENSOR WAS DEFECTIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED VIA EMAIL. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 220,000.
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 lamp switch failure.ClosedLed to recall 11V208000
ODI opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.Consumers also reported the illumination of a warning lamp on the instrument panel.The switch contains three sets of electrical contacts and a (normally extended) spring loaded plunger that actuates the contacts as it moves.As installed in the vehicle, the plunger contacts the brake pedal arm and is pushed into the switch; as the driver applies the pedal the plunger extends.One set of contacts (BLS) operates the stop lamps, a second set (EWM) controls the shift interlock system, and a third set (BS) is used by an on-board diagnostic (OBD) system to monitor switch operation.The cruise…
- ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTIONClosed
ODI OPENED PE07-007 AFTER RECEIVING 4 COMPLAINTS WITHIN A 6 WEEK PERIOD ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000 THROUGH 2001 MERCEDES M CLASS SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORTS OR GATHERED IN SUBSEQUENT CONSUMER INTERVIEWS INDICATED THAT THE INCIDENTS WERE CAUSED BY FAULTS IN THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM (ESP) SYSTEM WHICH WERE REPAIRED BY REPLACING THE YAW RATE SENSORS.ALTHOUGH THE SAME YAW RATE SENSOR IS USED IN APPROXIMATELY 800,000 OTHER MERCEDES M-CLASS, C-CLASS AND SLK MODELS, TO DATE THERE HAS BEEN ONLY ONE RELATED COMPLAINT TO ODI IN THOSE VEHICLES. DURING THIS INVESTIGATION MERCEDES BENZ PROVIDED ODI WITH 327 COMPLAINTS RELATED TO THE ESP SYSTEM IN THE MY 2000 THROUGH 2001 M CLASS VEHICLES.SEVEN OF THE COMPLAINTS SUBMITTED BY MERCEDES ALLEGED INCIDENTS OF UNCOMMANDED BRAKE ACTIVATION WHILE DRIVING, WITH TWO OF…
- POWER STEERING HOSE ASSEMBLY LEAKAGEClosedLed to recall 03V121000
THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THE CONNECTION.THE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID MAY RESULT IN GRADUAL REDUCTION IN POWER STEERING ASSIST (I.E., INCREASED STEERING EFFORT) OVER TIME, WITH POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO THE POWER STEERING PUMP. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN A FEW INCIDENTS OF HOSE SEPARATION FROM THE FITTING, THAT HAVE RESULTED IN MORE RAPID REDUCTIONS OF POWER STEERING.TESTING CONDUCTED BY MERCEDES-BENZ INDICATES THAT THE LEAKED FLUID IS NOT LIKELY TO BE EXPOSED TO HOT ENGINE COMPONENTS.THERE ARE NO KNOWN ALLEGATIONS THAT THE DEFECT CONDITION HAS CAUSED A VEHICLE FIRE. MERCEDES-BENZ WILL CONDUCT A VOLUNTARY RECALL CAMPAIGN FOR THE SUBJECT M-CLASS VEHICLES.MERCEDES-BENZ WILL INSTALL A NEW HOSE CLAMP ON THE POWER STEERING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING COOLER OF THE SUBJECT…