2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320 problems & reliability
22 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Seats | 6 | 27% |
| Steering | 6 | 27% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 4 | 18% |
| Electrical System | 2 | 9% |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 2 | 9% |
| Power Train | 2 | 9% |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 9% |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 9% |
| Air Bags | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Loss of power steering fluid, it appears to be from the hose connection to the radiator during driving and while stationery. This issue was previously recalled, I believe twice. Dealer requested $125 diagnostic charge. Mb usa informed in a phone conversation, that this problem was already fixed october 2008 under…”
Steering · filed Jan 5, 2018
“My wife drove the vehicle to work one day and when she was pulling out of the parking lot onto a busy street, the yellow triangle with exclamation point started to flash and engaged the brakes. My wife quickly pull over to the side of the street and made her way back into the parking lot while the brakes where…”
Service Brakes · filed Dec 17, 2016
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz ml320. The contact stated that the vehicle accelerated independently and the rpms revved without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer multiple times, but the failure was unable to be diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the…”
Vehicle Speed Control · filed Jun 16, 2016
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- ELECTRIC SEAT WARMER OVERHEATS/BURNS
Preliminary Evaluation PE05005 · opened Feb 2, 2005 · closed Jun 29, 2005
Technical service bulletins
53 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320. The 10 most recent:
Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The noise is heard once in each instance when changing direction of travel. Note: Sound file in attachment Cause…
LI35.30-P-058566 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 14, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged. Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 16, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 9, 2026
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Nov 15, 2025
Complaint Single throttle lift-off clunking noise from the side shaft when moving off (audible at the outboard end). The clunk is heard once when changing from forward to reverse (and vice versa). Note: Sound file in…
LI33.30-P-056665 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 21, 2025
Complaint Headlamps leaking or fogged Cause The fogging of the headlamp is a natural phenomenon which can occur under certain climatic conditions. In contrast to a leaky headlamp, physical fogging does not result in a…
LI82.10-P-078896 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Headlamp, front fog lamp leaky or fogged Cause Fogging of the headlamps is a natural phenomenon, which can occur under certain climatic conditions. It does not lead to any technical impairment of the headlamp…
LI82.10-P-078301 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 28, 2025
Complaint Vehicle with atypical reduced heat output. Cause Silicate granulate may have escaped from a damaged bag in the expansion reservoir (not visible), reducing the coolant flow in the heater heat exchanger (see…
LI83.20-P-051802 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 1, 2025
Complaint During a phone call, the called party has difficulty understanding/cannot understand the driver, or interference/background noises are audible to the called party during a call. It becomes increasingly…
LI82.70-P-077433 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 5, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
No NHTSA recall campaigns name the 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320 in our current data. Recalls may apply only to certain VIN ranges — always confirm with a VIN check.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML320?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.