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2006 Mercedes Benz ML350

Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations

More warning signs than most ML350 years

Owner complaints for the 2006 Mercedes Benz ML350 are substantially higher than the model-year median of 51.

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When problems were reported

Mileage at the reported incident

137 reports with mileage · 35 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.

  • Power Train. Review the 43 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Engine. Review the 36 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
  • Electrical System. Review the 29 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →

NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.

10 crash reports19 fire reports10 injury reports

Exterior Lighting complaints

9 reports
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Mileage unknown · Jul 18, 2023
Electrical SystemExterior Lighting

Driver Side Low beam headlight turns off and on randomly whether the vehicle is off or on. I lose view of the road because lights turn off randomly and others cannot see me at night as well. I've tried taking my vehicle to the shop, but no one can trace down this problem. No warning was shown until recently.

NHTSA ODI #11533107

Mileage unknown · Jan 18, 2022
Electrical SystemExterior LightingVisibility/wiper

During a rainstorm Dec 25 2021 brake lights gas gauge windshield wipers and truck all stopped working. Trunk will not open no automatic interior lights.

NHTSA ODI #11447909

Mileage unknown · Dec 2, 2018
Exterior LightingUnknown Or Other

I JUST PURCHASED A 2006 MERCEDES ML350. IVE HAD PROBLEMS OPENING THE TRUNK AND THE UPPER LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BULBS WERE REPLACED AND STILL THEY'RE NOT WORKING. BULB CONTACTS ARE KNOWN TO BURN UP CAUSING A NEEDED UPDATE FOR THE TAIL/BRAKE LAMP WIRING REPAIR HARNESS AND BULB SOCKETS.FOUND A FORUM WHERE A TECHN…

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I JUST PURCHASED A 2006 MERCEDES ML350. IVE HAD PROBLEMS OPENING THE TRUNK AND THE UPPER LEFT AND RIGHT BRAKE LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. BULBS WERE REPLACED AND STILL THEY'RE NOT WORKING. BULB CONTACTS ARE KNOWN TO BURN UP CAUSING A NEEDED UPDATE FOR THE TAIL/BRAKE LAMP WIRING REPAIR HARNESS AND BULB SOCKETS.FOUND A FORUM WHERE A TECHNICIAN IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. WEBSITE IS JUSTANSWER.COM PLEASE SEE THE POST HTTPS://WWW.JUSTANSWER.COM/MERCEDES/6GPJ8-MERCEDES-BENZ-ML500-2006-ML500-LEFT-RIGHT.HTML ALSO THE LATCH FOR THE TRUNK STOPS FUNCTIONING. THE TRUNK CAN ONLY BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE VIA SAFETY RELEASE. THIS IS ALSO A KNOWN PROBLEM FOR THIS CAR. HAVE THERE BEEN OTHER CONSUMERS COMPLAINING ABOUT THIS PROBLEM AND CAN THERE BE A POTENTIAL RECALL ON THIS CAR FOR THESE REPAIRS? THESE ARE SAFETY ISSUES.

NHTSA ODI #11155518

130,000 miles · Jun 20, 2016
Air BagsElectrical SystemExterior Lighting

"TAKATA RECALL". IN HOUSE WIRING,3RD BRAKE LIGHT, TURN MARKERS ,BRAKE LIGHTS ALL NON OPERATIONAL. TAKEN TO DEALERSHIP PROBLEM STILL OCCURS!

NHTSA ODI #10875281

82,000 miles · Mar 27, 2016
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

RIGHT REAR TAILLIGHT HAD AN ELECTRICAL FIRE THAT STARTED IN THE WIRE HOUSING. THE CAR WAS PARKED (STATIONARY)

NHTSA ODI #10851829

55,000 miles · Mar 23, 2014
Exterior LightingService Brakes

MY ML350 HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIMARY BRAKE LIGHTS BURNING OUT. AUTOMATICALLY THE VEHICLE IS SWITCHING TO THE SUBSTITUTE BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS IS THE SECOND SET OF BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 1-MONTH. I JUST REPLACED THEM 2-DAYS AGO WITH A NEW SET OF SYLVANIA BULBS PURCHASED FROM ADVANCED AUTO AS PER THE VEHICLE …

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MY ML350 HAS HAD A PROBLEM WITH THE PRIMARY BRAKE LIGHTS BURNING OUT. AUTOMATICALLY THE VEHICLE IS SWITCHING TO THE SUBSTITUTE BRAKE LIGHTS. THIS IS THE SECOND SET OF BRAKE LIGHTS ON THE VEHICLE IN LESS THAN 1-MONTH. I JUST REPLACED THEM 2-DAYS AGO WITH A NEW SET OF SYLVANIA BULBS PURCHASED FROM ADVANCED AUTO AS PER THE VEHICLE MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR. I AM CONCERNED THAT THE PROBLEM COULD ORIGINATE FROM A POSSIBLE SHORT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM AND/OR POOR GROUNDING. *TR

NHTSA ODI #10574292

78,000 miles · Jan 23, 2014
Exterior LightingFire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, WHO VERIFIED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS …

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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY BURST INTO FLAMES. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, WHO VERIFIED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED FROM THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 78,000.

