2002 Mercedes Benz M Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M Class years
- Not enough data 5th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 5 complaints with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercedes Benz M Class. That ranks 5th out of 11 M Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (1 complaints, 20%). There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 3 defect investigations involving it.
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- 5owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 3NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2002 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 1 | 20% | — | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 20% | 60,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 20% | 40,900 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 20% | 3,261 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 20% | 95,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2002 Mercedes Benz M Class recalls (5)
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.
Seat belts:front:warning light/devices
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 208, s7.3, "occupant crash protection." the seat belt chimes may not function as designed and is not consistent with the requirements of the standard.
Risk: If the driver buckles his seat belt prior to starting the vehicle, the chime will not sound at all when the vehicle is started.
Fix: Dealers will inspect the vehicles to ensure that the seat belt chime operates as required by the standard. Owner notification began september 25, 2002. Owners who do not receive the free instructions within a reasonable time should contact mercedes-benz at 1-201-573-0117.
Tires:sidewall
Problem: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with dunlop sp5000 tires. Some of these tires have a separation around the entire circumference in the area of the side wall and tread.
Risk: This could result in premature tire wear.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the dunlop tires which exhibit this defect when visually inspected. Only dunlop tires in week 4901 with tire codes 4909 or 4917 are involved and will be replaced. Owner notification by telephone began febuary 27, 2002. 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.
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 2002 mercedes-benz m430. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 mph the vehicle started to jerk and it suddenly stalled without any warning. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and it was towed to the closes dealer. The vehicle failure was not diagnosed…
While driving her 2002 mercedes ml 500 at a steady 40 mph in traffic the electronic stability control engaged for no reason locking the brakes and making the vehicle uncontrollable and unresponsive to driver input. The only thing that prevented us from being hit was there was no one behind us, had…
Recall campaign # 2003-040005 - mercedes benz ml 320 recall of power steering clamp. Item was replaced by independent dealer in virginia and the charge was completed for the service rendered. Recall notice came in the mail 3 days later, and independent dealer does not want to refund any or all of…
Tl* - the contact called to report that the airbag indicator light says that the airbag is off in her 2002 mercedes m class. There is a light next to the airbag that says srs which is on. The vehicle was traveling approximately 60-65 mph when the contact was adjusted the front passenger seat and…
One day after washing the car, the rear brake sticks until pressing the gas pedal and force the brake to release. It makes a loud cracking noise during the force release. The noise is so loud that you may think you hit something from your bumper if you don't know the problem. Mbz said that's normal…
Other Mercedes Benz M Class years
← 2001 M Class · 2003 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 | 5 | 5 |
| 2001 M Class | 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 2002 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Owners most often report air bags, electronic stability control (esc), engine and engine cooling problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 1 complaint.
Was there a recall on the 2002 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2002 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 2002 has too little data to compare. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.