AI Damage2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55: common problems
Owners of the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and steering. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 3
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 44% of all complaints
- 2 Steering 22% of all complaints
- 3 Wheels 22% of all complaints
- 4 Electrical system 11% of all complaints
- 5 Exterior lighting 11% of all complaints
- 6 Tires 11% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 4 complaints (44% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Steering: 2 complaints (22% of all).
- Wheels: 2 complaints (22% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (11% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (11% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| Steering | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 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…
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.
The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it diagnosed that the power steering hose had numerous leaks and would need to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was previously serviced under nhtsa campaign number: 03v121000 (steering), but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle.
Headlights intermittently going off while driving, fog lights quit working, can get no lights to come on sometimes while driving. Have researched and found that there has already been a recall put out on my vehicle according to carfax, yet when I speak to anyone at mercedes-benz, they say my car is not included and…
Tl*- the contact stated that while taking the 2001 mercedes ml55 with 72029 current mileage for a routine oil change the mechanic discovered that the steering rack was cracked. The vehicle had not been taken to a dealer and has not been repaired.
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 11,368 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the ML55 has 3 complaints (5 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
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 years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, steering, wheels. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: jerking, harsh shifts (11%), headlights and tail lights (11%), steering or power steering problems (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55?
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 2001 Mercedes-Benz ML55 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 2001 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 2026-11-06.