2004 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Steering Problems

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.

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.

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.

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.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES ML350. WHILE PARKED, THE CONTACT NOTICED POWER STEERING FLUID WAS LEAKING FROM THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE FAILURE OCCURRED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN STATED THAT A DIAGNOSTIC TEST WAS NECESSARY TO LOCATE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT DID NOT HAVE THE FAILURE DIAGNOSED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING WHEEL EXHIBITED A LOUD NOISE WHEN ATTEMPTING A TURN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 08V465000 (STEERING). THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 70,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 80,000.

2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML500. VEHICLE WAS SERVICED / REPAIRED BY ZEMBRICK MERCEDES IN ADISON WISCONSIN ON FEB 3 2011. THE REPAIRS / SERVICE INCLUDED REPLACING A SEAL ON THE POWER STEERING PUMP. WITHIN DAYS OF THE REPAIR THE POWER STEERING UNIT LEAKED ALL IT'S FLUID FROM A HOSE CLAMP. FOUND THE RECALL 08V465000 FOR THIS PROBLEM WHICH PER THE RECALL COVERED ALL 1998-2004 MB ML'S . HOWEVER, THE DEALERSHIP AND MBUSA STATES THIS RECALL IS VIN SPECIFIC AND THIS VEHICLE IS NOT COVERED UNDER THIS RECALL. THE PROBLEM IS OBVIOUSLY STILL PRESENT AND ONGOING, HOWEVER MBUSA SEEMS TO BE APPLYING THIS RECALL TO SUIT THEIR INTERPRETATION. THE PROBLEM HAS NOT BEEN FIXED AND THE HAZARDS ORIGINALLY IDENTIFIED HAS NOT BEEN ADDRESSED AND CORRECTED. *TR

POWER STEERING FLUID LEAK, RESULTING IN OCCASIONAL HARD STEERING. THIS ALSO OCCURRED IN JANUARY AND APRIL. WE CALLED THE DEALER AND MERCEDES USA AND WERE TOLD THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PART OF THE SEPTEMBER 2008 RECALL. *TR

A COMPLETE LOSS OF POWER STEERING FLUID CAUSED ME TO LOSE CONTROL OF MY SUV. I WAS UNAWARE OF ANY LOST OF POWER STEERING FLUID UNTIL I LOST CONTROL OF MY VEHICLE AND I LATER CHECK THE AREA WHERE I HAD PARKED THE NIGHT BEFORE. I PARKED MY VEHICLE UNTIL I REPLACED THE POWER STEERING FLUID. THIS IS NOT THE FIRST PROBLEM I HAVE HAD WITH THIS TYPE OF VEHICLE. I RECEIVED A SAFETY RECALL NOTICE ON THE OTHER ML320, 2001 THAT I GOT RID OF THREE YEARS AGO. *TR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER. THE TECHNICIAN DIAGNOSED THAT THE HOSE CLAMP NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS AWARE OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V465000 (STEERING), BUT THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ THE CONSUMER REQUESTED TO BE REIMBURSED FOR THE LEAKY STEERING FLUID REPAIRS. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED USING THE SAME REQUIREMENTS AS THE RECALL, BUT WAS NOT REPAIRED UNDER THE RECALL. *JS