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Please set up a new section on strictly for the 2006 or newer ML350 or ML500. I would like one for general information and one for problems and solutions. It would be very for current and future owners. Thanks.
I switched to a Toyota Landcruiser since I sold my ML320. I will definitely consider the new G-Class when I am ready to trade in my TLC.
I'm also disappointed that the 2006 ML doesn't have the third row option like I currently have on my 2002 ML500. The new R-class is only 2+2+2 whereas mine will seat 7 people and is a shorter vehicle. Also, my loaded out ML was $52,000 and the R-class will be in the $70,000 range. :mad:
So, I'm looking at possibly considering the RR LR3, the Volvo XC90 or the Acura MDX. I don't want to buy the first year model, especially, from Mercedes. If they don't turn things around, I won't be a customer anymore.
I looked at the Mercedes E-wagon and there is no way that an adult can sit in the third row, it's only for little munchkins.
Mark :surprise:
I would recomend the Acura MDX. I considered the same models before I bought my TLC. If I din't want 6500 lb towing capacity I would have gone for the MDX. Definitely the best value out there and probably the most reliable between the three of them. I like the looks and features of the LR3, but I am not willing to take a leap of faith on Landrovers quality. If you are leasing it should or don't plan to keep the car beyond the warranty you should be fine. If you want to keep the car for 5+ years go for the MDX. If you read online Volvo's have some quality problems as well and once you add the options, they price goes up farily steep.
Mercedes-Benz's 510hp rival to the Porsche Cayenne Turbo has arrived!
M
I stopped by my local dealer and he knew nothing. Is M-B about to drop the common-rail injected diesel engine from the E320 sedan into the ML???
Well yes and no. Mercedes is going to offer a ML320 CDI for the 2007 model year, but it will have the new 3.0L V6 Diesel, not the current I6 from the E320 CDI on sale now.
All MB diesels will be of the "V" variety once the cleaner diesel fuel goes on sale in late 2006.
Mercedes says they plan to offer at least one diesel variant of every sedan/suv during the coming years. The ones you saw were either testing for the U.S. or on a test drive/inspection before being shipped abroad.
M
- Mark
I can't wait to see what the market's reaction will be when MB, BMW and Audi all start pouring on the diesels. I don't see how anyone couldn't at the very least be curious about BMW's 535d. Awesome machine.
M
Steve, Host
It looks to be a bad [non-permissible content removed] vehicle. Brand new 513 bhp engine. More rear leg room than a Range Rover. I am getting on a wait list. Should be available Q2 '06.
AK
I appolagize in advance for how long this post is.
When we got the car home, we quickly ran a half mile down the street to the gas station and the auto-locks locked at 9MPH like they normally should. We got gas and returned home (exciting trip). After that our neighbors came over and we hung around looking at the car's engine, cabin, the usual "checking out a car" routine.
The next day, we ran to Lowes to find some supplies for a project we're working on, parked in the parking lot, got out, and locked the car with the remote. All the doors locked like they should have with the lights flashing 3 times, and we went inside. Also, the auto-locks worked when you hit 9MPH.
After about 45 minutes, we left the store and went to the SUV. I hit the UNLOCK button on the remote and the lights flashed once like they should have, but none of the doors unlocked. We tried it a couple more times, but nothing happened. So finally I just used the key to get in and we were on our way home thinking the batteries in the remote were dead or something, nothing major. That's when it got weird.
On the way home, after hitting 9MPH, the locks locked, unlocked, and then locked again (now we're thinking, "hmmm....odd"). After a few minutes of driving we had to stop at a stop light. When we started driving again and we hit 9MPH, the door locks unlocked, and then locked again. We got home and I read everything about locks and doors and EVERYTHING about synchronizing the remote with the SUV and the central locking system and EV-ER-Y-THING about it. I tried disengaging the central locking system and nothing that didn't solve anything.
Now, when you lock it with the remote, all doors except the driver's lock, unlock, and then lock. The unlocking works fine when I unlock it. If I get out, shut the drivers door, open the other door and push the knob down to lock the driver's door, and then shut all doors and lock with the remote, the lights flash 3 time and it looks normal. But when I go to unlock with the remote, nothing unlocks and I have to use the key to get it.
Please help!!!
- Mark
I'm just glad I can disable the auto-lock feature when I'm driving because they'd be loudly locking and unlocking the whole ride! - It'd drive me crazy!!!
Steve, Host
- Mark
Half of the prognosticators will be right and half will be wrong. I think it's more tea leaves and voodoo than anything else.
tidester, host
Known problem and the dealer will make money on the repair if M-B reimburses.
Win-win all around and keep the customer satisfied.
