Electrical complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 4 | 8% | 20,000 miles |
| 2014 | 20 | 29% | 60,000 miles |
| 2013 | 11 | 20% | 80,000 miles |
| 2012 | 11 | 17% | 77,000 miles |
| 2011 | 16 | 14% | 58,000 miles |
| 2010 | 10 | 10% | 70,000 miles |
| 2009 | 17 | 18% | 104,000 miles |
| 2008 | 13 | 19% | 110,000 miles |
| 2007 | 19 | 23% | 80,000 miles |
| 2006 | 29 | 17% | 69,000 miles |
| 2004 | 4 | 11% | 104,000 miles |
| 2003 | 4 | 16% | 78,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
In mid-trip as we were going down the highway went to change lanes and the turn signals were no longer functioning. No errors, no alerts, no warnings they just stopped working. After pulling over and turning off the vehicle and turning back on they work for a time then stop working again. After researching with other owners of these and similar model Mercedes Benz vehicles this is a prevalent and highly dangerous safety issue that many many others have experienced.
Front passenger door lock is registering as locked when it is actually insecure which is a safety issue. Thank you. Unknown start date. Recently purchased vehicle. This weekend passenger for the first time and discovered issue.
The contact owns a 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the vehicle lost motive and electric power and stalled without warning. The contact restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to remain running. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed that water had intruded into the rear of the vehicle causing electrical failures. The vehicle was not repaired because the Insurance Company deemed the vehicle a total loss. The manufacturer was contacted but offered no assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000. The contact stated that the interior of the vehicle has to be dried out first in order to assess the damage to the electrical system. The contact noted the failure mileage was 60379.
Instrument Cluster malfunction. Battery drained and replaced. 2.5 weeks later, the new battery drained. After the vehicle was jumpstarted, the instrument cluster remained on with SOS inoperable showing on the panel. The instrument cluster will not turn off, even after the vehicle has been turned off. So it continues to drain the battery. Mercedes has diagnosed the vehicle with a bad instrument cluster and says that it needs to be replaced. There were no warning signs before the malfunction. I drove it and parked it. Then two days later the battery was dead. 10.19.21 - took vehicle to Mercedes for a regular schedule B service 10.21.21 - vehicle battery was dead after trying to crank it. 10.22.21 - Mercedes sent tow truck to bring it back to them. The battery was replaced on 10.25.21 and I picked up the vehicle. 11.10.21 - Vehicle NEW battery was dead again. Mercedes sent tow truck. …
Good morning ! I am an owner of a 2013 ML 350 . I live in San Diego ,CA ,92103 . I was driving my car on [redacted] and it was raining a lot . After around 30 miles I got to my destination parking area and my car died 20 feet away from the parking zone .I tried to reignite it but it wouldn't start . I checked it with a OBD2 scanner and it was indicating a code U0109 - Lost communication with fuel pump control module . After looking into solutions and reasons for the issue online I came across a post regarding an existing recall with NHTSA with ID 22v955 regarding water intrusion in the spare wheel well portion of the trunk( The Wheel well is not water proofed and doesn't have a drain port for water to escape ) . I proceeded with inspecting the area and of course it was full of water . …
Started to have an issue with the blind spot assist showing inoperable. Shortly after depending on the outside temperature the AC would start shutting off and on. The days the temperature was above 95 degrees the AC would suddenly stop working. Took the vehicle to the dealer for AC service. Dealer reports the engine "back" wiring harness had been rubbing, exposing and chaffing the harness wires, and for safety concerns a complete harness replacement is necessary. When asked how was this possible since the harness clearance is a manufacture design. Was told it happens on these vehicles and currently there is no recall.
Turn signals will not operate, dealership quoted me $1400 3 years ago, had the work performed and now the issue is happening again and I am being quoted the same amount of money. This is a safety concern if I cannot signal to others where I am turning!!!!! This could cause an accident!!!!! This is highly unsafe!!! What if my kids were in the car?! Talking to customers in waiting lounge at dealership other people have had same issue!! The one time they stopped working I had a person hit me going 30 mph, could have been much much worse.
The following has been happening over the last 2 - 3 yrs. Also confirmed with other customers on MB world blog site. After traveling in the car for 5-15 minutes, and sooner if connected to cell phone via bluetooth, the indicators stop working. This leads to deactivation of the blind spot assist as well. The problem is temporarily resolved after switching the vehicle off and then on again, only to recur after driving it again for 10-15minutes, and earlier if attached to iPhone via Bluetooth. The blind spot assist is then permanently inactivated. 2 Mercedes dealerships in 2 separate states where I took the vehicle could not even identify a problem, let alone resolve it. When I called MBUSA, they claimed ignorance to the issue and told me to repair or change the vehicle myself. Since this is an issue with multiple vehicles, a recall needs to be issued for this model. …
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system › Software
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and…
Remedy: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
Frequently asked questions
Which Mercedes-Benz ML350 years have electrical problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2006 (29), 2014 (20), 2007 (19), 2009 (17) and 2011 (16) model years. Electrical complaints make up 17% of all complaints for the 2006.
Is there a recall for Mercedes-Benz ML350 electrical problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 17V-177 (software, Mar 14, 2017). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz ML350 electrical problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 79,000 miles; 25% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the instrument cluster/panel (2 mentions), followed by the 12v/24v/48v battery (1).
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.