Illustration1998 MERCEDES BENZ ML-320. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE SUDDEN ACCELERATION. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED WHILE MAKING A TURN AND RELEASING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THE VEHICLE ACCELERATED AND HIT A CONCRETE COLUMN. THIS DAMAGED THE MAIN METAL FRAME BEHIND THE FRONT BUMPER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. *JS
1998 Mercedes Benz ML320
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most ML320 years
Owner complaints for the 1998 Mercedes Benz ML320 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 28.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ML320 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
20–25K
625–50K
1150–75K
1275–100K
8100–150K
4150K+
43 reports with mileage · 90 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 31 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 21 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Visibility. Review the 17 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports5 fire reports10 injury reports
Air Bags complaints
7 reportsI PUT MY SEAT BELT (S/B) ON AND STARTED THE IGNITION. A LOUD BANG, I WAS JERKED BACK INTO MY SEAT BY THE S/B AND WAS TRAPPED. WHITE SMOKE ESCAPED WHERE THE S/B COMES OUT OF THE FRAME. THE SRS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, UNBUCKLED THE S/B, WHICH DIDN'T RETRACT BACK INTO THE FEED, GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND WAITED F…
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I PUT MY SEAT BELT (S/B) ON AND STARTED THE IGNITION. A LOUD BANG, I WAS JERKED BACK INTO MY SEAT BY THE S/B AND WAS TRAPPED. WHITE SMOKE ESCAPED WHERE THE S/B COMES OUT OF THE FRAME. THE SRS LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. I TURNED THE CAR OFF, UNBUCKLED THE S/B, WHICH DIDN'T RETRACT BACK INTO THE FEED, GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND WAITED FOR THE SMOKE TO DISSIPATE. I GOT BACK INTO THE CAR, PUT MY S/B ON, WHICH WAS STUCK AND WOULD NOT ADJUST. I CALLED MB DEALERSHIP TO REPORT INCID AND MAKE APT FOR CAR TO BE CHKD. 8-30-07 I BROUGHT CAR INTO MB OF RENO, NV. MB SAID NEED TO ORDER PARTS, BRING BACK ONCE PARTS IN. THE OTHER SERVICE ADVISOR SAID THAT THE SAME THING HAPPENED TO ANOTHER CUST RECENTLY, BUT NEVER HEARD OF ANOTHER OCCURRENCE. I ASKED MY SERVICE ADVISOR, JOSEPH CASTLEBERRY, TO INVEST PROBLEM, LET ME KNOW. HE WOULD GET BACK TO ME. I PICKED UP THE CAR AFTER REPAIRS, JOE DIDN'T KNOW WHY MALFUNCTION OCCURRED, BUT COST WAS $1079.82. I TOLD HIM THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND I WANTED THIS INVESTIGATED. HE SAID IT WAS A FLUKE INCIDENT, AND I STRESSED, I WANTED ANSWERS. MB OF RENO INV COPY READS AS ?INSPECT FOR COMPLAINT, FOUND THE DRIVERS ETR HAS GONE OFF WITHOUT CAUSE. PREPARE AND PERFORM DTC QUICK TEST, FOUND ONLY CODE FOR DRIVERS ETR, CHECK MB HIST OF COMPLAINT, AS PER HIST REC THEY REPLACED BOTH THE SRS CONTROL MODULES AND THE ETR, RECOMMEND THAT BOTH THE SRS CONTROL UNIT AND THE ETR BE REPLACED AS PER TAC HISTORY OF COMPLAINT, R&R LEFT SIDE B PILLAR PANELING, REPLACED DRIVERS S/B, R&R SENSOR CONSOLE, REPLACED SRS CONTROL UNIT, CHECK ELECTRICAL WIRES FOR SHORTS, WIRING IS OK AND INTACT, PERFORMED VERSION CODING OF SRS CONTROL UNIT, CLEARED ALL CODES AND RETEST, RETEST OK?. ON 9-17-07 BEN FROM MB OF NA SAID THEY COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO INVESTIGATE THE ISSUE BECAUSE THE CAR WAS REPAIRED, AN INVESTIGATION SHOULD HAVE BEEN DONE BEFORE THE CAR WAS REPAIRED. COPY OF THE INVOICE AVAIL UPON REQ. VEH: 98 MER ML320 MIL:97508 *TR
VEHICLE WAS AT A GAS STATION AND DRIVER GOT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT BELT EXPLODED. THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN A UPRIGHT POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ALSO, SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THEN, CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMEN…
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VEHICLE WAS AT A GAS STATION AND DRIVER GOT INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE AND DRIVER 'S SIDE SEAT BELT EXPLODED. THE SEAT BELT WAS STUCK IN A UPRIGHT POSITION AND WOULD NOT MOVE. ALSO, SRS LIGHT APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD AND REMAINED ON. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE HOME. THEN, CONSUMER CALLED THE DEALER FOR AN APPOINTMENT. *AK
FRONT CRASH AT 25 MPH, PASSENGER AIRBAG DID NOT DEPLOY. DRIVER AIRBAG OPENED, AND DRIVER SUFFERED CHEMICAL BURNS TO THE FACE. $ 12000.00 DAMAGE TO VEHICLE.*AK *YH
DRIVESHAFT BROKE. ASSOCIATED CABLE BROKE ACTIVATING SIDE AIRBAG SENSOR. MINOR CONTUSIONS.*AK
CONCERNS REGARDING DRIVER'S AIR BAG, CONSUMER IS 4'6" TALL AND 75 LBS, CONSUMER IS CONCERNED ABOUT SAFETY OF SHORT PERSON AND AIR BAG; ADDED ON 09-07-1999. *AK *SLC
WHILE DRIVING AT 50-55 MPH VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION THAT RESULTED IN A ROOLOVER. THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. MANUFACTURER HAS BEEN NOTIFIED. *AK
Official recalls
0No recalls in this snapshot.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
1PE03058 · Engine Crankshaft Pulley Failure
Opened Dec 17, 2003 · Closed Apr 22, 2004
Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Engine And Engine Cooling:engine:gasoline:belts And Associated Pulleys
THE OFFICE OF DEFECTS INVESTIGATION (ODI) OPENED THIS PRELIMINARY EVALUATION TO INVESTIGATE ALLEGATIONS OF ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE THAT COULD RESULT IN LOSS OF POWER-STEERING ASSIST.ODI HAS RECEIVED A TOTAL OF 546 NON-DUPLICATIVE REPORTS THAT ALLEGE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY HARMONIC BALANCER FAILURE ON ALL MERCEDES-BENZ VEHICLES USING THE SUBJECT COMPONENT.THE SUBJECT COMPONENT FAILURES ARE PROGRESSIVE IN NATURE AND ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF THE COMPLAINTS AND WARRANT CLAIMS INVOLVED A FAILURE THAT HAD PROGRESSED FAR ENOUGH TO EFFECT POWER STEERING PERFORMANCE (6 OF 55 ODI COMPLAINTS REFERENCE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT).THERE HAVE BEEN NO CRASHES OR INJURIES RELATED TO THE ALLEGED DEFECT.A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME AND FURTHER USE OF AGENCY RESOURCES DOES NOT APPEAR TO BE WARRANTED.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY WILL TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.SEE SUMMARY REPORT ATTACHED FOR FURTHER DETAIL.