AI Damage2013 Mercedes-Benz ML350: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML350 filed 57 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and electrical system. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 57
- involving a crash
- 2
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 23% of all complaints
- 2 Electrical system 19% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 14% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 11% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 9% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 9% of all complaints
- 7 Steering 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 5% of all complaints
- Engine: 13 complaints (23% of all).
- Electrical system: 11 complaints (19% of all).
- Fuel/propulsion system: 8 complaints (14% of all).
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (11% of all).
- Service brakes: 5 complaints (9% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 57 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 | 13 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 5 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 3 | 2 | 0 |
| Lane departure | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 1 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 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.
During the crash, the front end of the vehicle was severely damaged and the vehicle was destroyed but no airbags were deployed. No injuries were reported. A police report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was towed away. The cause of the failure was not yet determined.
While traveling on the interstate my ml 350 mercedes benz was struck by another vehicle. I was traveling the speed limit of 70 miles per hour when a car passing me lost control of his vehicle and struck me. The impact was on the drivers side of the car on the rear wheel. The impact pushed my suv to the right.
117,925 miles Dealer / Location: [dealer] ([ref]) Summary of Safety Issue & Defect: The vehicle is experiencing an active liquid diesel fuel leak from a replacement fuel pump assembly that was previously installed by an authorized Mercedes-Benz dealership four years ago.
Fuel Pump and Fuel modulator failed due to water collecting in the spare tire wheel-weld causing water intrusion into the fuel system. I paid out of pocket for this service twice, AND then found out from MB Tacoma there was a RECALL with the exact same issue.
The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 - 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled in the middle lane. The driver was able to push the vehicle safely to the roadside. There were no warning lights illuminated.
I checked it with a OBD2 scanner and it was indicating a code U0109 - Lost communication with fuel pump control module . After looking into solutions and reasons for the issue online I came across a post regarding an existing recall with NHTSA with ID 22v955 regarding water intrusion in the spare wheel well portion of…
The engine locked up after blowing the top part of the engine off, fire shot out of the engine and quickly went out like a flam thrower. I was driving on the expressway when the accelerator would not work without any warning I didnât have any issues with this truck.
[phone], May 2024 TO: ALL MERCEDES-BENZ CENTERS SUBJECT: Model GL-Class, ML-Class, and R-Class (X164, W164 and 251 platform) Model Year 2006 â 2012 Inspect Brake Booster â without Pedal Rework Mercedes-Benz AG, the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vehicles, has determined that on certain MY 2006-2012 ML-Class,…
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 5,000 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 14% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML350 has 68 complaints (14 years in the data). This year has 57, below average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- 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 2013 Mercedes-Benz ML350?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, electrical system, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 57. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (19%), oil leak or consumption (11%), driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (9%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.