AI DamageMercedes-Benz ML55: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz ML55 across 5 model years: 15 owner complaints and 0 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
| Year | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) | YouTube repair videos |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9999 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2001 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2000 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 47% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 20% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 13% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 7% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 7% of all complaints
- 6 Exterior lighting 7% of all complaints
- 7 Powertrain 7% of all complaints
- 8 Tires 7% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 7 complaints (47% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 3 complaints (20% of all).
- Wheels: 2 complaints (13% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (7% of all).
- Engine: 1 complaints (7% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 15 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 7 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 1 | 0 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
2001 mercedes benz ml55. Consumer writes in regards to a defective sensor malfunction. The consumer stated the left front tire locked up, sending the vehicle into the opposite lane of traffic. The consumer lost control of the vehicle and rolled over. The consumer stated the sensor did not prevent the roll over.
2001 mercedes-benz ml55, defective sensor near the right front tire that when functioning is suppose to prevent roll overs. Updated 02/12/15 the consumer stated the right front tire locked up and he grabbed the wheel to prevent to avoid hitting parked vehicles.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes ml55. The contact stated that the vehicle was exhibiting braking issues and was taken to the dealer. The dealer found that the lateral acceleration sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but the failure recurred within three weeks of the repair.
While driving the vehicle the car would randomly lock up different wheels on the car jerking the steering wheel out of my hands. The first time I was on a freeway and thought I must have run over a puddle of oil and the antilock system was trying to keep the car stable, even though the steering wheel was jerking from…
Vehicle exhibits rattling noises, exhaust leaks, cel, reduced power, and extremely low mpg, large amt of black smoke out of exhaust. The main cause of this problem is defective catalytic converters.
Tl* the contact owns a 2001 mercedes-benz ml55amg. While driving 45 mph, the front passenger side brake independently locked without warning and the vehicle went sideways. The dealer and manufacturer were not notified. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was 135,000.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Other models of this make
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 2026-11-06.