AI Damage2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500: common problems
Owners of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about steering and service brakes. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 1
What fails most often
- 1 Steering 26% of all complaints
- 2 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 5 Visibility 11% of all complaints
- 6 Engine and cooling 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Air bags 4% of all complaints
- Steering: 7 complaints (26% of all).
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (22% of all).
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (11% of all).
- Visibility: 3 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 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 | 7 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Visibility | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Air bags | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel system | 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.
Motor vehicle accident head on and the airbags did not deploy.
Thank God I was driving down a secluded road and nobody was behind me, but my vehicles brakes locked up, on their own, even with my foot on the accelerator pedal, with no warning lights or warning signals. I have no error codes, and my vehicle is well maintained.
The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic and the check engine warning indicator illuminated. Walter's mercedes-benz of riverside (3213 adams st, riverside, [ZIP], [phone]) was contacted and stated that diagnostic testing was needed. The vehicle was not repaired.
This was the 3rd time it happened, this time on the freeway in california and lasted until the car came to a stop. The car went into break mode on its own, the car fishtailed and came to a stop before recovering. Luckily the car behind me was able to stop, I heard breaks screeching, but no known crashes.
I, 12 years ago was driving my ml 500 mercedes on us 23 between ann arbor, michigan and sylvania, in ohio. My car suddenly lost all power. I fortunately was able to swerve to the right and the car stopped. This occurred twice. I have since sold my car several years ago.
Power steering fluid leaking in small drips when parked. Hard to steer at times and makes loud noise. Have concerns that steering may be affected and cause total loss of steering.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 mercedes ml500. While driving at night at any speed, the contact noticed an optical distortion on the rear view mirror which affected his visibility of the vehicles located in the rear.
When receiving the vehicle from the authorized dealer, the contact began to notice power steering fluid leaking onto the ground wherever the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the it was confirmed that power steering fluid was leaking from the vehicle but no remedy was offered.
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 7,189 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML500 has 15 complaints (7 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.
What to check before buying
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel 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.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: steering, service brakes, electrical system. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (30%), steering or power steering problems (26%), brake failure (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500?
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 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 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 2002 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.