Model year record
2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55 recalls & problems
The 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55 has no safety recalls on file with NHTSA, and 9 owner complaints. The most-reported problem area is steering (2 complaints).
Safety recalls
No safety recalls have been filed for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55.
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
ML55 AMG
| City / highway | 12 / 16 mpg |
|---|---|
| Fuel | Premium Gasoline |
5.5 L · 8 cyl · Automatic 5-spd · 4-Wheel or All-Wheel Drive · about $5,850/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* |
|---|---|---|
| SteeringRack and pinion › Rack | 2 | — |
| Service brakes, hydraulicAntilock/traction control/electronic limited slip | 2 | — |
| Wheels | 2 | — |
| Service brakes | 2 | — |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | — |
| Electrical system | 1 | — |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | — |
| Tires | 1 | — |
*Median odometer reading when the problem happened, where owners gave one. One complaint can name several problem areas.
Recent owner complaints
- Service brakes
While driving the vehicle the car would randomly lock up different wheels on the car jerking the steering wheel out of my hands. The first time I was on a freeway and thought I must have run over a puddle of oil and the antilock system was trying to keep the car stable, even though the steering wheel was jerking from side to side. As it only last 10 terrifying seconds, I thought that would be the last time the car did that. The second time it happened was just getting off the freeway and the system kept locking up different wheels again, but this time it would not stop. I had to limp the car to an area where I could safely park it out of traffic and call a tow truck to take us home. Doing…
- Service brakes
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML55AMG. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE BRAKE INDEPENDENTLY LOCKED WITHOUT WARNING AND THE VEHICLE WENT SIDEWAYS. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 135,000.
- Steering
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML55. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE BECAME VERY HARD TO STEER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE HAD NUMEROUS LEAKS AND WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PREVIOUSLY SERVICED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V121000 (STEERING), BUT THE REMEDY FAILED TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 116,000.
- TiresCrash
2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML55. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO A DEFECTIVE SENSOR MALFUNCTION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE LEFT FRONT TIRE LOCKED UP, SENDING THE VEHICLE INTO THE OPPOSITE LANE OF TRAFFIC. THE CONSUMER LOST CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND ROLLED OVER. THE CONSUMER STATED THE SENSOR DID NOT PREVENT THE ROLL OVER. *JB
- WheelsCrash
2001 MERCEDES-BENZ ML55, DEFECTIVE SENSOR NEAR THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE THAT WHEN FUNCTIONING IS SUPPOSE TO PREVENT ROLL OVERS. UPDATED 02/12/15*BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE RIGHT FRONT TIRE LOCKED UP AND HE GRABBED THE WHEEL TO PREVENT TO AVOID HITTING PARKED VEHICLES. HE STEERED LEFT, MAKING A U-TURN FACING ONCOMING TRAFFIC, AVOIDING A COLLISION AND UPON OVER-COMPENSATING FOR THE MALFUNCTION OF THE VEHICLE, HE FLIPPED OVER TWICE AND THE WAS STOPPED BY A HITTING A LIGHT POLE. *JB
- Service brakes, hydraulicCrash1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES ML55. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS EXHIBITING BRAKING ISSUES AND WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER FOUND THAT THE LATERAL ACCELERATION SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED WITHIN THREE WEEKS OF THE REPAIR. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING THROUGH A CAR WASH WHEN THE VEHICLE ABNORMALLY ACCELERATED, THE CONSUMER'S FOOT WAS ON THE BRAKE, BUT THE VEHICLE WENT OVER SOME HUGE BOULDER ROCKS AND WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED HARD ON GROUND, TIRES FIRST. . THE CONTACT WAS REPORTED AS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED OF THE INCIDENT. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 79,836. THE…
- Service brakes, hydraulic › Antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 MERCEDES BENZ ML55. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED AND THEN RELEASED CAUSING THE WHEELS TO LOCK. THE VEHICLE BECAME UNCONTROLLABLE AND HAD TO BE PARKED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO STATED THAT THE SENSOR FAILED AND CAUSED THE COMPUTER AND WHEELS TO LOCK. THERE ARE NO RECALLS OR WARRANTIES RELATED TO THE FAILURE. HE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING $3400 TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE AND A DIAGNOSTIC TEST. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT HE HAD TO CHECK WITH THE DEALER IN HIS AREA AND OFFERED NO OTHER ASSISTANCE. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000.
- Exterior lighting
HEADLIGHTS INTERMITTENTLY GOING OFF WHILE DRIVING, FOG LIGHTS QUIT WORKING, CAN GET NO LIGHTS TO COME ON SOMETIMES WHILE DRIVING. HAVE RESEARCHED AND FOUND THAT THERE HAS ALREADY BEEN A RECALL PUT OUT ON MY VEHICLE ACCORDING TO CARFAX, YET WHEN I SPEAK TO ANYONE AT MERCEDES-BENZ, THEY SAY MY CAR IS NOT INCLUDED AND WILL NOT DO ANYTHING TO HELP. *TR
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…
- 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…
- 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…