TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. *TR
2006 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
31 reports with mileage · 6 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.
- Electrical System. Review the 8 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 5 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
What owners actually said
37 reportsACCELERATED AFTER STOPPING AT A LIGHTED INTERSECTION. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT INTO GEAR THEREFORE, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT MOVE. VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO DEALER WHO REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION AT THE REDUCED COST OF $2500, AS A COURTESY, SINCE THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY BY 3K MILES. *TR
AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, RELEASED BRAKE AND PRESSED GAS; THE RPM WOULD GO UP, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, INSTEAD THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS BECAUSE IT WAS ON A HILL. THE GEAR INDICATOR WAS ON DRIVE, BUT CAR WAS ACTUALLY ON NEUTRAL. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SI…
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AFTER STOPPING AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT, RELEASED BRAKE AND PRESSED GAS; THE RPM WOULD GO UP, BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE FORWARD, INSTEAD THE CAR STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARDS BECAUSE IT WAS ON A HILL. THE GEAR INDICATOR WAS ON DRIVE, BUT CAR WAS ACTUALLY ON NEUTRAL. THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT CHANGE GEARS. THIS CREATES A DANGEROUS SITUATION AS CAR IS ON NEUTRAL AND CANNOT CHANGE TRANSMISSION BACK TO ANY GEAR. CAR WAS TAKE TO A DEALER REPAIR SHOP, WHERE TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY WAS REPLACED. AS CAR WAS OUT OF WARRANTY COST OF REPAIR OVER $1000. *TR
MERCEDES 500ML TRANSMISSION AND POWER STEERING NOT SAFE. *TR
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND CRASHED INTO A GATE. THE DRIVER JUMP INTO THE VEHICLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND SUSTAINED SCRATCHES AND CUTS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT TH…
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TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND CRASHED INTO A GATE. THE DRIVER JUMP INTO THE VEHICLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND SUSTAINED SCRATCHES AND CUTS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NORMAL. THE INSURANCE COMPANY HIRED AN INVESTIGATOR AND HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT WITH THE BRAKING SYSTEM. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 28400 AND CURRENT MILEAGE IS 28,600. UPDATED 03/05/08. *LJ
THE ELECTRONIC AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR! WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VECHILE IS UNDRIVEABLE BECAUSE THE FRONT END FALLS ON THE FRONT WHEELS. *TR CAN YOU BELEIVE I PAID EXTRA DOLLARS FOR THIS OPTION AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND I BELEIVE THE PROBLEM WILL …
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THE ELECTRONIC AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR! WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VECHILE IS UNDRIVEABLE BECAUSE THE FRONT END FALLS ON THE FRONT WHEELS. *TR CAN YOU BELEIVE I PAID EXTRA DOLLARS FOR THIS OPTION AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM AND I BELEIVE THE PROBLEM WILL NEVER BE RESOLVED. I CAN SEE MYSELF IN ANOTHER 5000 OR 6000 MILES EXPERIENCING THE SAME PROBLEM! I BELEIVE FROM PAST EXPERIENCE WITH MERCEDES BENZ THE ELECTRONIC AIRMATIC SUSPENION WILL NEVER WORK PROPERLY AND THE CAR SHOULD BE DECLARED A LEMON FOR THE FOLLOWING DOCUMENTED REASON! I OWN A 1963 MERCEDES BENZ 300SE WITH THE OLD MERCEDES BENZ HYDROLIC VERSION OF THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION AND IT ALWAYS BROKEN. THAT WAS 43 YEARS AGO AND THE CRAFTED THINKERS AT MERCEDES BENZ HAVE NOT RESOLVED THE PROBLEM YET! WHEN I BOUGHT THE VECHILE THE SALESMAN ASSURED ME THAT THEY HAD WORKED OUT ALL THE PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRMATIC SUSPENSION AND I HAD NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT! IF THAT'S THE CASE! WHY IS MY CAR IN THE GARAGE AND I HAVE NO VECHILE TO DRIVE UNTIL MY SERVICE APPOINMENT THIS WEDNESDAY COMMING UP. MERCEDES BENZ OFFERS A $70,000 TRUCK WITH A NIGHMARE ELECTRONIC SUSPENSION FOR AN OPTION THAT DOES NOT WORK THAT YOU PAID EXTRA MONEY FOR. WHAT A JOKE? I REALLY THINK THEY SHOULD REPLACE THE VECHILE. THIS PROBLEM WILL NEVER BE RESOLVED! ALL I,M GONNA GET FROM MERCEDES BENZ IS WE WILL FIX THE PROBLEM SIR! DON'T WORRY! THE BIG QUESTION WHO WILL PAY THE COST OF THE REPAIR OF THIS PROBLEM WHEN MY WARRANTY ENDS IF I KEEP THIS VECHILE! IT'S NOT FAIR!
TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2006 MERCEDES ML 500 (19800 FAILURE MILEAGE) AT 25 MPH, AND MERGING RIGHT ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE GRASS. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL KEPT SPINNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A D…
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TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2006 MERCEDES ML 500 (19800 FAILURE MILEAGE) AT 25 MPH, AND MERGING RIGHT ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE GRASS. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL KEPT SPINNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER AND THE DEALER STATED THAT "THEY WILL NOT FIX THE VEHICLE, BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS IN A CRASH" EVEN THOUGH HE DIDN'T STRIKE ANYTHING WHEN HE LOST CONTROL AND RAN OFF ON TO THE MEDIAN. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT YET BEEN REPAIRED.
Official recalls
224V298000 · 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
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.
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