What breaks most · 2001 to 2015 model years
Mercedes-Benz ML350 problems by year
Owners have filed 697 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz ML350 across model years 2001 to 2015. One year stands out: 2006 for powertrain and transmission complaints. The quietest years are 2001, 2005 and 2003.
- Years to check closely: 2006
- Fewest complaints: 2001, 2005, 2003
- Complaints on file
- 6972001 to 2015, all trims
- Worst year
- 2006139 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 4265 fires · 42 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 60kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 33Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | Child Seat (1) | |
| 24 | 0 | 0 | Steering (11) | |
| 31 | 3 | 0 | Steering (6) | |
| 21 | 0 | 0 | Steering (5) | |
| 139 | 6 | 2 | Powertrain and transmission (39) | |
| 70 | 6 | 2 | Seats (27) | |
| 58 | 4 | 2 | Steering (22) | |
| 74 | 1 | 3 | Air bags (40) | |
| 91 | 2 | 3 | Air bags (62) | |
| 79 | 5 | 3 | Air bags (54) | |
| 35 | 3 | 4 | Engine (13) | |
| 25 | 1 | 5 | Engine (6) | |
| 28 | 4 | 4 | Unknown or other (9) | |
| 21 | 7 | 5 | Brakes (5) |
What fails on the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 28% |
39 | 2 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| EngineEngine gaskets and seals | 19% |
26 | 1 | Shop engine parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 16% |
22 | 1 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
| Engine and coolingRadiators, thermostats and cooling | 12% |
17 | 1 | Shop engine and cooling parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
| Seats | 10% |
14 | 0 | — |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 7% |
10 | 1 | Shop steering parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
| Exterior lightingHeadlights, tail lights and bulbs | 5% |
7 | 0 | Shop exterior lighting parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 4% |
6 | 2 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML350 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
Vehicle was making a roaring noise, rear differential was gone and had to be replaced. Front differential is also bad and will have to be replaced in the near future.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz ML350 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006 carries the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz ML350. The 2006 alone has 139 complaints, led by powertrain and transmission.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz ML350 problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is powertrain and transmission with 39 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz ML350 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz ML350 complaints that include mileage is about 60,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.