2009 Mercedes Benz ML350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Mar 24, 2026 · 93 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other ML350 years
More complaints than other years 4th of 14 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 93 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Mercedes Benz ML350. That ranks 4th out of 14 ML350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (40 complaints, 43%), typically at around 80,000 miles. Complaints mention 1 crash, 6 fires, 3 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

Compare with another car

Most common 2009 Mercedes Benz ML350 problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Air Bags40 · ~80,000 mi
Seat Belts18 · ~65,000 mi
Electrical System17 · ~104,284 mi
Exterior Lighting5 · ~50,200 mi
Structure5 · ~37,500 mi
Fuel/propulsion System4 · ~82,500 mi
Service Brakes4 · ~77,000 mi
Service Brakes, Hydraulic3 · ~230,000 mi
Unknown or Other2 · ~45,351 mi
Fuel System, Gasoline1 · ~40,000 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Air Bags4043%80,000——
Seat Belts1819%65,000——
Electrical System1718%104,284——
Exterior Lighting55%50,200——
Structure55%37,500——
Fuel/propulsion System44%82,500——
Service Brakes44%77,000——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic33%230,000——
Unknown or Other22%45,351——
Fuel System, Gasoline11%40,000——
Power Train11%61,590——
Seats11%31,000——
Steering11%90,000——
Suspension11%60,000——
Vehicle Speed Control11%93,000——
Wheels11%———

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2017, with 25 complaints
2011: 1201112012: 332013: 2201322014: 11112015: 6201562016: 14142017: 252017252018: 11112019: 3201932020: 222021: 3202132022: 442023: 1202312024: 112025: 5202552026: 11

n = 93 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2009 Mercedes Benz ML350 recalls (3)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not driveApr 26, 2024 · NHTSA campaign 24V298000 · 15,604 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 24, 2024. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MMUSA's number for this recall is 2024050001/2. This recall is an expansion of previous recall number 22V-315.

Service brakes, hydraulic:power assist:vacuumDo not driveMay 9, 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V315000 · 350,294 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the brake booster housing unit, which can result in reduced brake performance or brake failure.

Risk: Reduced brake performance or brake failure can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the remedy has been performed. Dealers will remove the rubber sleeve, inspect the brake booster, and as necessary, replace the brake booster. All repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 30, 2022. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2022050014, 2022050015 2022090006, & 2022090007.

Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator moduleFeb 11, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V081000 · 711,159 vehicles

Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Matic, ML63 AMG, and C63 AMG, 2010-2011 ML450 4Matic Hybrid, E350 Coupe, E350 4Matic, E550 Coupe, E550 4Matic, and E63 AMG, 2011-2012 GL350 BlueTec 4Matic and R350 BlueTec 4Matic, 2009-2012 GL450 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and R350 4Matic, 2007-2008 SLK280, SLK350, and SLK55 AMG, 2011-2014 SLS AMG Coupe, 2012 SLS AMG Cabriolet, 2013-2014 SLS AMG GT and SLS AMG GT Cabriolet, 2005 C230 Kompressor and C320, 2006-2007 C230, 2006-2011 C350, 2008-2011 C300 and C300 4Matic, 2010-2012 GLK350 and GLK350 4Matic and 2007-2008 Chrysler Crossfire vehicles. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.

Risk: In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Fix: MBUSA will their notify owners, and Fiat Chrysler will notify the affected Chrysler owners. Dealers for the respective brands will replace the driver's frontal air bag module, free of charge. This recall began November 2016. Mercedes-Benz owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372 and Chrysler owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.

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

  • Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH on the parkway, the contact heard a noise and several warning lights illuminated. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed, and determined…

Electrical System · received Mar 24, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11726683

Subject: Complaint Regarding Failure to Repair Safety Recall – Brake Booster (STOP DRIVE ORDER) Background In August 2022, I received a “STOP DRIVE ORDER” recall notice from Mercedes-Benz, informing me that my ML350 was unsafe to drive due to a defective brake booster. Despite repeated…

Service Brakes · received Sep 21, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11688683

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel locked. The battery warning light was illuminated. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the VIN was not included under…

Steering · received Sep 10, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11686279

Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while an independent mechanic was servicing the vehicle, the mechanic informed the contact that there was a mileage discrepancy based on the Carfax history report. The vehicle was a dealer sale. At the time of…

Electrical System · received Aug 14, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11680606

The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML350. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH in heavy rain, she observed smoke emanating from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that there may have been unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and…

Electrical System · received Jun 23, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11668575

Other Mercedes Benz ML350 years

← 2008 ML350 · 2010 ML350 →

See all Mercedes Benz ML350 problems by year, every Mercedes Benz model, or the Mercedes Benz VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2009 Mercedes Benz ML350?

Owners most often report air bags, seat belts, electrical system problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 40 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2009 Mercedes Benz ML350?

Yes, 3 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2009 Mercedes Benz ML350 a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other ML350 model years, the 2009 has more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.