2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320 Electronic Stability Control (esc) Problems

SRS. ETS. ABA LIGHTS ON. BUZZING. *TR

Mileage: 195,000

AS I NOTICED IN OTHER COMPLAINTS THEY ALL FOCUS IN THE POWER STEERING ISSUES, FUEL / OIL LEAKS AND LOSS, ESP OPTION , ELECTRICAL MAIL FUNCTIONS THAT RELATE WITH THE ECU, PROBLEM WITH THE SHIFTER. ALL THESE ARE SAFETY CONCERNS SINCE ALL THE ABOVE PROBLEMS CAN CAUSE AN ACCIDENT . I HAVE THE SAME PROBLEMS IN MY CAR AND IT IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO OPERATE THE VEHICLE. THE POWER STEERING IS NOT WORKING AS THE CAR IS NOT IN SPEED MOTION UNLESS YOU USE STRENGTH TO TURN THE WHEEL , THE ESP IS NOT WORKING AT ALL , THE SHIFTER IS NOT CHANGING TO DRIVE UNLESS YOU OVERRIDE IT AND THAT'S THE ONLY WAY TO START IT AND THE FUEL ALONG WITH THE OIL IS LEAKING AND ALL THE FLUIDS ARE DISAPPEARING IN NO TIME . ALL THESE ARE SAFETY HAZARDS AND NOT JUST A SIMPLE PROBLEM . THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A REPAIR FOR ALL OF THESE ISSUES ASAP FREE OF CHARGE FROM MERCEDES FOR THE OWNERS OF THE PARTICULAR DEFECTIVE VEHICLES . THANK YOU IN ADVANCE

Mileage: 25

WAS DRIVING TRUCK AT HIGHWAY, WHEN BRAKES ACTIVATED BY ITSELF, ABS, TRACTION LIGHT, BRAKE LAMP AND HAZARDS FLASHED. HAD TO IMMEDIATELY MOVE TO SIDE OF ROAD, WHILE BRAKES WHERE ACTIVATING. FELT AS IF ABS WAS ACTIVATING AS IF I WAS SLIDING ON AND ICY ROAD. HAD TO HAVE VEHICLE TOWED AS I WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE MORE THAT 5 FEET

Mileage: 160,020

VEHICLE AUTOMATICALLY SWITCHES OFF ITS ANTI-LOCK-BRAKE AND ELECTRONIC-STABILITY-CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR UNKNOWN REASON, THEREBY ENDANGERING ITS DRIVER AND PASSENGERS, AS WELL AS OTHER VEHICLE'S DRIVERS AND PASSENGERS, EVERY TIME IT'S DRIVEN. *TR

Mileage: 130,000

THE VEHICLE BRAKES, WITHIN A FIVE SECOND PERIOD, VIOLENTLY ENGAGE AT SEEMING RANDOM PATTERNS AND BRING THE VEHICLE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THIS IS HAPPENED TWICE ON TWO DIFFERENT DAYS ROUGHLY A MONTH APART, AND ONLY TWICE, IN THE SAME LOCATION AT EXACTLY THE SAME DRIVING CONDITIONS (VEHICLE SPEED, WEATHER - SUNNY DAY NO RAIN, STRAIGHT ROAD, LIGHT TRAFFIC, SAME 25-30 MPH SPEED). I WENT TO THE MERCEDES DEALER IN TYSONS CORNER AND THEY SAID THEY DID NOT KNOW OF A RECALL FOR THIS ISSUE. THE INTERESTING THING ABOUT THE LOCATION IS THAT IT IS IN WITHIN 50M OF HIGH CAPACITY POWER LINES WHICH GO OVER THE ROAD, AND WITHIN 300M OF AN EXTREMELY POWERFUL RADIO ANTENNA TRUCTURE TOWER. I BELIEVE THE ELECTRONICS OF ONE OR BOTH OF THESE ARE CAUSING THE CAR'S ELECTRONIC STABLILITY CONTROL /BRAKE ASSIST COMPUTER TO GO HAYWIRE AND CAUSE A COMPLETE LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL. THE LOCATION IS ON ROUTE 29 LEE HIGHWAY, VA RIGHT BEFORE THE BRIDGE THAT CROSSES OVER THE BELTWAY GOING WESTBOUND, JUST PAST WHERE YOU CROSS UNDER THE POWER LINES THAT GO OVERHEAD. THE RADIO TOWER IS ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THIS BRIDGE. 95% OF THE TIME I DROVE THIS EXACT ROUTE OVER THE PAST SEVERAL YEARS THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT HAPPEN, SO IT IS AN INTERMITTENT ISSUE. TURNING THE ENGINE OFF TWICE SEEMS TO RESET THE SYSTEM AND IT SEEMS TO WORK FINE. ALSO NOTE THAT THESE POWERLINES, WITHOUT FAIL, ALSO CAUSE THE SAME CAR'S ALARM TO GO OFF 100% OF THE TIME WHEN I PARK WITHIN 100M OF THEM. THE DEALER DID ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THIS MAKE/MODEL/YEAR CAN HAVE A SPONTANEOUS CAR ALARM ISSUE. HOPEFULLY THIS WILL HELP SOLVE THE PROBLEM OF ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE WITH THE CARS BRAKING SAFETY COMPUTER AND PREVENT A SERIOUS ACCIDENT IN THE FUTURE FOR SOMEONE ELSE. IT WOULD USEFUL FOR YOUR STAFF TO USE A GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM TO MAP THE SIMILAR INCIDENTS. I SUSPECT THEY ARE ALL NEAR ELECTRICAL OR RADIO INTERFERENCE AS WELL. *TR

