2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 33 complaints
33
Total Complaints
87,000mi
Median Mileage
STEERING
Top Issue
1
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

Distribution of NHTSA complaints by vehicle mileage at time of report.

26,698 25th Percentile
87,000 Median Mileage
109,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

STEERING
6
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
3
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
2
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
2
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:PADS
1
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM)
1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:STARTER ASSEMBLY
1

Severity Assessment

1
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TRANSMISSION STUCK IN FIRST GEAR, THREE ATTEMPTS TO REMEDY BY OWNER, FINALLY ON FOURTH ATTEMPT.(PLACING IN PARK AND TURNING OFF AN ON IGNITION) TRANSMISSION FINALLY WOKED NORMALLY. CONTACTED MANUFACTURER THROUGH ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TOLD TO RETURN VEHICLE TO DEALER, CONTACTED DEALER, WAS TOLD THAT ..."
"THE GEARS JAMMED WHEN THE CONSUMER ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE. THE VEHICLE WOULD REV TO ABOUT 2000 RPM'S OR MOR BUT THE VEHICLE STILL WOULDN'T MOVE. AFTER SEVERAL ATTEMPT THE VEHICLE WOULD EVENTUALLY MOVE. THE DOORS WERE DIFFICULT TO CLOSE. THE VEHICLE CONSUMED ALOT OF FUEL. THE FU..."
"WARRANTY ISSUES AND/OR MANUFACTURING DEFECTS THAT SHOULD BE COVERED BY WARRANTY. *PH AT THE FIRST 10,000 MILES, THE CONSUMER NOTICED BRAKE TRAVEL WAS TOO LONG AND WAS ADVISED BY AN SERVICE ADVISOR THAT THIS WAS NORMAL. HOWEVER AT LESS THAN 3,000 MILES, THE BRAKES WERE STILL NOT ADEQUATE AND T..."

Source: NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Names and identifying details omitted.

Data source: View this vehicle on NHTSA.gov | NHTSA ODI Complaints Database. Public domain.

Methodology: Complaint counts and mileage distributions are computed directly from consumer-reported NHTSA complaints. This data represents reported issues, not failure rates — vehicles without complaints are not represented. Full methodology.

Data through: 2026-03-28