2011 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Complaint Log

TAKATA RECALL: I'VE BEEN ASKING MY DEALER FOR A YEAR WHEN CAN I GET MY AIRBAG REPLACED AND THEY KEEP ON TELLING ME IT'S NOT IN STOCK. MY FRIEND HAD HIS 2004 INFINITI RECALL FOR AIRBAGS WITHIN ONE WEEK IT WAS FIXED WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH MERCEDES? MY CAR WAS BOUGHT AND SERVICED AT ENGLEWOOD NEW JERSEY BENZEL-BUSCH

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED AND THE VEHICLE UNINTENTIONALLY ACCELERATED. THE ESP TRACTION CONTROL WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE REAR END OF ANOTHER VEHICLE AND SIDE SWIPED A SECOND VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE TURNED 360 DEGREE AND THEN CRASHED INTO AN UTILITY POLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES REPORTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSIS. THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE THE FAILURE. THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE WAS DAMAGED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 44,000.

TAKATA RECALL. HAVE CONTACTED DEALERSHIP NUMEROUS TIMES IN THE LAST YEAR AND HALF REQUESTING WHEN IT WOULD BE FIXED AND ARE TOLD IT IS STILL PENDING. I WOULD EXPECT FASTER SERVICE ON THIS POTENTIAL DANGER WITH THE DEFECTIVE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG.

TAKATA RECALL. THERE HAS BEEN NO ACTION TAKEN BY MERCEDES BENZ TO REPLACE MY AIR BAG INFLATER. THEY SAY THEY WILL LET ME KNOW WHEN A REPLACEMENT COMES IT. IT HAS BEEN OVER 2 YEARS.

TAKATA RECALL ; THE RECALL INDICATES THAT PARTS ARE NOT YET AVAILABLE. I HAVE BEEN ON THE LIST WITH THE DEALER FOR THREE YEARS. THIS CAR IS LOCATED IN SOUTH FLORIDA AND WITHIN THE WARNING ZONE PUBLISHED BY NHTSA

DRIVING ON A FEEDER ROAD IN LIGHT TRAFFIC AT ABOUT 55 MPH, WE WERE STARTLED BY AN ENORMOUS LOUD EXPLOSIVE SOUND ON OUR SUNROOF OF THE ML 550, LIKE A BOMB SOUND. PULLED OVER AND SLID THE INSIDE VENTED HEADLINER/CURTAIN BACK ABOUT 6 INCHES AND SAW A HOLE THE SIZE OF TWO FISTS PLUS SHATTERED GLASS. WE RECALL THAT WE WEREN'T FOLLOWING BEHIND ANY TRUCKS. MERCEDES DEALERSHIP ESTIMATED $2,777.00 TO REPLACE GLASS, DROP HEADLINER AND REMOVE BROKEN GLASS SHARDS/PIECE. MB DID NOT OFFER ANY EXPLANATION AS TO DEFECTIVE SUNROOF GLASS. WE OWNED NUMEROUS MODELS OF MERCEDES WITH SUNROOFS AND NEVER EXPERIENCED SUCH A FRIGHTENING EPISODE. *TR

TAKATA RECALL MERCEDES BENZ NOTIFIED BY USPS SAFETY RECALL 03/16.NO FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE OR OTHER ACTION/S TO INDICATE RECTIFY OF SAFETY RECALL SINCE. MERCEDES HOUSTON NORTH DEALERSHIP VISIT 10/29/16 AT WHICH I PURCHASED REFUSES VEHICLE RETURN IN LIGHT OF INDICATED AIRBAG RECALL, STATING I CANNOT SIMPLY RETURN THE VEHICLE.SALES REP INDICATES SUCH VEHICLES ARE TAKEN AS TRADE-IN AND/OR SOLD TO COMPETING DEALERS LIKE CARMAX WHICH PAYS HIGHER FOR UNWANTED/UNSAFE VEHICLES, BUT OFFERS AN ASSURANCE TO ASSUAGE MY SAFETY CONCERN THAT MERCEDES ARE MORE STRUCTURALLY SOUND THAN OTHER MANUFACTURERS, NAMELY HONDA IN WHICH DRIVERS/PASSENGERS DIED FROM TAKATA AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS.REP FURTHER STATES AIRBAG REPLACEMENT UNLIKELY SINCE TAKATA IS BEHIND IN MANUFACTURING DUE TO TSNUMAI;PROCESSING NEW WORK AS PRIORITY TO SAFETY RECALL/REWORKS.UNABLE TO SELL/TRANSFER VEHICLE DUE TO RECALL/ILLEGALITY; WOULD NOT ANYWAY DUE TO SAFETY HAZARD WHICH NOT ONLY ENDANGERS, BUT KILLS, OTHERS.1-WK AFTER BUY,LEFT&RIGHT FRNT PRKNG LIGHTS MALFUNCTION.MERCEDES REPLACED/REPAIRED FUSE UPON NEW WIRINGHARNESS INSTALL UNDER EXT SVC PLAN.SAME LEFT&RIGHT FRNT PRKG INDICATOR MALFUNCTION W/IN 45DAYS AFTER;REPLACED OEM-BULBS BLEW.LEFT HEADLIGHT REPLACED-OEM BLEW.AUG/SEPT 2014 45K-MILE REQD MAINT, DEALER SVC ADVISOR SAID HEAD&PRKG LIGHT BULBS WRONG TYPE,RESTATE FIXED WIRINGHARNESS STILL ROOT.HEAD&PRKG LIGHTS FIXED W/OUT FURTHER WIRINGHARNESS MENTION.NEW CARBATTERY INSTALL DEC/JAN 2015 60K-MILE REQD MAINT REPORT TO DEALER SVC ADVISOR ELECTRONICKEY FAIL TO UNLOCK DOORS&ENGAGE IGNITION DESPITE NEW BATTERIES.ALL 2015 AND CONTINUING, LEFT&RIGHT FRONT BULBS,LEFT HEAD&TAILLIGHT OUTAGES, SPONTANEOUS ESPFAULTS ON DASH MALFUNCTION;IGNITION DELAYED-START W/OUT DASH WARNING IN PARK/REAR/NEUTRAL/DRIVE POSITION OR AT START/SHUTDOWN. PURCHASED 04/17/14 CERT PREOWN W/ EXT SVC PLAN ~36KMILES 10/29/16 ~103KMILES ESP EXPIRED 100KMILES