I had 2 such: oil pressure light resulted from a faulty oil sensor in the oil pan which calculated the FSS service interval.
The second was for a valve/vapor/sensor at the fuel tank; I had to pay since the emissions warranty only extended for 24 months.
Could not believe it until I re-read warranty.
I'd get another diagnosis with another dealer or an independent mechanic. My strong guess is that the CEL doesn't work because someone disabled it - it's done all the time when someone wants to sell a car and don't want to fix the CEL problem. So my bet is that it is probably an easy fix when you find out where the sabotage occurred.
- Mark
Once MB can certify the new V6 CDI engine for sale here I'm sure there will be a ML320, R320 and of course the current E320 CDI will ditch its I6 as well.
What I want to see is the new V8 diesel in the a inevitable S420, ML420 and R420 come to the U.S. market. The new E420 CDI is going on sale in Europe very soon, it would make a hell of an addition to the U.S. E lineup imo.
Just wait until clean diesel comes on line. In my area diesel is like 20 cents cheaper than than the lowest grade of gasoline. If prices stay like this, and I hope they don't, you'll see huge interest in diesels as well as hybrids. This is why I think MB is sitting on a gold mine if they can get a diesel hybrid to market in the next 18 months or so.
There is even a CLK320 CDI Coupe and Cabriolet in Europe, but now I'm getting carried away.........
M
MB dealer will give me 21K for it if I'm buying new MB but I think to my eyes it kind look like Pontiac Azutec.So, I'll be getting some other brand SUV but other brand dealer ,they only want to give me 18K......I'll keep trying to at least get 20K but we shall see...reading here kind scare me.....I think i was lucky that I didn't have much problem with my ML. Hoping to get rid of it before the major problem happens!
Steve, Host
I also have a problem with the command system not always recognising the Navigation CD. The Oil Sensor is faulty and currently being replaced - which involves raising the engine out of the car - that's sensible German fitting for you.
The Engine Management light has stopped working (probably overuse!!).
Also The Handbrake coupling broke and had to be replaced.
Anyone with similar problems, I'd be grateful to hear from
He also said to go back to the dealer after driving for a few days, then enough data would have accumulated to pass the emissions test.
Does this make any sense to you guys?
Any help would be greatly appreciated before I go back to the dealer this week, as I am afraid of being duped.
Thx.
The sensors turn on one by one after certain drive cycles are completed. A few days of routine driving should be enough for the cycles to be met and all sensors to be turned on. At that point, the OBD II can be read to complete the inspection.
Anyone see or convert european ML 320 CDI fuel mileage to US equivilants? If the E320 CDI is rated around 37 highway US, I would assume the ML 320 CDI should bring at least 30 highway US?
how did they repair your power steering failure?
Thanks for answer.
drwag
that my 2000 ML320 was checked - in a recall - for a bad harmonic balancer.
I think that a bad harmonic balancer could produce the symptoms you
have described, including the "Park" and "Intermitent" symptoms.
You shouldn't have to do this, but remind them that there was a recall on this.
They did repair the Power Steering. It was the pipe had come off due to the clip failing
Rickknight1
A timing chain generally works or is broken and doesn't - it is very unusual for them to skip a tooth and become mis-timed. I'm unsure what your problem is but it sure sounds like the dealer doing the work has poor diagnostic capabilities. I trust you're not paying for all this work.
- Mark
Since May I have spent upwards of $3000 on repairs and servicing starting with Brakes, then replacing the fuel pump, then the battery and getting the AC recharged, then it was regualr service, then in September the fuel line (which in my opinion should be a parp of the fuel pump system) breaks and now I just spent $350 on getting the crankshaft replaced after my car stalled 3 times in traffic.
Mercedes is not what it used to be! I bought in to Mercedes originally for quality, relaibility and wrokmanship but that seems to be a sign of the past.
MB is sending out the recall notices on the harmonic balancer in batches, but most everybody has gotten one by now. If you call your dealer, they will know about the recall and check yours for replacement. There is no charge for this.
Yes, the 2000 ML320 has a checkered reliability record. Your experience sounds mostly typical. Of course, any six-year-old car may be needing some fairly expensive servicing.
You sound like you're just doing whatever the dealer says it needs - while this will probably keep the car in good shape, it is an extremely expensive way to own this car. For example, my dealer continues to recommend that I do a complete brake job on all four wheels about every 25K miles at a cost of $1300. This is excessively conservative and expensive - by postponing the job until it actually needs to be done and using an independent mechanic, the cost is reduced by about 75%.
I'd try and find a good independent mechanic.
