AI Damage1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class: common problems
Owners of the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and cooling and structure. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Engine and cooling 40% of all complaints
- 2 Structure 40% of all complaints
- 3 Powertrain 20% of all complaints
- 4 Steering 20% of all complaints
- Engine and cooling: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Structure: 2 complaints (40% of all).
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (20% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
While pulling into a parking spot in a shopping center and going about 5 miles per hour, suddenly the accelerator went to the floor and I crashed into 2 cars. Luckily, I was not hurt and the damage to the 3 cars was slight bumper damage. I called the police and made a report.
No power steering while driving which is hard to steer that might cause into an accident. The harmonic balancer failed.
The crankshaft harmonic balancer pulley of my mercedes ml 320 gave out on me while I was driving. The belt started to burn. I called the mercedes benz dealer in honolulu, hi and the service manager, dan told me that there was no recall on the pulley to date and that I should bring my ml 320 in to get repaired.
On december 29th while traveling with my family on I-77 north in virginia the metal sunroof wind deflector on my 1998 mercedes ml320 completely and without warning broke off and flew into the path of several automobiles. A major traffic accident was narrowly avoided.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the M Class has 9 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 5, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine and cooling, structure, powertrain. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: door locks, latches, handles (20%), steering or power steering problems (20%), windows, sunroof (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class?
NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 1998 models
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.