AI Damage2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350: common problems
Owners of the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 filed 93 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and seat belts. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 93
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 43% of all complaints
- 2 Seat belts 19% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 18% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 6% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 5% of all complaints
- 6 Structure 5% of all complaints
- 7 Fuel/propulsion system 4% of all complaints
- 8 Fuel system 1% of all complaints
- Air bags: 40 complaints (43% of all).
- Seat belts: 18 complaints (19% of all).
- Electrical system: 17 complaints (18% of all).
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (6% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 5 complaints (5% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 93 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 40 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 18 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 17 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Wheels | 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.
Driver was knocked to the ground and run over by car. Car was stopped when it ran into building structure.
The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH on the parkway, the contact heard a noise and several warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the Signal Acquisition Module (SAM) needed to be replaced.
Vehicle Mishandling â¢Tow company returned the vehicle at the wrong time, left it on the street with a window down, and failed to return the key. â¢Despite repeated requests, the key has never been returned. â¢The ML350 sat exposed for
The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel locked. The battery warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included under recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH in heavy rain, she observed smoke emanating from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that there may have been unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off.
The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the brake sensor warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned that the failure could cause someone to be injured in the event of a failure.
Heavy gas smell inside car and leakage around fuel tank. Took the vehicle in to mechanic today (04/13/23).
The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH with his wife in the front passenger seat and his children in the rear seats, his wife smelled a strong burning odor and saw smoke coming from underneath the front passenger seat. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately veered to the side of the road.
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 3,734 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 10% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML350 has 68 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 93, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Seat belts. Belt pretensioners after airbag deployment, SRS codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, seat belts, electrical system. Total complaints: 93. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: seat belts (18%), smoke, burning smell, fire (10%), warning lights, check engine (10%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350?
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 ML350 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.