There are 4 owner-reported visibility & wipers complaints for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML-Classin NHTSA's database. These are unverified consumer reports and may not reflect confirmed defects.
I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD IN A HEAVY RAINSTORM AND THE PASSENGER SIDE MAIN WIPER ARM DETACHED FROM THE MECHANISM AND WENT UNDER THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER. IT IS NO LONGER CONTROLLED BY THE WIPER MOTOR.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE FRONT WINDSHIELD GLASS CAUSED A GLARE AND DISTORTED HIS VISIBILITY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC AND DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE DEALER RECOGNIZED THE ISSUE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THE WINDSHIELD FUNCTIONED AS DESIGNED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,600. UPDATED 04/30/14 MA *TR
ON 1/11/14 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45 P.M. AMIDST A VERY HEAVY DOWNPOUR WITH THE WIPERS IN USE, I WAS TRAVELING EASTWARD ON I-95 AT ABOUT 60 MPH APPROACHING NEW HAVEN, WITH MY WIFE AND SON AS PASSENGERS, WHEN I HEARD A LOUD NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THAT MY WIPERS HAD INTERLOCKED AND STOPPED FUNCTIONING, LEAVING ME WITH ALMOST NO VISIBILITY. I SLOWED DOWN, PUT ON FLASHERS, AND WAS ABLE SAFELY TO REACH THE NEXT EXIT AND COME TO A STOP ON A LOCAL STREET. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MECHANISM HAD COME APART. I DISENGAGED THE BLADE SO THAT THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER WAS ABLE TO FUNCTION. I TOOK THE CAR THIS MORNING (1/14) TO THE MERCEDES DEALER IN WHITE PLAINS, NY. THE SERVICE REP UPON SEEING THE DISENGAGED ARM SAID HE'S SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE, AND HE IMMEDIATELY CONCLUDED THAT THE "SCREWS" HAD COME LOOSE DUE TO USE OF THE WIPERS DURING THE RECENT SEVERE COLD WEATHER/SNOW WITHOUT SCRAPING THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE USE, AND THAT THE LOOSENING OF THE SCREWS WAS "BETTER" THAN BURNING OUT A $700 WIPER MOTOR. I DO NOT AGREE WITH THAT STATEMENT IN LIGHT OF THE SERIOUS RISK OF AN ACCIDENT WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING I HAD ALMOST NO VISIBILITY AT NIGHT IN A HEAVY DOWNPOUR DOING 60 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY.
ON 1/11/14 AT APPROXIMATELY 5:45 P.M. AMIDST A VERY HEAVY DOWNPOUR WITH THE WIPERS IN USE, I WAS TRAVELING EASTWARD ON I-95 AT ABOUT 60 MPH APPROACHING NEW HAVEN, WITH MY WIFE AND SON AS PASSENGERS, WHEN I HEARD A NOISE AND IMMEDIATELY SAW THAT MY WIPERS HAD INTERLOCKED AND STOPPED FUNCTIONING, LEAVING ME WITH ALMOST ZERO VISIBILITY. I SLOWED DOWN, PUT ON FLASHERS, AND WAS ABLE SAFELY TO REACH THE NEXT EXIT AND COME TO A STOP ON A LOCAL STREET. THE PASSENGER SIDE WIPER MECHANISM HAD COME APART. I DISENGAGED THE BLADE SO THAT THE DRIVER SIDE WIPER WAS ABLE TO FUNCTION. I TOOK THE CAR ON 1/14/14 TO THE MERCEDES DEALER IN WHITE PLAINS, NY. THE SERVICE REP UPON SEEING THE DISENGAGED ARM SAID HE'S SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE, AND HE IMMEDIATELY CONCLUDED THAT THE "SCREWS" HAD COME LOOSE DUE TO USE OF THE WIPERS DURING THE RECENT SEVERE COLD WEATHER/SNOW WITHOUT SCRAPING THE WINDSHIELD BEFORE USE, AND THAT THE LOOSENING OF THE SCREWS WAS "BETTER" THAN BURNING OUT A $700 WIPER MOTOR. I FIND THE REP'S STATEMENT TROUBLING, TO SAY THE LEAST, IN LIGHT OF THE RISK OF A SERIOUS ACCIDENT WHEN SUDDENLY AND WITHOUT ANY WARNING I HAD ALMOST NO VISIBILITY AT NIGHT IN A HEAVY DOWNPOUR DOING 60 MPH ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. I PICKED UP THE CAR THAT EVENING AND THE WIPERS ARE FULLY FUNCTIONING AGAIN. *TR
Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA. A high complaint count may reflect vehicle popularity, not defect severity. Data sourced from NHTSA public records.
Data synced from NHTSA on Apr 25, 2026