2006 Mercedes Benz Ml500: Reliability Data

Source: NHTSA — 49 complaints
49
Total Complaints
70,000mi
Median Mileage
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Top Issue
5
Crash Reports

When Do Complaints Happen?

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

43,444 25th Percentile
70,000 Median Mileage
113,000 75th Percentile

What Fails?

Most reported component issues from NHTSA complaints.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
7
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
5
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
4
AIR BAGS
4
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
4
STEERING
3
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
3
POWER TRAIN
2
SERVICE BRAKES
2
SEATS
2

Severity Assessment

5
Crashes
7
Fires
6
Injuries
0
Deaths

Sample Complaint Reports

"TL*- THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING HIS 2006 MERCEDES ML 500 (19800 FAILURE MILEAGE) AT 25 MPH, AND MERGING RIGHT ONTO THE EXPRESSWAY, THE VEHICLE KEPT GOING STRAIGHT ONTO THE GRASS. THE CONTACT STOPPED THE VEHICLE TO CHECK THE STEERING WHEEL AND FOUND THAT THE STEERING WHEEL KEPT SPINNING...."
"THE ELECTRONIC AIRMATIC SUSPENSION SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING FOR THE SECOND TIME IN A YEAR! WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE VECHILE IS UNDRIVEABLE BECAUSE THE FRONT END FALLS ON THE FRONT WHEELS. *TR CAN YOU BELEIVE I PAID EXTRA DOLLARS FOR THIS OPTION AND IT APPEARS THAT THIS WILL BE AN ONGOING PROBLEM A..."
"TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 MERCEDES BENZ ML550. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT ROLLED DOWN THE HILL AND CRASHED INTO A GATE. THE DRIVER JUMP INTO THE VEHICLE TO DEPRESS THE BRAKE AND SUSTAINED SCRATCHES AND CUTS. THE ROAD CONDITIONS WERE DRY. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED ..."

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