Mercedes-Benz · ML-Class · 2004
0
Recalls
53
Complaints
-
Not Rated
The 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class has no recalls and 53 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Most reported issue: steering (10 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 22, 2026
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
OEM jack failed without warning. No injuries but it could have been bad. Car got stuck and spinning wheels dug into a region of hard packed snow over a gravel driveway at my father's house. I was using the jack to lift the wheels out of their holes so I could fill the hole with chunks of wood. To spread the load on the snow the base of the jack was on a roughly 10" long piece of 2x4, which was placed on a roughly 8x10 inch piece of plywood. Jack worked fine for the first 2 wheels. On the 3rd wheel the "thrust washer" that transfers force from the nut that rides on the main screw, to the hinged arm which picks up the car, split in half without warning. This resulted in a sudden and complete failure of the jack, dropping the car back to it's starting position.
Hello my check engine light is on in my 2004 Mercedes ml350 so I took it to a Mercedes dealership for inspection and repairs. They kept my suv for 8 days and finally called me back and said they believe the check engine light is on because I need to replace my charcoal canister shut off valve. Now this component takes the gas vapors that has not been burned off and reroutes it through the charcoal canister and back into the engine so it can be burnt off and not enter the atmosphere and enter the inside of the vehicle. Well My suv has failed inspection for emissions and that’s why I brought it in to Mercedes. Well the service department at Mercedes called me 8 days later and said Mercedes does not make that part anymore. And no other aftermarket company makes it either. They charged me $200 to tell me they can’t fix it because the part is not made anymore. So am I safe ? Why Mercedes never recalled a vehicle that can not pass states emissions test. I wrote a letter to the head of Mercedes in Europe and the United States. They offered me $2,000 off of a new Mercedes or $1,000 off a Pre owned Mercedes. Sounds like they know something is not right here. So my complaint is can a car manufacturer stop producing a part that is needed to safely pass the emissions test and isn’t these fumes harmful to me and my family?
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE LOS CONTROL OF THE STEERING WHEEL. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL TURNED 360 DEGREES HOWEVER, THE WHEELS REMAINED IN A STRAIGHTFORWARD POSITION. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL AND THE VEHICLE TO DRIFTED TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL UNKNOWN WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED MERCEDES BENZ OF CARY (2400 AUTO PARK BLVD, CARY, NC 27511, 919-380-1800) BUT WAS NOT YET DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURE WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 248,000.
FRONT SEATS GETS VERY HOT WHENEVER WE TURN ON THE SEAT WARMER OPTION. THIS STARTED TO HAPPEN AT LEAST FROM 5 TO 6 MONTHS. WE ARE SCARED IT MIGHT BURN OUR BACKS. THANKS
LEAKAGE OF POWER STEERING FLUID COMING FROM HOSES, OR PIPE, OR SOME CONNECTION. I WAS ABOUT TO LEAVE WHEN I STARTED MY CAR ONLY TO HEAR A LOUD WHINING NOISE AND A HARD-TO-TURN STEERING WHEEL.
DISCOVERED BRITTLE, BROKEN AND MISSING WIRING INSULATION ON THE HEADLIGHT WIRING INSIDE THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY. THIS WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION THAT ALLOWED THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE WIRES TO COME IN CONTACT WITH EACH OTHER CREATING A SHORT.
THE AIR BAG LIGHT CAME ON WHEN THE CAR HIT 170.000 MILES
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. A MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 123,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES-BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED. THE STEERING WHEEL WAS DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE STEERING FLUID HAD TO BE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL MADE A LOUD GRINDING NOISE WHEN IT WAS TURNED AND POWER STEERING FLUID LEAKED FROM THE COLUMN. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE INDICATOR ILLUMINATED WITHOUT WARNING. IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE POWER STEERING HOSE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.
SMELL GAS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS STARTED. RUST AROUND FRONT AND REAR FENDERS
TRANSMISSION DISENGAGES AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS
DURING A ROUTINE CHANGE OF A HEADLIGHT LAMP, THE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN DISCOVER THAT THE INSULATION ON ALL FOUR WIRES IN THE LEFT FRONT HEADLIGHT ASSEMBLY WERE CRACKED, DISINTEGRATING AND MISSING LEAVING THE BARE WIRES EXPOSED. THE MAINTENANCE TECHNICIAN WOULD NOT CHANGE THE BULB UNTIL A NEW WIRING HARNESS WAS FABRICATED AND THE DISCREPANCY WAS CORRECTED. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. THE BARE WIRES ARE IN AN ENCLOSED HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY, CONTACTING FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. A SHORT IN THESE WIRES CAN LEAD TO SYSTEM FAILURES, OVERHEATING AND FIRE IN THE HEADLAMP AREA. RECOMMEND A RECALL FOR INSPECTION AND IF THIS DISCREPANCY IS DISCOVERED, RECOMMEND AN IMMEDIATE REPLACEMENT OF THE WIRES IN THE HEADLAMP ASSEMBLY.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND TRAVELED ALL THE WAY DOWN TO THE FLOORBOARD WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO STOP THE VEHICLE BY SLOWING DOWN ON A CURB. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 10,040.
