Most common 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class problems
Share of the 5 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Mercedes-Benz M Class complaints by model year
Best M Class years: 2008, 2007, 1998. Years to avoid: 2000, 2006. Compare all years →
1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class recalls (4)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
Mercedes-Benz is recalling 125,228 my 1998-2004 m-class vehicles. The hose clamp used to secure the power steering fluid cooling hose to the power steering fluid cooler May not provide sufficient clamping force for this connection.
Remedy: An earlier recall repair performed on these vehicles May not be sufficient to prevent a future leakage or failure of the power steering hose connection (please see 03V121).
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections
On certain passenger vehicles, the hose clamp used to secure the power steering fluid cooling hose to the power steering fluid cooler May not provide sufficient clamping force for this connection.
Remedy: Dealers will install a new hose clamp on the power steering hose to the power steering cooler. During clamp replacement, the power steering cooling hose will be inspected and replaced as necessary.
Seat belts › Front › Anchorage
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The latching mechanism on the seat belt assembly was not assembled correctly. If the plastic cover is loose during the engagement of the buckle tongue to the latch mechanism, the buckle could unlatch.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the seat belt buckles. If either the driver or front passenger seat belt buckle is found to be defective, it will be replaced.
Equipment › Other › Labels
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The certification label on these vehicles fail to comply with the labeling requirements of part 567, "certification."
Remedy: Dealers will send a representative to the owner's home and remove the non-compliance label and replace this with a label which is in compliance.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into 2 possible defects involving the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class:
Power steering hose leak
Mercedes-Benz USA (mbusa) will notify certain model year (my) 1998 through 2003 m-class owners of the need to bring their vehicles into dealers to address the issue previously campaigned under mbusa recall 2003-040005 (NHTSA recall 03v-121).the mbusa campaign, which odi is designating recall 08v-465, will replace the power steering cooler hose and clamp in all vehicles that received the original recall remedy for…
Engine crankshaft pulley failure
The office of defects investigation (odi) opened this preliminary evaluation to investigate allegations of engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure that could result in loss of power-steering assist.odi has received a total of 546 non-duplicative reports that allege engine crankshaft pulley harmonic balancer failure on all Mercedes-Benz vehicles using the subject component.the subject component failures…
Frequently asked questions
Is the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class a good car?
Based on 5 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 1998 M Class rates average: 37% fewer complaints than a typical year of the M Class at the same age. It is one of the best M Class years by this measure. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class?
The body & structure — 2 complaints, 40% of all complaints for this model year, most often about body › door. Next are the engine & cooling (2) and steering (1).
How many recalls does the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class have?
There are 4 recalls for the 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class, the most recent from September 17, 2008 (hose, piping, and connections). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Mercedes-Benz M Class?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2008, 2007 and 1998. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2000 and 2006. See the full Mercedes-Benz M Class years comparison.
At what mileage do 1998 Mercedes-Benz M Class problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 68,000 miles; 33% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.