2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other ML350 years
- About as many complaints as other years 8th of 14 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 3 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350. That ranks 8th out of 14 ML350 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is engine (21 complaints, 32%), typically at around 42,500 miles. Complaints mention 5 crashes, 1 fire, 6 injuries. There are 3 safety recalls covering this model year.
- 65owner complaints
- 3safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 5complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 21 | 32% | 42,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 12 | 18% | 54,192 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 11 | 17% | 63,450 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 9 | 14% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 7 | 11% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 6 | 9% | 81,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 4 | 6% | 79,950 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 3 | 5% | 41,486 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 5% | 43,630 | — | — |
| Structure | 3 | 5% | 77,880 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 2 | 3% | 76,500 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 2 | 3% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 2 | 3% | 110,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 2 | 3% | 14,017 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 1 | 2% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 1 | 2% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 1 | 2% | 4,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 2% | 48,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 1 | 2% | 65,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350 recalls (3)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump:control/drive module; fuel system, diesel:delivery:fuel pump:control/drive module
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML550, 2012-2015 ML350, AMG ML63, 2015 ML250, ML400, 2016 GLE450, GLE300, 2016-2018 GLE350, GLE550, 2016-2019 GLE400, 2017-2019 AMG GLE43, and 2016-2020 AMG GLE63 vehicles. Water might accumulate in the spare tire wheel well and damage the fuel pump control unit, which could cause an engine stall while driving.
Risk: An engine stall while driving increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a water drain plug, inspect for water intrusion, and replace the fuel pump control unit as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed February 15, 2023. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's numbers for this recall are 2023010002 and 2023010003.
Suspension:front
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2014 ML350 Bluetec 4Matic and ML550 4Matic, 2012-2015 ML63 AMG 4Matic and ML350 4Matic, 2013-2016 GL350 Bluetec 4Matic, GL550 4Matic and GL63 AMG 4Matic, 2017 GLS350d 4Matic, GLS450 4Matic, GLS550 4Matic and GLS63 AMG 4Matic, 2015 ML400 4Matic, 2016 GLE400 4Matic, GLE350 4Matic, GLE63 AMG 4Matic, GLE63S AMG 4Matic, GLE450 4Matic Coupe and GLE63S AMG 4Matic Coupe, 2015-2016 GL450 4Matic and 2013-2014 GL450 4Matic vehicles equipped with the Active Curve System (ACS). In certain driving conditions, if the oil level in the ACS reservoir is below the minimum level, the oil may foam and leak out of the vent holes in the reservoir cap.
Risk: The leaking oil in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will correct the oil level as necessary and replace the reservoir sealing cap to prevent oil foam from leaking out, free of charge. The recall began August 30, 2018. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372. MBUSA's number for this recall is 2018070015.
Electrical system:software; air bags:frontal:sensor/control module-inactive
Problem: Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 AMG GT-S, GLC300, CLA250 and GLE300d 4Matic vehicles, 2013 C250, E350 BlueTec and G63 AMG vehicles, 2008-2014 C300 vehicles, 2013-2014 C300 4Matic and ML350 4Matic vehicles, 2009 C350 vehicles, 2014 CLS550, E350 4Matic, E350 Coupe 4Matic, E350 Wagon 4Matic, GLK350 and SL550 vehicles, 2012 CLS550 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2016 E350 vehicles, 2016-2017 GL450 4Matic vehicles, 2012-2014 ML350 4Matic BlueTec vehicles, 2015 S550, S550 4Matic and C300 4Matic Sedan vehicles, 2015-2016 C300 Sedan vehicles, and 2017 SL63 AMG vehicles. Various control units on these vehicles may have been updated with incorrect software, potentially affecting the correct deployment of the air bags in the event of a crash.
Risk: If the air bags do not deploy as intended in the event of a crash, there would be an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Fix: MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will update software in the affected control units, free of charge. The recall began April 21, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service 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.
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350. While the contactâs wife was driving approximately 30 - 35 MPH, the message "Do Not Drive Vehicle" was suddenly displayed. The vehicle was taken to a mechanic, and the brake fluid reservoir was topped off. The mechanic was unable to find any leaks. The…
ENGINE STALLED DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT 70mph. MECHANIC DIAGNOSTIC INDICATED TO BE FAULTY FUEL PUMP and/or FUEL PUMP CONTROL UNIT. THIS ISSUE HAS BEEN RECOGNIZED BY MERCEDES BENZ AS A FAULTY ISSUE AND SUBJECT TO RECALL. UPON CALLING MERCEDES BENZ DEALER WAS TOLD THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THIS…
My name is [XXX] My vehicle cut off on me 3 times twice while stationary and once at an intersection. Found oil in engine control module due to failed cam position sensors. Oil has traveled through the engine harness to ECM causing oil to get into module and cause it to shut down but it did start…
Vehicle stalled without warning, and I was advised by a mechanic that the fuel pump control unit was reporting a fault through the onboard diagnostics port and the check engine light on the dashboard. It was necessary to replace the fuel pump control unit as the defect was intermittent and subject…
The driver's seat belt is locked and the retractor is not working without any reason. The front adaptive cruise control radar is also not working, along with the crucial blind spot sensor. Because of this, the vehicle cruise control (even without adaptive mode) is not working at all. This is a big…
Other Mercedes-Benz ML350 years
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 ML350 | 52 | 5 |
| 2014 ML350 | 68 | 4 |
| 2013 ML350 | 56 | 4 |
| 2012 | 65 | 3 |
| 2011 ML350 | 111 | 3 |
| 2010 ML350 | 101 | 3 |
| 2009 ML350 | 93 | 3 |
| 2008 ML350 | 67 | 2 |
| 2007 ML350 | 83 | 2 |
| 2006 ML350 | 172 | 2 |
| 2005 ML350 | 23 | 0 |
| 2004 ML350 | 35 | 0 |
| 2003 ML350 | 25 | 0 |
| 2001 ML350 | 1 | 0 |
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 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML350?
Owners most often report engine, fuel/propulsion system, electrical system problems. The top one, engine, accounts for 21 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2012 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 2012 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 2012 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.