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO HESITATE IN A JERKING MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER, WHO STATED THAT BOTH THE PASSENGER AND DRIVER'S SIDE BLIND SPOT ASSIST SENSORS CONTRIBUTED TO THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS BEING REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE DEFECT. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

WE PURCHASED A NEW MERCEDES ML 350 IN OCTOBER OF 2011, IN THE PAST YEAR IT HAS HAD THREE AIRBAG FAILURES. EACH TIME THE DIAGNOSTICS SYSTEM ALERTS AN AIRBAG FAILURE WE HAVE IT REPLACED BY THE DEALERSHIP, BUT I HAVE LOST ALL CONFIDENCE IN THE VEHICLES SAFETY EQUIPMENT. WILL THESE AIRBAGS ACTUALLY OPERATE IN THE EVENT OF A COLLISION? *TR

WAS DRIVING TO WORK ON THE HIGHWAY IN THE RAIN AND THE TRUCK JERKED OVER TO THE RIGHT WITHOUT ME DOING IT. ITS HAPPENED THREE MORE TIMES SINCE THEN. THE DEALERSHIP CANNOT DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM SO THEREFORE THERE IS NO PROBLEM. MY IGNITION SWITCH NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AT 20,000 MILES. MY KEYS WOULD NOT START THE TRUCK FOR AN ENTIRE WEEK STRAIGHT ON THE 1ST OR 2ND ATTEMPT. FINALLY ON THE 3RD TRY THE TRUCK WOULD START. ITS A YEAR AND A HALF OLD. WHEN THEY CONNECTED IT TO THEY'RE COMPUTER IT DID NOT READ ANY ERROR CODES. IT HAD TO NOT START THERE FOR IT TO CODE. NOW MY TRUCK IS BACK IN THE SHOP BECAUSE THE GEAR SHIFT GETS STUCK IN P. I ASKED TO GET OUT OF THE LEASE AND INTO ANOTHER ONE OF THEIR VEHICLES BECAUSE THE CAR IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE AND THE ANSWER WAS NO. BECAUSE THE COMPUTER SAYS THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT. I GUESS ITS NORMAL WHEN YOUR ON THE HIGHWAY FOR YOUR TRUCK TO CHANGE LANES WITHOUT YOUR CONSENT. *TR

2011 MERCEDES BENZ ML 350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RUN FLAT TIRES ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED THREE FLAT TIRES WITHIN THE FIRST 13,000 MILES. TWO REQUIRED EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT, ONE WITH A 24 HOUR TRIP DELAY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LITERATURE FROM MERCEDES BENZ STATED THE RUN FLAT TIRES COULD ONLY BE DRIVEN 50 MILES LOADED AND ONLY 18 MILES UNLOADED.

TAKATA RECALL - WHEN WILL MB USA BE ABLE TO TAKE CARE OF THIS SAFETY ISSUE. IT'S BEEN YEARS AND I KEEP HEARING PARTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE. WHEN?????????

THE CAR WAS ON AN INCLINE IN MY DRIVEWAY. IT HAS THE TRANSMISSION SHIFT LEVER ON THE COLUMN, AND I HAD BEEN BACKING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. I STOPPED PLACED THE CAR IN PARK AND GOT OUT WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MOVE SOMETHING. THE CAR SAT IN PLACE FOR APPROXIMATELY 10 SECONDS AND THEN SPONTANEOUSLY TOOK OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 5MILES/HOUR. FORTUNATELY MY DAUGHTER WAS STANDING ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE CAR IN FRONT AND SAW THE CAR ROLLING FORWARD, JUMPED IN AND HIT THE BRAKES JUST AS THE CAR STRUCK ONE OF OTHER CARS ON THE DRIVEWAY. THE SHIFT LEVER WAS READING THE DRIVE POSITION, EVEN HAD I NOT PLACED THE CAR IN PARK, IT WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN IN DRIVE BUT REVERSE AS I HAD BEEN PROCEEDING DOWN THE DRIVEWAY. *TR