Mileage: 77,000

I WAS DRIVING AND ABRUPTLY THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SKID AND IT ALMOST CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP ALTHOUGH I WAS NOT PRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL. *TR

Mileage: 160,000

FIRST INCIDENT IN AUGUST 2012 DRIVING 20-30 MPH JUST GOT ON HWY AND CAR SUDDENLY SLAMMED ON BRAKES. COULD NOT GO OVER 1000RPM WITHOUT BRAKES ENGAGING BUT FORTUNATELY A POLICEMAN WHO WITNESSED THIS ESCORTED US TO SAFETY ON SINGLE LANE HWY VERY DANGEROUS. REPLACED YAW RATE SENSOR FOR $1000. NOW IT IS DOING THE SAME THING AGAIN 2/27/13 AND IS UNDRIVABLE. MOST LIKELY FACING ANOTHER REPLACEMENT OF YAW RATE SENSOR FOR ANOTHER $1000 THAT ONLY LASTED 6 MONTHS LAST TIME. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THESE SAME STORIES ONLINE AND RIDICULOUS THAT MERCEDES BENZ WITH ITS CLASSY REPUTATION WOULD NOT RECALL SUCH A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ISSUE. HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE TO BE INJURED TO JUSTIFY A RECALL?! I DO NOT FEEL SAFE DRIVING MY 2 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER ANYMORE AND STILL OWE ON THIS HUNK OF JUNK SO I AM STUCK. *TR

