2001 Mercedes Benz M Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M Class years
- Not enough data 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class. That ranks 5th out of 11 M Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (2 complaints, 40%), typically at around 43,050 miles. Complaints mention 2 crashes, 1 injury. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 4 defect investigations involving it.
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- 5owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 4NHTSA investigations
- 2complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 2 | 40% | 43,050 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 20% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 20% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 1 | 20% | 86,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 20% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 1 | 20% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 1 | 20% | 30,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2001 Mercedes Benz M Class recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Vehicle speed control:cruise control
Problem: Mercedes-benz is recalling certain model year 1999-2002 m-class and model year 2000-2003 m-class amg vehicles. The cruise control system in the affected vehicles allows the driver to disengage the system in a number of ways, including tapping the brake pedal, using the cruise control stalk, or braking the vehicle enough to reach a certain rate of deceleration. Mercedes-benz has determined that under certain circumstances use of the brake pedal may not automatically disengage cruise control as expected by the driver, although the other means of deactivating cruise control remain fully operative. Specifically, where the driver pumps the brakes rather than applying consistent pedal force, the level of force required may be unusually high.
Risk: Difficulty or delay in disengaging cruise control can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will repair the vehicles free of charge. The safety recall began during october 2011. Owners may contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Problem: Mercedes-benz is recalling 125,228 my 1998-2004 m-class vehicles. The hose clamp used to secure the power steering fluid cooling hose to the power steering fluid cooler may not provide sufficient clamping force for this connection.
Risk: The loss of power steering fluid may result in diminished power steering over time and ultimately can damage the power steering pump. This could result in a loss of control and a crash without warning.
Fix: An earlier recall repair performed on these vehicles may not be sufficient to prevent a future leakage or failure of the power steering hose connection (please see 03v121). Since it is not possible through inspection to identify specific vehicles that may not have been properly repaired, all vehicles repaired prior to november 15, 2003, will be repaired again. The recall is expected to begin during november 2008. Owners may contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:hose, piping, and connections
Problem: On certain passenger vehicles, the hose clamp used to secure the power steering fluid cooling hose to the power steering fluid cooler may not provide sufficient clamping force for this connection.
Risk: The loss of power steering fluid may result in diminished power steering over time and ultimately can damage the power steering pump.
Fix: Dealers will install a new hose clamp on the power steering hose to the power steering cooler. During clamp replacement, the power steering cooling hose will be inspected and replaced as necessary. Owner notification began june 16, 2003. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. Certain all activity module ii (aam ii) could have a sub-component that could cause the module to intermittently not function properly. The aam ii controls a number of systems including the high beam lights, instrument cluster, door locks, and wiper systems.
Risk: This condition could cause an intermittent non-functioning of these systems.
Fix: Dealers will replace the aam ii. Owner notification began february 16, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact mercedes-benz at 1-800-367-6372.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Brake lamp switch failure. (PE10050) — opened Dec 21, 2010, closed May 4, 2011, led to recall 11V208000.
- Brake line chafe (EA08009) — opened Apr 28, 2008, closed Dec 16, 2009.
- Power steering hose leak (RQ08002) — opened Mar 11, 2008, closed Sep 17, 2008, led to recall 08V465000.
- Electronic stability control malfunction (PE07007) — opened Feb 1, 2007, closed Jul 11, 2007.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Tl*the contact owns a 2001 mercedes benz ml350. The steering wheel was repaired in 2003 according to nhtsa campaign id number 08v465000 (steering: hydraulic power assist: hose, piping, and connections); however, the steering was never corrected properly. The steering makes a loud noise when the…
I was hit on the passenger door side on 8/6/05 by a car running a red light. My car was hit so hard it rolled over resting on it's roof. No air bags deployed, not even side ones. I called mb-usa to complain. They didn't seem concerned about the event. *nm
Since the car was purchased it continues to hesitate and stall out giving a "start error" on the instrument panel. Had confirmed by the service manager, gerry griffith (car purchased in indianapolis, recent move to alabama), that the model m-class has problems with this issue. Just had to spend…
Just as reported in consumer reports, electrical systems failed on this vehicle causing all safety systems (ie., brake assist, safety belts, air bags) to fail. The problem caused two accidents last year when the 4,400 lb. Vehicle could not stop. Other electrical systems are also failing. Further…
I purchased this vehicle in may of this year and every month i have been at the service department turning it in for one problem or another. I am assured they are doing all that they can but i have not gone 30 days in a row with a functioning, no problem, vehicle. I purchased a mb because i thought…
Other Mercedes Benz M Class years
← 2000 M Class · 2002 M Class →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 M Class | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 M Class | 1 | 2 |
| 2007 M Class | 2 | 2 |
| 2006 M Class | 14 | 2 |
| 2004 M Class | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 M Class | 10 | 3 |
| 2002 M Class | 5 | 5 |
| 2001 | 5 | 4 |
| 2000 M Class | 25 | 5 |
| 1999 M Class | 18 | 4 |
| 1998 M Class | 5 | 4 |
See all Mercedes Benz M Class problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes Benz models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Owners most often report electrical system, air bags, engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 2 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2001 Mercedes Benz M Class a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other M Class model years, the 2001 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.