2007 Mercedes-Benz ML

Typical pattern

2.8% of complaints about the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML came in the first year, which is unremarkable for a 2007 vehicle — around the middle of the 268 model-years on record. The median complaint arrives at 7.7 yr in service. The most-reported system is seats (38 complaints), typically at 6.3 yr or about 70,000 miles.

Covers 3 variants: ML350 (113), ML320 (20), ML500 (11)

Complaints: 145
Median age at failure: 7.7 yr
Median mileage: 59,175 n=118
Crash / fire / tow: 35.9% of reports
Safety recalls: 0

In owners’ own words

Seats 23,600 mi 4.3 yr in service crash / fire / tow

DRIVER HEATED SEAT BACK CUSHION BURNED A HOLE THROUGH THE SEATBACK AND DRIVER'S COAT CAUSING HER TO SWERVE OFF ROAD ... NO COLLISION. CAR HAS 23,000 MILES AND WAS ONLY DRIVEN A MILE BEFORE INCIDENT. *TR

Seats 229,000 mi 9.5 yr in service crash / fire / tow

SEAT BACK WARMER OVERHEATS/BURNS SMALL BURN - THE DRIVERS SIDE SEAT SEAT WARMER BURNED A WHOLE THROUGH THE MATERIAL AND THROUGH MY WIFE JACKET CAUSING A SMALL BURN ABOVE HER LEFT LEG. BASICALLY A THERMAL INCIDENT IN WHICH THE SEAT HAS A HOLE THE SIZE OF A QUARTER BURNED THROUGH THE SEAT COVER. WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK.

Seats 27,000 mi 3.3 yr in service crash / fire / tow

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350. THE CONTACT OBSERVED SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS HEATED SEAT. PRIOR TO TURNING THE HEATED SEAT OFF, THE CONTACT SUFFERED MINOR BURNS ON HER LEFT BUTTOCK. A ROAD SIDE ASSISTANCE MECHANIC TOWED THE VEHICLE TO AN AUTHORIZED DEALER AND ADVISED THE CONTACT NOT TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED THAT THE FAILURE COULD HAVE CAUSED A FIRE TO OCCUR. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 27,000. UPDATED 1/25/10 *CN UPDATED 01/26/10

Electrical system mileage not reported 1.3 yr in service crash / fire / tow

WHILE DRIVING MY 2007 MERCEDES BENZ ML350, THE CAR STARTED TO SHUT DOWN, MEANING ALL CONTROLS LOCKED UP AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE PASSENGERS SEAT. MY CHILDREN & I EXITED THE CAR IMMEDIATELY AND THE CAR WENT UP IN FLAMES - TOTALLY ENGULFED. *TR

Other ML model years

How to read this

This is what owners reported, not a reliability rating. People file with NHTSA about alarming failures, not routine ones, and complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold.
Failure ages come from the incident date on each complaint, populated on about 83% of records. Mileage is shown where reported — NHTSA’s 2021 system change cut mileage capture to roughly 15%, so it thins out sharply after MY2020.
Every rank compares this vehicle only against others of the same model year. A 2025 car has not had time to accumulate five-year failures, so comparing early-failure share across years is meaningless.
Fourteen make-months distorted by media storms and mass recalls — Toyota in February 2010 ran 11× normal volume across 33 models — are excluded.
Recalls are manufacturer actions and authoritative; complaints are not. A recall listed here may already have been performed on any individual car. Check a specific VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

2007 Mercedes-Benz ML

When each system is reported — middle 50% of complaints

In owners’ own words

Other ML model years

How to read this