Mileage: 79,500

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 55-58 MPH FOR NO REASON BRAKES ENGAGED AND LOCKED WHEELS. SMOKE WAS COMING OUT OF THE TIRES AND ESP LIGHT CAME ON. MY WIFE (SHE WAS DRIVING) AND TWO SMALL KIDS AS WELL AS I WERE SCARED TO DEATH. WE WERE LUCKY, NOBODY WAS RIGHT BEHIND US AND WE AVOIDED ACCIDENT. AFTER THE ESP LIGHT COME ON EVERYTHING WENT TO NORMAL. WE FINISHED OUR TRIP WITH NO MORE BRAKE INCIDENTS. NEXT DAY AFTER RESTARTING THE CAR LIGHT WAS OFF BUT BRAKES LOCKED IN THE MOMENT RPM WENT OVER 1000. SPEED AT THAT TIME WAS ONLY 5-10 MPH. AFTER COMPLETE STOP ESP LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN AND I WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE MY TRIP. NONE OF THE MERCEDES BENZ MECHANICS WANTED TO TELL ME WHAT THIS WAS CAUSED BY. I CONTINUED TO DRIVE LIKE THAT FOR THE NEXT YEAR. EVERY TIME I WOULD DRIVE WITHOUT THE ESP LIGHT ON THE BRAKES WILL LOCK IN AND BRING THE CAR TO COMPLETE STOP. I ALSO LEARN THAT IF I START THE CAR AND WAIT FIVE MINUTES LIGHT WILL COME ON AND I CAN RIDE WITHOUT BRAKES LOCKING IN. THIS WORKED FOR A WHILE BUT THEN ESP LIGHT STOPPED COMING ON BEFORE DRIVING AND I HAD TO WAIT FOR THE BRAKES TO ENGAGE AND CAUSE THE LIGHT TO COME ON. AT THAT TIME ON APRIL 2011 I HAD THE CAR TESTED AT THE MERCEDES DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD THAT HAS FAULTY YAW RATE SENSOR AND THE PART COST IS ABOUT $550.00 NOT COUNTING LABOR. I DIDN'T HAVE THIS REPLACED BECAUSE THE COST OF IT AND BECAUSE I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND MERCEDES BENZ SHOULD HAVE A RECALL ON THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE TO AVOID TRAGEDY ONE DAY. SOMEDAY SOMEBODY WILL DIE IN THE CAR ACCIDENT CAUSED BY THIS FAULTY YAW RATE SENSOR AND NOBODY WILL EVEN KNOW WHAT LED TO THIS CRUSH. PLEASE HAVE THIS CHECKED QUICKLY BEFORE SOMEBODY WILL GET HURT AND WHO KNOWS MAYBE SOMEBODY ALREADY DID DIE ALREADY AND WE DON'T KNOW ABOUT IT. THERE WERE A LOT OF IDENTICAL INCIDENTS REPORTED. IT IS DANGEROUS BEHAVIOR ON MERCEDES BENZ PART. REGARDS, ML320 USER *TR

Mileage: 180,000

WHILE DRIVING AROUND 50MPH ON THE BQE ROAD (NY), SUDDENLY THE BAS/ESP LIGHT CAME ON, ALL THE BRAKES ENGAGED AND CAR WAS COMING TO A STOP. WARNING LIGHT ON A DASHBOARD WAS FLASHING AND AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE ENGINE DIED. *TR NOT REALIZING WHAT IS HAPPENING, I TRIED TO ADD POWER/GAS TO THE CAR, BUT THE ENGINE DIDN'T WANT TO GO PAST 1000 RPM. BEING IN A FAST LANE AND HAVING HARD TIME CONTROLLING THE MOVEMENT OF THE CAR, I??VE NOTICED OVERPOWERING SMELL OF THE BRAKES. I WAS ABSOLUTELY SHOCKED BY THE EVENT AS THE TRAFFIC WAS HEAVY AND I WAS JUST HOPING NO ONE WILL REAR ME. STEPPING ON THE GAS PEDAL HAD ALMOST NO RESULT EVEN THOUGH THE MOTOR WAS RUNNING. IT THEN STARTED TO ACCELERATE VERY SLOWLY WHEN MY FOOT WAS PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOOR OF THE CAR. SOME 5-10 MINUTES LATER, THE CAR STARTED TO ACCELERATE AND BEHAVING AS NOTHING HAS HAPPENED. HOWEVER, 15 MINUTES INTO THE RIDE, THE SAME THING HAPPENED AND THIS TIME, I WAS DRIVING IN A SLOW LANE - SOME 30-35 MPH. I PULLED OVER AND LET THE CAR REST FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES AND IT STARED FINE AND DROVE FINE FOR THE REST OF THE EVENING. ONCE I PARKED THE CAR, THE BAS ESP LIGHT WAS STILL ON AND STAYED ON. I TOOK THE CAR VERY NEXT DAY TO A CAR MECHANIC, BUT THE COMPUTER READING DIDN??T GIVE ANY ERRORS, FAULTS NOR NOTIFICATIONS. BY THAT TIME, THE ESP LIGHT WAS OFF ONCE AGAIN. THE INCIDENT RECURRED 3 DAYS LATER WHILE COMING TO A STOP DUE TO A TRAFFIC LIGHTS - SOME 15-20 MPH. MY MECHANIC (AND MY INTERNET SEARCH) ADVISED ME TO CHANGE THE YAW SENSOR. I FULLY UNDERSTAND THE SENSOR CAN BECOME FAULTY, BUT FULLY ENGAGING THE BRAKES WHILE TRAVELING IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. I'M NOW WAITING FOR THE YAW SENSOR TO BE REPLACED. *TR