NHTSA ODI #10561195

75,000 miles · Dec 8, 2013
Electrical SystemExterior LightingFire

OWNER HAD ARRIVED HOME AT 7:00 P.M. FROM WORK AND WAS INSIDE HIS RESIDENCE. AT 10:00 P.M. POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL CAME TO HIS DOOR TO INFORM HIM THAT HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. ONE RESIDENT SAID THAT, AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE PARKING LOT, HE NOTICED THERE WAS FIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT (AROUND 10:00 PM) AND WHE…

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OWNER HAD ARRIVED HOME AT 7:00 P.M. FROM WORK AND WAS INSIDE HIS RESIDENCE. AT 10:00 P.M. POLICE AND FIRE PERSONNEL CAME TO HIS DOOR TO INFORM HIM THAT HIS CAR WAS ON FIRE. ONE RESIDENT SAID THAT, AS HE WAS WALKING IN THE PARKING LOT, HE NOTICED THERE WAS FIRE IN THE PASSENGER SIDE REAR TAIL LIGHT (AROUND 10:00 PM) AND WHEN HE LOOKED INSIDE, THERE WAS FIRE IN THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND THE REAR TAIL LIGHT. HE RAN FOR A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND ALSO YELLED FOR HELP AND FOR SOMEONE TO CALL 911 FOR THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. BOTH FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVED. CAR HAD NOT BEEN DRIVEN FOR 3 HOURS AND WAS PARKED, WAS DRIVEN ONLY 7 MILES THREE HOURS EARLIER WITH NO STOPS. CAR HAS BEEN CONSIDERED TOTALED BY INSURANCE DUE TO THE AMOUNT OF DAMAGE INCURRED AND HAD BEEN OWNED FOR ONLY ONE YEAR, SERVICED REGULARLY BY MERCEDES BENZ, AND ALL RECALLS HAD BEEN UP-TO-DATE! THE SERVICING MERCEDES DEALERSHIP PROMPTLY INFORMED MERCEDES BENZ USA WHO ALSO PROMPTLY CONTACTED THE OWNER TO FILL OUT THE APPROPRIATE PAPERWORK AND SUBMIT PICTURES FOR REVIEW. THIS PAPERWORK/PICTURES WERE ALSO PROMPTLY SUBMITTED. HOWEVER, DUE TO THE SERIOUSNESS OF THIS FIRE AND POSSIBLE LOSS OF LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC, THIS REPORT IS ALSO BEING SENT TO YOUR AGENCY FOR FOLLOW-UP. (NOTE THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE TAIL LIGHTS IN THE ML350 FOR POSSIBLE FIRE FOR 2007 AND YEARS ABOVE, BUT NOT THE YEAR OF THIS VEHICLE, 2006. A SIMILAR PROBLEM IS REPORTED IN THE C-CLASS AUTOMOBILES AND MAY BE MORE WIDESPREAD THAN PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT). *TR

NHTSA ODI #10555205

122,000 miles · Dec 4, 2012
Exterior Lighting

I HAVE A 2006 ME/BE ML350 WHERE THE TAIL LIGHTS AND STOP LIGHTS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE SYSTEM GOES INTO BACK UP MODE WHERE ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS GO ON, THIS CAUSES THE COMPUTER TO GIVE FALSE MESSAGES. THE DEALER WANTS OVER $300 FOR A "REWIRING KIT" AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HELP. I FEEL THE TAI…

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I HAVE A 2006 ME/BE ML350 WHERE THE TAIL LIGHTS AND STOP LIGHTS DON'T WORK PROPERLY. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. THE SYSTEM GOES INTO BACK UP MODE WHERE ANOTHER SET OF LIGHTS GO ON, THIS CAUSES THE COMPUTER TO GIVE FALSE MESSAGES. THE DEALER WANTS OVER $300 FOR A "REWIRING KIT" AND THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT HELP. I FEEL THE TAIL LIGHTS/STOP LIGHT WIRING SHOULD LAST THE LIFE OF THE CAR, WHICH HAS NOT BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT OR MISUSED. A REWIRING KIT TELLS ME THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM. I FOUND NHTSA # 10028025 WHICH RELATES TO THIS PROBLEM BUT I'VE HAD NO LUCK WITH THE MANUFACTURER OR THE DEALER. MY QUESTION IS-DOES THIS TSB APPLY TO MY CAR AND WHAT CAN I DO? THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI #10487349

Official recalls

2

24V298000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

Apr 26, 2024

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.

22V315000 · Service Brakes, Hydraulic:power Assist:vacuum

May 9, 2022

Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Consequence & remedy

Consequence: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

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

0

No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.