THE CAR WOULD MAKE LOUD NOISES EVEN AT A SMALL SPEED, SERVICE MGR AT SMYTHE TOLD ME THAT MB HAD THIS DEFECT AND HE STATED HE PUT LOCTITE 648 PER MY NOTES O 8/24./2012 AT 9N WHEEL BEARING(S)! MB SHOULD NOT HAVE SUCH A PROBLEM. MY PREVIOUS ML 500 ALSO HAD A STEERING PROBLEM AND MB NEVER NOTIFIED US BUT FIXED IT AFTER THE WARRANTY AS THEY KNEW ABOUT IT ACCORDING TO SMYTHE SVC MGR. I THINK MB MUST BE PROACTIVE IN RECTIFYING SUCH PROBLEMS AS WE DO NOT WANT THEM TO CAUSE PROBLEMS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXP.! [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR

TAKATA RECALL.... DEALERSHIP AND MERCEDES BENZ HAVE ACKNOWLEDGE THE DEFECTIVE ITEM BUT HAS FAILED TO REPLACE OR GIVE A DATE TO EXPECT REPLACEMENT... THEY HAVE PUT THIS OFF FOR OVER 2 YEARS... MERCEDES BENZ OF NORTH HOUSTON HAD BEEN MY PRIMARY DEALERSHIP ON THIS ISSUE...

YESTERDAY, I WAS DRIVING OUR 2011 MERCEDES ML550 ON A CALIFORNIA HIGHWAY, AND SUDDENLY LOST MY BRAKE LIGHTS, TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS AND REVERSE LIGHTS, DUE TO A RODENT EATING THE WIRING OF THE CAR. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS YEAR A RODENT HAS EATEN THE WIRING OF THIS CAR. 4 MONTHS AGO A RODENT ATE THE MAIN WIRING LOOM AND THE REPAIR COST $1000. WE HAVE OWNED 5 DIFFERENT MERCEDES BENZ MODELS OVER THE LAST 7 YEARS. THE WIRING FOR EACH OF THESE CARS HAS BEEN EATEN BY RODENTS MORE THAN ONCE AND CAUSED US THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS WORTH OF DAMAGE (OBVIOUSLY NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY). IN MOST CASES THE CARS WERE GARAGED. THE CARS WERE PARKED IN VARIOUS PLACES AROUND THE COUNTRY, INCLUDING LOCATIONS WHERE NO ONE ELSE WITH OTHER BRAND CARS HAS HAD RODENT DAMAGE. EVERY TIME WE BRING THE CARS IN TO BE REPAIRED THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS TELLS US "2 OTHER PEOPLE HAVE BROUGHT THEIR MERCEDES IN TODAY WITH RODENT DAMAGE". I HEAR FROM ONE OF THE MB REPAIRMEN MERCEDES HAS CHOSEN TO USE A MATERIAL FOR THE INSULATION OF THEIR WIRING THAT IS ATTRACTIVE TO RODENTS. LOSING MY LIGHTING ON A HIGHWAY IS A SAFETY ISSUE FOR ME. BEING STUCK RESPONSIBLE FOR PAYING FOR REPAIRS THAT MAY BE CAUSED BY A MATERIAL CHOICE MB HAS MADE SEEMS UNFAIR. *KB

WITH THE GEAR SELECTOR IN PARK AND THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT SEAT OCCUPIED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED BACKWARDS FROM A 4.4 PERCENT GRADE AND OVERTURNED AS IT PROCEEDED DOWNHILL. INSPECTION OF THE TRANSMISSION PARKING GEAR REVEALED THAT THE PARKING PAWL HAD BEEN ACTIVATED BUT DID NOT ENGAGE A PARKING GEAR SLOT. THIS INCIDENT WAS ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE ANGLE ON THE PARKING GEAR SLOT SIDES, AN UNDERPOWERED PRESSURE SPRING IN THE PARK INTERLOCK MECHANISM, OR A COMBINATION OF BOTH OF THESE CONDITIONS. THESE CONDITIONS PERMITTED THE PARKING PAWL TO BE REJECTED FROM THE PARKING GEAR SLOTS AT SPEEDS WELL BELOW THE PARK PAWL ENGAGEMENT (TARGET) SPEED OF 6 KPH (3.7 MPH), AS DEFINED BY SAE SPECIFICATION J2208. A SERIES OF SUCH REJECTIONS WHILE THE DRIVERS SEAT IS UNOCCUPIED POSES A SAFETY HAZARD BY ALLOWING THE VEHICLE TO CONTINUE TO ROLL IN AN UNCONTROLLED MANNER ON CERTAIN SLOPES WHILE THE GEAR SELECTOR IS IN PARK. A MORE DETAILED ANALYSIS OF THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN PREPARED AND SHARED WITH MERCEDES-BENZ. PLEASE CONTACT ME TO OBTAIN THIS ANALYSIS AND THE RELATED RESPONSE FROM MERCEDES-BENZ REPRESENTATIVES.