What breaks most · 2002 to 2007 model years
Mercedes-Benz ML500 problems by year
Owners have filed 107 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz ML500 across model years 2002 to 2007. Three years stand out: 2006 for electrical system complaints, 2002 for steering complaints and 2004 for electrical system complaints. The quietest years are 2003.
- Years to check closely: 2006, 2002, 2004
- Fewest complaints: 2003
- Complaints on file
- 1072002 to 2007, all trims
- Worst year
- 200637 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 515 fires · 10 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 95kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 5Across 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | 1 | 1 | Steering (7) | |
| 13 | 0 | 0 | Engine (5) | |
| 18 | 0 | 0 | Electrical system (5) | |
| 3 | 0 | 0 | Engine (1) | |
| 37 | 3 | 2 | Electrical system (8) | |
| 9 | 1 | 2 | Seats (5) |
What fails on the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 22% |
8 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 |
| Powertrain and transmissionTransmission parts | 19% |
7 | 0 | Shop all powertrain and transmission parts, not filtered to this vehicle |
| Brakes (hydraulic)Brake pads, rotors and calipers | 14% |
5 | 2 | Shop brakes (hydraulic) parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 |
| SteeringPower steering pumps, racks and hoses | 14% |
5 | 0 | Shop steering parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 |
| Speed control and throttleThrottle and pedal sensors | 11% |
4 | 1 | Shop speed control and throttle parts for the 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 |
| Air bags | 11% |
4 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| Unknown or other | 8% |
3 | 1 | — |
| Seats | 8% |
3 | 0 | — |
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.
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Accelerated 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.
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House from power steering pomp is leaking , during drive i loose power steering fluid and almost i hit cat from another line.
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During 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.
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 6, 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 ML500 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2006, 2002, 2004 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz ML500. The 2006 alone has 37 complaints, led by electrical system.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz ML500 problem?
On the 2006 model year, the most-reported component is electrical system with 8 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz ML500 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz ML500 complaints that include mileage is about 95,000 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.