2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
1 safety recall lists the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500, and owners have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
1 safety recall for the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Suspension: upper arm
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The left front upper control arm may not meet the specified strength requirements.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the left front upper control arm. Owner notification began september 29, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free…
27 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 have filed 27 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a crash. Reports cite 1 injury and 0 deaths. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 81,437 miles. Complaints peaked in 2009 with 7 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“Motor vehicle accident head on and the airbags did not deploy.”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 8, 2023 · Air bags
“There is a serious defect in the YAW rate sensors in these Mercedes ML W163's. Thank God I was driving down a secluded road and nobody was behind me, but my vehicles brakes locked up, on their own, ev”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, December 10, 2021 · Service brakes
Compare Mercedes-Benz ML500 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Mercedes-Benz ML500 model year in NHTSA's database.
| Model year | Recalls | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 1 | 27 |
| 2003 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 0 | 13 |
| 2004 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 0 | 18 |
| 2005 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 0 | 3 |
| 2006 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 2 | 37 |
| 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 2 | 9 |
| 2008 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 1 | 0 |
| 2011 Mercedes-Benz ML500 | 0 | 1 |
Checking a specific 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500
How do I know if my 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 1 campaign currently lists the 2002 Mercedes-Benz ML500; your car may already have been repaired under it.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Mercedes-Benz dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 01V290000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
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Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.