2003 Mercedes Benz M Class Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other M Class years
- Far more complaints than other years 4th of 11 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 10 complaints with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class. That ranks 4th out of 11 M Class model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (4 complaints, 40%), typically at around 24,650 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 1 fire, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
_China_(6).jpg){kind=link}
- 10owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 1complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2003 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 | 4 | 40% | 24,650 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 20% | 10,744 | — | — |
| Seats | 2 | 20% | 26,500 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 1 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 1 | 10% | 42,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 10% | 20,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 10% | 24,368 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2003 Mercedes Benz M Class recalls (3)
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.
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
- 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.
After changing the serpentine belt, i have noticed that the crankshaft pulley was wobbling and the belt vibrating, i been doing some research and found that there has been a recalled for this issue, dose mine still applied to this problem? It is already out of warranty but this kind of repair is…
While driving in moderate traffic engine stopped. Driver (not me) was very scared and said an accident almost occurred as she maneuvered to breakdown lane without power and no power steering. Second occurrence of sudden engine stoppage while driving with loss of engine power and power steering in…
Tl*the contact owns a 2003 mercedes-benz ml55. While driving 60 mph he engaged the seat heater. The front and rear seats became extremely hot. He was unable to turn the heater off. He pulled over and noticed smoke and sparks. He poured water over the seats and the sparks stopped. The seat heater…
Dt*: the contact stated while driving at 30 mph going around a curve the steering became difficult and then locked. The vehicle was towed to the dealership for inspection and determined there was nhtsa recall #03v121000 for the steering hydraulic power assist hose, piping and connections. The hose…
- no precursors or apparent damage - drivers seat heater failed resulting in strong burning smell, and superficial burn to left upper leg of driver
Other Mercedes Benz M Class years
← 2002 M Class · 2004 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 | 10 | 3 |
| 2002 M Class | 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
Embed this 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine and engine cooling, seats problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 4 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2003 Mercedes Benz M Class?
Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2003 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 2003 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.