- Mark
I went with the independent shop because the Mercedes dealer kept telling me that my brakes were needing replacement when I took it in for oil changes. I had them change the back brakes at 18,000 miles of which now I'm sure it was too early. At 26,000 miles, they said the front needed replacement. I said NO, because the brake sensor light had not come on. I decided that I would wait until the light came on but it never did.
I knew that the light probably would have come on soon at 41,000 miles but I was going on a 1,000 mile trip and didn't want to worry about the brakes. I think the independent shop did a good job as I have used them for other purposes with my antique car.
I did not want to reward the dealer for telling me I needed new front brakes at 26,000 and I went to 41,000 with no problems. What a racket!
Mark :surprise:
1. The dealer generally recommends replacing brake pads when they're about 50%-70% worn, which nearly doubles the service intervals. Just by inspecting the brakes yourself (which takes five minutes with a flashlight) and postponing replacement until they are below spec, you can reduce brake maintenance costs by one third to one half.
2. The dealer recommends replacing rotors along with pads even though the rotors meet spec.
3. The dealer charges above list price for the parts when OEM parts are readily available on the internet at less than half their price.
4. The dealer charges about 40% more for labor than a good ndependent mechanic.
Add it all together, and the cost savings are EASILY 75% or greater.
As an example, I just priced out a complete brake job with all new OEM parts over the internet. The total cost for BRAND NEW OEM PADS AND ROTORS is about $320+shipping. A good independent shop should charge about $200 labor to install the rotors and pads. Even with tax and shipping, the total cost should be well under $600. My dealer, who just did the harmonic balancer replacement and as a "courtesy" inspected my brakes, estimates $1350+tax for them to do the job, WELL OVER DOUBLE THE COST. Absolutely ridiculous.
My particular dealer is generally incompetent as well but that's another story.
Cheers,
- Mark
The Mercedes dealer that I use ( I use two different dealers as I have two homes in different states) and they both are average on diagnosing problems. I really like my service advisors but they are only as good as the mechanics doing the work.
When I had my '91 560SEL, they could not figure out why it would not start. After throwing a few parts at it, they finally said it needed new fuel injectors. I made them take off the parts that were not related. When they installed the new injection system, it failed and they had to do it all over again (at no charge of course). The first time was $2,000.
From 53,000-82,000 miles, I spent $8,000 in repairs and decided I better let it go. They air condition and transmission had never been worked on. I was afraid that they might be next.
Mark
I really like my ML320, and I think, on average, you can own and drive one without undue hardship, but you've got to be a lot more creative with respect to diagnosing and fixing problems than you would need to be if you owned, say, a Pilot.
In my experience, MB dealers are extremely high overhead operations, with a "let's try and bolt on new parts" mentality towards problems. The dealers also tend to have a very convoluted communication system where you deal with a service advisor who is seldom very strong technically while your car is worked on by someone working remotely. The connection between the two is by computer and work orders, but things get very garbled in translation - it's like they're talking to each other in different languages over two tin cans tied together by string. With an independent mechanic, you can generally talk to the guy who is getting his fingernails dirty.
If you have to rely on the MB dealers, I think extended warrantys and leasing are probably the best way to go to reduce the risk.
My dealer's biggest screw up was in diagnosing a subtle but presistent problem where the vehicle would lose power and stall when climbing over mountain passes. In three lengthly and expensive service visits under warranty they replaced several things, mostly in the ignition system, none of which had any effect whatsoever on the problem. This was despite my strong suggestions that it was fuel-delivery related. On the final visit, with the vehicle now out of warranty, I got a different service advisor and he immediately asked me if the vehicle had had the mandatory update to the fuel filter system designed to reduce high altitude stalling problems. The whole time they were hunting around randomly fixing things, there was a published service bulletin to fix the exact problem I was having! At this ponit, they refused to make the repair on their dime since the vehicle was out of warranty. I finally arm wrestled them into paying for the update while I paid them for a new fuel filter since this was a normal maintenance item.
- Mark
You're gonna love this. The dealer has now told me that it appears that the engine has 3 damaged pistons and rings causing a loss of compression. They now have the engine out (it's taken them 3 weeks to get this far) and have said that they're going to tell me next Tuesday (25th October) if that is the only work that needs doing. I'm away in England next week but will keep you posted on my return with the great ML saga!
- Mark
I wasn't aware of this at all. My ML55 is April 2002. A little bit of history on it: I bought it used. It was originally a German car and the garage that I bought it from imported it from Germany and put it on Spanish plates. How long is the MB warranty for and do you think that I would still be covered due to the re-registration (although I can't see that this should affect the warranty). You seem to know you ML's, do you (or did you) work for MB?
Rick.