Mileage: 109,000

I OWN A 2000 ML320 MERCEDES BENZ. IN 4 DIFFERENT EVENTS THE CAR APPLIES BRAKES ON TIRES RANDOMLY AND THE CAR COMES TO A STOP AND PULLS AND JERKS TO THAT SIDE THE ESP LIGHT BLINK ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND BAS/ESP LIGHT COMES ON. MY WIFE TAKING THE KIDS TO SCHOOL FROM STOCKTON TO LATHROP ON I-5 HAD THIS PROBLEM TOO AND IT REALLY SCARED THEM LUCKILY THE RIGHT LANE WAS EMPTY AND THEY MANAGED TO SOMEHOW PULL OVER. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE THAT CAN CAUSE DEATH OR SERIOUS INJURY. THE BRAKES AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY APPLIES ON BY ITSELF RANDOMLY CAUSING THE CAR TO JERK OR STOP AND PUSHING ON THE ACCELERATOR DOES NOT MAKE THE CAR MOVE DUE TO THE LACK OF POWER AND CAR WON'T PASS 1000RPM RESTARTING THE ENGINE RESETS THE PROBLEM UNTIL IT OCCURS AGAIN. TOOK TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY SAY THIS IS MOST LIKELY DUE TO A BAD "YAW RATE SENSOR" I HAVE HAD THIS PROBLEM ON 3 OTHER OCCASIONS DRIVING AROUND 30-40 MILES PER HOUR AND THE CAR CAME TO A STOP IN TRAFFIC AND THE DRIVING CONDITIONS WAS CLEAN ON A STRAIGHTAWAY ROAD. MERCEDES BENZ REFUSES TO FIX THIS DANGEROUS PROBLEM AS A MAJOR SAFETY RECALL THEY WANT $300 TO LOOK AT THE CAR $500 FOR YAW SENSOR AND $600 FOR LABOR AND THEY WILL NOT GUARANTEE IF IT WILL SOLVE THE PROBLEM. PLEASE HELP I DO NOT WANT MY WIFE AND KIDS GET IN TO A CAR ACCIDENT BUT THIS IS OUR ONLY CAR. *TR

Mileage: 150,000

I PURCHASE A MY 2000 MERCEDES BENZ ML320 USED WITH APPROX. 78K MILES. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 105K MILES, WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE NORMAL, AND NO OFF ROAD ACTIVITY THE FRONT BRAKES WOULD ACTIVATE CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO PULL SUDDENLY TO THE LEFT OR RIGHT DEPENDING ON WHICH SIDE HAD BEEN ACTIVATED WITH NO INPUT FROM THE DRIVER. THE INCIDENT WOULD LAST ANYWHERE FROM THREE TO FIVE SECONDS IN DURATION AND LOSS OF BRAKE CONTROL TO THE REST OF THE VEHICLE. THIS HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL DIFFERENT TIMES 5 TO BE EXACT ALL AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS. THE LAST EPISODE I WAS TRAVELING AT 50 MPH WHEN THE FRONT LEFT WHEEL SLAMMED ON BRAKES AND JERKED THE VEHICLE TO THE LEFT, THANK GOD, NO ON WAS COMING AT ME AT THAT TIME. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP AND A YAW SENSOR ORDERED. I HAVE READ PREVIOUSLY THAT A SIMILAR COMPLAINT HAD BEEN FILED AND CLOSED BACK IN 2007. ALL I CAN SAY IS THAT THIS COULD HAVE BEEN A VERY SERIOUS ISSUE, BECAUSE IT HAPPENS UNEXPECTEDLY AND AT ANY SPEED! *TR

Mileage: 105,325

2000 ML320 VEHICLE ENGAGES BAS / ESP SYSTEM DURING LEFT TURN AFTER WHICH THESE WARNING LIGHTS REMAIN ON. ABS SYSTEM ACTIVATES BRAKES CAUSING LOSS OF SPEED. OCCURS IN WET OR DRY CONDITIONS. *TR

