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2003 Mercedes Benz ML320

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

Similar to other model years

Owner complaints for the 2003 Mercedes Benz ML320 do not stand out strongly from the model-year median of 28.

About this comparison →
22Owner complaints

Model-year median: 28

0Recall campaigns

View recall details →

1Investigations

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How this year compares

Owner complaints by model year

Other model years Selected year
166
2000136
200188
200222
20035
20051
2006
Compare all ML320 years →

Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.

What owners reported most

Seats
6Steering
6Vehicle Speed Control
4Electrical System
2Electronic Stability Control (esc)
2
All reported categories
Power Train
2Service Brakes
2Service Brakes, Hydraulic
2Air Bags
1Fuel System, Other
1Fuel/propulsion System
1Suspension
1

Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.

When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

Limited mileage data: 15 of 22 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.

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.

  • Seats. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Steering. Review the 6 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Vehicle Speed Control. Review the 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

1 crash reports4 fire reports2 injury reports

Service Brakes, Hydraulic complaints

2 reports
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30,000 miles · Mar 5, 2012
Service Brakes, HydraulicFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE SPEED. THE CONTACT SMELLED AN UNUSUAL ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS A BURNING ODOR OF BRAKES EMITTED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING…

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE BRAKES WERE ENGAGED NUMEROUS TIMES BEFORE THERE WAS A REDUCTION IN THE SPEED. THE CONTACT SMELLED AN UNUSUAL ODOR INSIDE OF THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, ON SEPARATE OCCASIONS A BURNING ODOR OF BRAKES EMITTED THROUGHOUT THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER WHO WAS UNABLE TO DETECT A PROBLEM. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE PROBLEM. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 30,000.

NHTSA ODI #10450251

Mileage unknown · Jun 16, 2004
Service Brakes, HydraulicVehicle Speed ControlCrash

WHILE PARKING VEHICLE ACCELERATED. CONSUMER APPLIED THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE BRAKES FAILED. THIS CAUSED CONSUMER'S VEHICLE TO COLLIDE WITH THE VEHICLE IN FRONT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE CAUSE HAD NOT BEEN DETERMINED. *AK

NHTSA ODI #10079386

Official recalls

0

No 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

1

PE05005 · Electric Seat Warmer Overheats/burns

Opened Feb 2, 2005 · Closed Jun 29, 2005

Status: closed (inferred from source dates) · Seats:front Assembly:seat Heater/cooler

THIS INVESTIGATION WAS OPENED BASED ON THREE CONSUMER COMPLAINTS OF ELECTRIC SEAT WARMER OVERHEATING IN MY 2003 MERCEDES BENZ ML-320 VEHICLES.CONSUMERS ALLEGED THAT SUCH FAILURES MAY INFLICT BURN INJURIES TO SEAT OCCUPANTS.INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THAT THE IDENTICAL SEAT WARMER DESIGN WAS INSTALLED IN 65.5 PERCENT OF ALL M-CLASS VEHICLES PRODUCED DURING MY 2000-2005.THE ALLEGED DEFECT RESULTED FROM BREAKAGE OF THE ELECTRICAL BUS WIRE OF THE HEATER GRID IN THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE SEAT BOLSTER.THE FAILURES WERE CAUSED BY REPEATED HIGH STRESS APPLIED DURING OCCUPANT INGRESS AND EGRESS.A SIMILAR FAILURE MODE HAD BEEN PREVIOUSLY IDENTIFIED IN INVESTIGATIONS OF THIS TYPE OF FAILURE IN OTHER VEHICLES.THE RATES OF COMPLAINTS AND WARRANTY CLAIMS FOR THE SUBJECT VEHICLES, AS WELL AS FOR OTHER M-CLASS VEHICLES WITH THE SAME SEAT WARMER DESIGN, WERE IN SOME CASES HIGHER, BUT ON THE SAME ORDER OF MAGNITUDE AS THE RATES SEEN IN OTHER VEHICLES INVESTIGATED.THE INFORMATION DISCLOSED THAT SEAT CUSHION DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO SMALL, LOCALIZED AREAS AND THAT NO RISK OF FIRE EXISTED.THE INJURIES REPORTED WERE CONSISTENTLY VERY MINOR IN SEVERITY AND AT RATES COMPARABLE TO THOSE SEEN ON OTHER INVESTIGATIONS.ODI CONCLUDED THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND WAS NOT IDENTIFIED IN THIS MATTER AT THIS TIME.ACCORDINGLY, THIS PE HAS BEEN CLOSED.THE CLOSING OF THIS INVESTIGATION DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A FINDING BY NHTSA THAT A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT DOES NOT EXIST.THE AGENCY RESERVES THE RIGHT TO TAKE FURTHER ACTION IF WARRANTED BY THE CIRCUMSTANCES.