At least one recall carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning. Confirm by VIN that the repair was completed before driving or buying this car. The fix is free at a dealer.
Recalls
Safety issues the manufacturer must repair for free. A recall means confirm the fix was done, not walk away.
Brakes recall
Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.
- Status
- Do not drive until repaired. A dealer fixes this free of charge.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Brakes recall
Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy
- Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.
- Status
- Do not drive until repaired. A dealer fixes this free of charge.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Airbags recall
In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
- Remedy
- MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
- Status
- Remedy available. Confirm by VIN that this repair was completed.
- What to do
- Enter the VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to confirm this car was repaired.
Owner complaints by system
Unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA, grouped by the part of the car. Useful for spotting patterns. Open a group to read recent examples.
Engine & powertrain
10
Most reports here involve rollaway. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
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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? I have had a checked with Mercedes-Benz of music City when I had gotten my recall work done, and they said that it just needs a whole new transmission. They said that they had never seen an issue like this. They want $16,000. I have been reading and reading and reading I don't know how they have not seen the issue when it's very very common. Again my question is, why has this not been recalled? There are soldering issues for a speed solenoid sensor, and the TCU it makes it go bad. What is going on, and why has this issue not been addressed? I have two toddlers that I drive in my vehicle every single day. God forbid we're not so lucky next time. The only reason why we did not get hit this time, is because we were on the highway at a slow hour of the day. My son is disabled and we are on the highway and in the car a whole lot. If this happens during rush hour, we will be no doubt smacked into by another vehicle.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11585077 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Electrical & infotainment
15
Most reports here involve loss of steering.
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I believe the electrical system may be defective as ever since I have had it the light bulbs frequently have to be changed. We own three vehicles in my households (the other 2 are non-Mercedes) and none of my other vehicles do this. The latest issue with the electrical system is that the rear tail lamp and power lift gate. I was told there was water that was getting in from somewhere but mechanic could not find where. I need a new SAM module and that is why my power lift gate motor does not work. As I did some research online, the same exact problem was recalled on a the same model but the 2009 model and I have the 2011 model. I believe my car should be part of the same recall which I believe is Mercedes recall number 2009030003. That appears to be a faulty seal around the rear tail lamp assembly. I believe this is a manufacturer's defect that should be covered and would likely explain why I have had to change out light bulbs so many times over the years.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11647608 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Brakes
14
Most reports here involve loss of braking. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 1 mention an injury.
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Corroded brake lines. This is a well known issue for many ML350s built during this time period. This car was built with steel brake lines that easily corrode and present a serious safety issue. While driving a few months ago, the car suddenly lost the ability to brake because a line rusted completely through. The mechanic noted the lines are rusted in many other places as well. Mercedes refuses to correct this under warranty.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11688721 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Steering, suspension & tires
1
Most reports here involve other issues.
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2011 MERCEDES BENZ ML 350. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RUN FLAT TIRES ISSUES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE EXPERIENCED THREE FLAT TIRES WITHIN THE FIRST 13,000 MILES. TWO REQUIRED EXPENSIVE REPLACEMENT, ONE WITH A 24 HOUR TRIP DELAY. THE CONSUMER STATED THE LITERATURE FROM MERCEDES BENZ STATED THE RUN FLAT TIRES COULD ONLY BE DRIVEN 50 MILES LOADED AND ONLY 18 MILES UNLOADED.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #10469882 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Airbags & seat belts
51
Most reports here involve airbags not deploying. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11521252 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Structure & body
1
Most reports here involve other issues.
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The contact owns a 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that roof fabric had begun to detach from the vehicle. Over time, the fabric started to obstruct the contact's vision out of the rear windshield. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer where she was given an estimate for the repair. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and they offered to cover a nominal part of the cost of the repair. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000. The VIN was not available.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11437534 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
Other systems
15
Most reports here involve electrical shorts. Of these, 2 mention a crash, 3 mention an injury.
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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. A DEFECT THAT ALLOWS CARBON DIOXIDE INTO THE PASSENGER CABIN, IS A SERIOUS AND LIFE THREATENING SITUATION.
Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11593805 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov
How does it compare with other years? The 2011 has 107 complaints on file, more than the 2010 (100) and more than the 2012 (63). That is the most of the 6 model years of the Mercedes Benz ML350 we cover. Older model years have had longer to collect complaints.