2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Problems & Complaints

Most common 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 problems

• Air bags~80,000 miles
  4043%
• Seat belts~65,000 miles
  1819%
• Electrical system~104,000 miles
  1718%
• Brakes~114,000 miles
  66%
• Body & structure~45,000 miles
  55%
• Fuel & propulsion system~72,000 miles
  55%
• Lights~50,000 miles
  55%
• Other / not specified~45,000 miles
  22%
• Transmission & drivetrain~62,000 miles
  11%
• Speed control & acceleration~93,000 miles
  11%
• Suspension~60,000 miles
  11%
• Seats~31,000 miles
  11%
• Wheels & tires
  11%
• Steering~90,000 miles
  11%

Share of the 93 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Mercedes-Benz ML350 complaints by model year

Best ML350 years: 2003, 2005, 2004. Years to avoid: 2006, 2010, 2011. Compare all years →

2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 recalls (3)

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350:

What 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 owners say

Air bags all 40 →

Takata recall. I have been corresponding with the local dealer (fresno california) and the national office since I received the notice in May 2016. We have been very reluctant to drive the car for fear of "serious injury or death" as stated in the notice. When I call the local dealer, they say we have to go to headquarters and deny any responsibility--very unhelpful. Also note that this car experienced a faulty airbag deployment about 2 years ago (before the recall) and Mercedes fixed the problem at no charge. My daughter was injured in the incident, but her injuries did not surface until after Mercedes had us sign a settlement agreement. Her hearing and equilibrium has been impaired from the explosion of the airbag on the driver's side when she bumped a curb at a slow speed and they deployed. All of that information would be in Mercedes files--we have copies. …

Takata recall. I have scheduled an appointment to replace the airbag infiltrator since I received a letter in the mail that the part is available. The dealer has tried several times to contact the manufacturer and the part is on back order. It is a safety concern for me and my wife and has been causing worries and a concern to drive the car on a daily basis with a child one year old going back and fourth to school and day care. With a defect in the airbag that my cause injury or death due to the infiltrator causing the airbag to explode and shoot out metal fragments towards people inside vehicle. We are concerned and always stressed out about this issue but we need this vehicle we cannot just park it and not drive it till the issue is fixed. The dealership will not offer any alternative in the meantime until the part comes in.

Seat belts

I had a passenger in the rear of my vehicle and she told me the seat belts did not work. The rear passenger belt would not retract. When I stopped the vehicle we checked both sides and neither rear belts are working. They are all out of the containment system and locked. They will not retract and therefore cannot be used. I contacted mb USA to find out if there is a recall for the seat belts after I went online and found out that this is a very common problem with their vehicles. They told me there is no recall and they referred me back to the dealership. I am about to call the dealership, but I suspect that what I read online is true. They are passing on a defective seat belt to the consumer to repair just as I read online. I am filing this complaint in the hope that you will investigate mb for this issue. I have been a long-time customer of mb, but this May just change my mind.

The rear seat belts do not retract once pulled out. Over the course of several days, they slowly work their way back up. No vehicle should have a seatbelt fail; it is even more ridiculous that this part failed in a car that is this expensive or that has had such a long history of safety. It isn't safe for anyone to sit in the back seats because the seat belts are out-stretched so far that a person would be thrown forward a ways before the seatbelts stopped them. That is dangerous.

Electrical system

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH in heavy rain, she observed smoke emanating from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that there may have been unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The contact stated that when the vehicle was restarted, multiple unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the key pad stopped working, and multiple electrical components stopped working, and that she experienced sinus issues thereafter. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the SAM module got wet and there was an electrical fire because the wires were not covered and the SAM module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …

The contact owned a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated while driving 45-50 MPH with his wife in the front passenger seat and his children in the rear seats, his wife smelled a strong burning odor and saw smoke coming from underneath the front passenger seat. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact immediately veered to the side of the road. Both the contact and his family exited the vehicle and ran away from the vehicle. The contact stated that approximately 30 seconds after exiting the vehicle, the vehicle caught on fire and exploded several times, causing a nearby tree to catch on fire. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. A police report was filed. There were no injuries sustained. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where it was awaiting to be totaled. …

2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350 engines & fuel economy

EPA ratings. Class: SUV.