CAR SUDDENLY DEVELOPED EXTREME GASOLINE ODOR AFTER A BRIEF 20 MILE TRIP. CURSORY CHECK DID NOT IDENTIFY SOURCE. UPON RETURN TRIP, SAME EXTREME SICKENING ODOR RETURNED. UPON PULLING INTO GARAGE GASOLINE WAS VISIBLY POURING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR AND POOLING ON GROUND. IT LOOKED TO BE COMING DIRECTLY FROM GAS TANK AREA BUT COULD NOT DETERMINE MAIN SOURCE AS IT WAS SPRAYED THROUGHOUT THE UNDERCARRIAGE. ASIDE FROM THE NAUSEA, THIS CLEARLY POSED A SIGNIFICANT FIRE DANGER AND WAS IMMEDIATELY TRANSPORTED TO THE DEALER AWAITING REPAIR COSTS NOW. THERE HAVE BEEN NO OTHER INCIDENTS OR EXTERNAL REASONS THAT MIGHT HAVE LED TO THIS (SUCH AS RUNNING OVER SOMETHING OR HITTING SOMETHING IN THE ROAD). AFTER DOING RESEARCH THIS APPEARS TO BE THE SAME TYPE OF PROBLEM THAT HAS BEEN, AND CONTINUES TO BE EXPERIENCED BY OTHER OWNERS DUE TO A MANUFACTURING DEFECT.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, THE CONTACT NOTICED FIRE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 117,000.
THE BOSE DVD STEREO HAS NO SOUND EVERYTHING WORKS JUST NO SOUND THIS APPEAR TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR
SIDE-SWIPED ON THE FREEWAY. WITNESS STATE THE VEHICLE ROLLED 4-5 TIMES. NO FRONT OR SIDE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED. *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME LOOSE AND REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE TO CONTROL THE WHEEL. THE CONTACT NOTICED FLUID LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED FOR THE PAST EIGHT MONTHS. THE CONTACT REFERENCED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V465000 (STEERING). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE STEERING FLUID WAS LOW AND NEEDED TO BE REPLENISHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED AND THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 165,000.
THIS COULD BE RELATED TO A SOFTWARE PROBLEM IN ALL ML CLASS. 1. OBD SYSTEM CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY 2. STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR CAUSE TO REPORT INCORRECTLY 3. THE SPEEDOMETER OUT OF TOLERANCE IS REPORTING INCORRECTLY 4. OBD SYSTEM IS REPORTING INCORRECTLY CAUSING FAULTS IN SYSTEMS. *TR
WHILE DRIVING ON A LOCAL STREET, I NOTICED THAT BRAKES HAD STOPPED WORKING. AFTER INVESTIGATION, I NOTICED THAT A CORRODED BRAKE LINE WAS LEAKING BRAKE FLUID. I HAD CONTACTED MERCEDES BENZ CUSTOMER SERVICE. I WAS TOLD TO CONTACT A DEALER, WHO CONFIRMED THAT ALL BRAKE LINES ARE CORRODING IN THE AREA CLOSE TO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS NOT A SAFETY ISSUE SUBJECT TO A RECALL. I WAS FURTHER TOLD THAT IT IS NORMAL FOR BRAKE LINES TO CORRODE AND LEAK. I HAVE NOT NOTICED CORROSION ON ANY OTHER PART OF THE CAR, EXCEPT THE BRAKE LINES. *TR
Showing 1–20 of 25 complaints
The 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class has 0 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
NHTSA has received 53 owner-reported complaints for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class.
NHTSA has not published a safety rating for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class.
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class are steering (10 reports), seats (5 reports), air bags (5 reports).
NHTSA does not currently list any recalls on record for the 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class. To verify the status of your specific vehicle, check nhtsa.gov/recalls with your VIN.
Look up recalls and complaints for any year, make, and model.
This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.