AI Damage2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 filed 28 complaints with NHTSA, most often about fuel system and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 28
What fails most often
- 1 Fuel system 25% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 21% of all complaints
- 3 Engine and cooling 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 5 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 6 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 7 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel/propulsion system 7% of all complaints
- Fuel system: 7 complaints (25% of all).
- Engine: 6 complaints (21% of all).
- Engine and cooling: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (14% of all).
- Air bags: 3 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 28 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fuel system | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Latches, locks, linkages | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 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.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue.
Rear coil springs rusted through and broke resulting in greatly diminished vehicle stability, especially in emergency maneuvers. Have had numerous repair facilities evaluate, including the dealer. All have refused to replace rear springs due to safety risk
Our vehicle caught fire. My wife and I had just gotten off of the interstate when we started to smell an odd smell. We pulled into a hotel parking lot where we started to see smoke coming from the front of the vehicle. I stopped the vehicle in a hotel driveway, put the vehicle in park.
Issues with sunroof mb has done a recall on all models other than "m" class I'm having issues with my 2009 ml 320
Tl* takata recall. The contact owns a 2009 mercedes-benz ml320. The contact received notification of nhtsa campaign number: 16v081000 (air bags); however, the parts to do the repair were unavailable.
Takata recall - all the mercedes benz locations I called (portland, beaverton, tigard, hillsborough and wilsonville), are not accepting to replace the defective equipment as they claim they do not have the required parts to do it.
Cpsc:2009 mercedes benz ml320 with approved, dealer installed trailer tow hitch purchased used on 9/05/2017. Rated capacity is 7200 lbs. On monday, 9/11/2017, attached an 2005 airstream trailer, weighing 5240 lbs. , moving out of driveway, heard a loud "pop" sound.
I was sold this vehicle on february 27, 2016, after the recall notice was released. The dealer did not mention a recall, and I had no knowledge of a recall until searching today. Shouldn't the dealership have informed me of the recall? Do they have any culpability for not sharing this information.
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 7,081 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 19% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML320 has 57 complaints (13 years in the data). This year has 28, below average.
What to check before buying
- Fuel system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Engine and cooling. Radiator and fan after a frontal hit, coolant level and condition, overheating.
- 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 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: fuel system, engine, engine and cooling. Total complaints: 28. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: stalls while driving (11%), A/C or heater (7%), fuel system, fuel smell (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320?
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 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 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 2009 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.