Mileage: 121,006

SAME PROBLEM AS DISCUSSED IN NHTSA PE 07007-LEFT FRONT BRAKE ENGAGES FOR NO REASON-ESP/BAS LIGHT COMES ON-THIS LAST FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS AND AS STATED AFTER STOPPING AND RESTARTING ENGINE SEEM TO GO AWAY FOR SEVERAL DAYS. *TR

Mileage: 114,000

TWO RECENT INCIDENTS OF MY 2000 ML-320 SUDDENLY BRAKING AND LOSING POWER. ALL BRAKE AND ESP LIGHTS LIT UP. I WAS ABLE TO STEER CAR TO AN EXIT - IT HAD VERY LIMITED POWER AND THE ACCELERATOR DID NOT SEEM TO REACT WHEN PRESSED. ONE INCIDENT WAS WEDNESDAY 7/23/2008 AT APPX 12:50 PM CST. I WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON US 431 S AT APPX 60 MPH ON A CLEAR DAY. THE SECOND INCIDENT OCCURED ON SUNDAY JULY 27, 2008 AT APPX 6:30 AM DRIVING NORTH ON US 431 ALSO A CLEAR DAY. 7-30-08 EPS MODULE FAILURE PLACED VEHICLE IN LIMP HOME MODE*SMCH

Mileage: 165,000

I OWN A 2000 MERCEDES ML320 - WHILE DRIVING A FEW YEARS AGO ON CRUISE CONTROL DOING 65 MILES PER HOUR THE TRUCK JAMMED ON THE BRAKES. IT TOOK ME TO JUST ABOUT A COMPLETE STOP FROM 65 MILES PER HOUR ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY ROUTE 287 IN NJ. WHEN I CALLED AND WAS PUT ON WITH A CUSTOMER SERVICE SPECIALIST TO TROUBLESHOOT THE PROBLEM HE ASKED "HOW FAR DID YOU SKID" AND LAUGHED. I BROUGHT IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY DROVE IT AROUND FOR TWO WEEKS AND TOLD ME IT DOES NOT DO THIS WHEN THEY TRY IT. IT WAS RAINING AT THE TIME SO I WAITED UNTIL IT RAINED AGAIN AND TRIED IT AGAIN. I DID IT AT A LOWER SPEED IN A SAFER SITUATION AND IT DID IT AGAIN. THEY REPLACED THE YAW SENSOR BUT WE ARE NOT TRUSTING THE CRUISE CONTROL AND NEVER USED IT AGAIN. WELL, NOW FOR THE LAST FEW MONTHS THE TRUCK LOCKS UP ONE OR MORE WHEELS RANDOMLY AT HIGH AND LOW SPEEDS. SOMETIMES FOR ONLY A FEW SECONDS AND OTHER TIMES LONGER. SOMETIMES THE SYSTEM FAILS AND TURNS THE LIGHT ON AND OTHER TIMES IT JUST RECOVERS AND STARTS DRIVING AGAIN. IT HAPPENS ON DRY DAYS JUST DRIVING IN A STRAIGHT LINE. WHEN ONLY ONE WHEEL LOCKS UP IT PULLS THE TRUCK IN THAT DIRECTION AND HAS ALMOST CAUSED ME AND MY WIFE TO CRASH. IT IS RANDOM IT MIGHT HAPPEN THREE TIMES IN A DAY OR NOT AT ALL FOR A WEEK. WE HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS AT LEAST 10 TIMES IN THE LAST TWO MONTHS. IT DID NOT SHOW A CODE UNTIL LAST WEEK. THE TRUCK WAS NEVER IN A ACCIDENT SO IT CAN NOT BE FROM DAMAGE! IT IS STILL IN THIS STATE AT THIS TIME AND NO WORK HAS BEEN DONE TO CORRECT IT AS OF YET. CODE: C1120 ESP YAW RATE SENSOR N/64 OR SIGNAL MERCEDES TRIES TO PRETEND THIS PROBLEM DOES NOT EXIST BUT WHEN SOMEONE GETS HURT BADLY THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO IGNORE IT! ANY SYSTEM THAT FAULTS BY FORCING THE CAR TO A STOP IS A SCARY DESIGN FLAW! I FOUND THIS FROM WEB SEARCH YOUR NHTSA ACTION NUMBER : PE07007 THANKS, EDWIN WENDELL *TR

Mileage: 74,000