IllustrationMY POWER STEERING PIN BROKE AND THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS SAME EXACT THING AND MY VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED
2008 Mercedes Benz ML550
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 ML550 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: 7 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 4 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Air Bags. Review the 2 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 reports0 fire reports1 injury reports
Steering complaints
4 reportsNHTSA 08V682000 DEFECT IN POWER STEERING OIL PRESSURE DRIVING PIN. THE NHTSA SHOULD REEVALUATE ACCEPTING MERCEDES BENZ UNDERESTIMATING OF THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT WERE EFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THERE ARE STILL VEHICLES THAT ARE LOOSING POWER STEERING PRESSURE DUE TO THE DRIVING PIN THAT IS USED TO CONTROL POWER STEERING OIL P…
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NHTSA 08V682000 DEFECT IN POWER STEERING OIL PRESSURE DRIVING PIN. THE NHTSA SHOULD REEVALUATE ACCEPTING MERCEDES BENZ UNDERESTIMATING OF THE AMOUNT OF VEHICLES THAT WERE EFFECTED BY THIS RECALL. THERE ARE STILL VEHICLES THAT ARE LOOSING POWER STEERING PRESSURE DUE TO THE DRIVING PIN THAT IS USED TO CONTROL POWER STEERING OIL PRESSURE BEING DEFECTIVE AND THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD RESULT IN DEATHS AND ACCIDENTS. THE PIN BREAKS DURING NORMAL VEHICLE TURNING SO THE STEERING ASSIST WILL NO LONGER OPERATE EFFECTIVELY IT ALSO CAUSES OTHER DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE AS A RESULT OF THE HARD STEERING DEFECT AS A RESULT OF THE PIN BREAKING. WHEN DRIVING COLD THE VEHICLE HAS POWER STEERING AVAILABLE, WHEN WARM VEHICLE LOOSES POWER STEERING, FLUID IS CIRCULATING IN POWER STEERING PUMP AND PRESSURE CHECKS FINE. AS A RESULT DUE TO HARD STEERING LEAKS DEVELOP DUE TO POWER STEERING PRESSURES VARIANCES IN THE STEERING SYSTEM OVER TIME A FIRE AND OTHER POTENTIAL PROBLEMS CAN ARISE. THERE IS ALSO A POPPING SOUND FELT IN THE STEERING WHEEL NOT DUE TO TIE RODS.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND FORCE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING…
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TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND FORCE WAS APPLIED. THE FAILURE RECURRED WHENEVER THE VEHICLE WAS IN OPERATION. THE VEHICLE WAS DIAGNOSED HOWEVER, NOT REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 08V682000 (STEERING). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
ON TWO OCCASION WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN TRAFFIC/OPERATIONTHE ENGINE STALLED ON TURNING THE CAR. ENGINE HAD TO BE RESTARTED IN ORDER TO UNBLOCK THE STEERING WHEEL AND RESTART THE ENGINE. THIS IS A CERTIFIED VEHICLE AND MERCEDES BENZ CLAIMED THE INCIDENT -A DID NEVER HAPPEN AND B-COULD NOT BE DUPLICATED.
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.