AI Damage1999 Mercedes-Benz M Class: common problems
Owners of the 1999 Mercedes-Benz M Class filed 18 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and engine and cooling. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 18
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 33% of all complaints
- 2 Engine and cooling 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 17% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 17% of all complaints
- 5 Seat belts 17% of all complaints
- 6 Fuel system 11% of all complaints
- 7 Electronic stability control 6% of all complaints
- 8 Equipment 6% of all complaints
- Steering: 6 complaints (33% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (17% of all).
- Powertrain: 3 complaints (17% of all).
- Seat belts: 3 complaints (17% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 18 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 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.
After I got out the front passenger rotor/caliper was almost glowing and erupting with smoke, the 3 other brakes looked fine. The smoke did not stop for at least 10-15 minutes and it smelled absolutely terrible even standing 15 feet away from the vehicle.
Seat belt buckle recall. Seat belt buckle even after the recall inspection and replacement is defective, the connection in between metal spring and plastic is unsafe and unsafe, it is made out of cheap plastic, eventually plastic will fail and seat belt will unlatch.
My 1999 mercedes ml320 stalled in traffic on the interstate. I had it towed to the dealer who replaced the crankshaft position sensor which showed a marginal problem. We picked up the car and brought to the attention of the manager that the "check engine" was illuminated.
Tire almost no tread after 31,000 miles warranty for 65,000 miles.
When trying to turn my vehicle from a parking lot, there was a sudden leakage of power steering fluid and the steering wheel became so hard to turn. The car was not in drivable condition and I towed it to my nearest service station.
1999 ml 320 began jerking on medium grades. Jerking was reported to knoxville tn. Mercedes benz dealership. They reported the transfer case is failing. They indicated that to their knowledge there has never been a transfer case failure on an ml 320. I had the transfer case replaced at a cost of $4300.00.
While driving approximately 40 mph on normal road conditions, the power steering failed without warning. Immediately, the driver exerted more effort to turn the steering wheel. There was also excessive power steering fluid leaking.
My 1999 ml 320's engine recently (27 and 29 sept 05) instantaneously stalled without warning while driving-no check engine light, just died in the middle of the road!. Good wx, no rain, dry, daytime. It restarted after 5 mins. Traffic went around me. Ml is well maintained,vehicle has 117k miles.
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 8,622 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 24% most complained about).
On average one model year of the M Class has 9 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 18, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 1999 Mercedes-Benz M Class?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, engine and cooling, electrical system. Total complaints: 18. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: steering or power steering problems (33%), warning lights, check engine (17%), seat belts (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1999 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 1999 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 1999 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 2026-11-05.