AI Damage2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350: common problems
Owners of the 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350 filed 111 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 111
- involving a crash
- 8
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 53% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 17% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 6% of all complaints
- 5 Powertrain 6% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 3% of all complaints
- 7 Seats 3% of all complaints
- 8 Vehicle speed control 3% of all complaints
- Air bags: 59 complaints (53% of all), 3 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Service brakes: 19 complaints (17% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 16 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Engine: 7 complaints (6% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Powertrain: 7 complaints (6% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 111 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 | 59 | 3 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 19 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 16 | 1 | 0 |
| Engine | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 7 | 2 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seats | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Structure | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Tires | 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.
an Exhaust recycle hose cracked; causing cabin to fill with carbon dioxide. Driver, (me) became disorented.. ran off right shoulder, ran into center divider cement, before rearending truck. Engine light later came on indicating (HVOC?) ERROR Mechanic was able to locate leak and repair. Vehicle now performing properly.
The doctors prescribed pain medicine No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed a lot where it was deemed totaled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
On March 6, during a moving traffic accident that totaled both cars, the air bags failed to deploy, resulting in injury to the driver (me).
I almost went through the windshield however my seat belt didn't stop me or lock in place at all. I also contacted mercedes in april 2016 about my driver airbag that was recalled due to safety concerns and I still haven't been contacted for a resolution as I have reached out to them multiple times for options because…
With the gear selector in park and the passenger side front seat occupied, the vehicle rolled backwards from a 4.4 percent grade and overturned as it proceeded downhill. Inspection of the transmission parking gear revealed that the parking pawl had been activated but did not engage a parking gear slot.
The contact stated that the vehicle stalled. The brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, there was brake fluid leaking from the vehicle with the BRAKE warning light illuminated. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure.
My vehicle jerks back and forth at low acceleration, and it often goes into limp mode which makes the vehicle only drive at around 20 mph at most. I was on the highway, when this happened. I have a 722.9 transmission, and this is a common problem. Why is the snapping recalled?
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 3,319 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 9% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML350 has 68 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 111, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 111. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (10%), won't start (6%), smoke, burning smell, fire (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2011 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 2011 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 2011 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.