IllustrationDURING REGULAR VEHICLE USE THE FRONT RIGHT HEADLIGHT STOPPED WORKING. UPON INSPECTION IT WAS FOUND THAT THE HEADLIGHT HOLDER HAD MELTED UNDER EXTREME TEMPERATURES DUE TO A MANUFACTURERS DEFECT IN THE WIRING HARNESS. *TR
2004 Mercedes Benz ML500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all ML500 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
Limited mileage data: 14 of 18 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Steering. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Seats. Review the 3 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports3 fire reports3 injury reports
Exterior Lighting complaints
2 reportsI WANT TO PROTEST IN THE LOUDEST VOICE THAT I HAVE AS A AUTOMOBILE DRIVER THE USE BY SOME RECENT MODEL CARS OF HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS. I AM NOT REFERRING TO HIGH BEAMS.......THESE LIGHTS ARE FAR WORSE THAN HIGH BEAMS. I AM BLINDED BY THESE LIGHTS AND FIND MY EYES TURNING TO THEM INVOLUNTARILY. I FEAR THAT THEY WILL BE RESPONS…
Read full complaint
I WANT TO PROTEST IN THE LOUDEST VOICE THAT I HAVE AS A AUTOMOBILE DRIVER THE USE BY SOME RECENT MODEL CARS OF HIGH INTENSITY HEADLIGHTS. I AM NOT REFERRING TO HIGH BEAMS.......THESE LIGHTS ARE FAR WORSE THAN HIGH BEAMS. I AM BLINDED BY THESE LIGHTS AND FIND MY EYES TURNING TO THEM INVOLUNTARILY. I FEAR THAT THEY WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR MANY ACCIDENTS IF OTHER DRIVERS REACT AS I DO. I SEE ABSOLUTELY NO NEED FOR SUCH LIGHTS ON OUR HIGHWAYS. THIS IS THE FIRST COMPLIANT I HAVE EVER SUBMITTED IN 57 YEARS OF DRIVING! *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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.