Total Complaints
7 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ G500 · model year
2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500
7 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2003MERCEDES-BENZG500 carries 7 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.
Component-level analysis is where model-year complaints become actionable: the top complaint category for the 2003 G500 is structure:body:door with 1 filings, followed by service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:abs warning light (1) and service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module (1). Concentration in one or two component groups is the classic signature of a systemic defect; a flat distribution usually reflects normal aging, warranty complaints, or isolated build-plant variability.
NHTSA currently has 15 investigation files overlapping the 2003 G500. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should pair the counters above with the complaint-by-year trend on the parent model page — a spike in a single year often tracks to a platform refresh, a new transmission supplier, or an updated ECU calibration. Use the related-complaint feed below to read raw owner narratives before deciding whether any pattern here affects your specific use case.
7
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
1
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
Complaints vs. fleet median (215)
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
Complaints by Component
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION | 1 |
| STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT | 1 |
| STRUCTURE | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20150915SERVICE BRAKES
I PURCHASED THIS CAR IN NOVEMBER OF 2012 AS THE 2ND OWNER. IT ONLY HAD 60,000 MILES ON IT AND SEEMED LIKE A GREAT CAR. ONE DAY I WAS DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY APPROXIMATELY 65MPH, WHEN I HAD TO BRAKE SLIGHTLY AND THE BRAKE PEDAL FELT KINDA MUSHY AND MY BRAKING WAS SLOWER THAN NORMAL. NEXT THING I SAW WAS MY DASHBOARD HAD A RED MESSAGE ON IT (BRAKE REDUCED BRAKING EFFORT) AHHHHHH I WAS FREAKED OUT AND GOT OFF THE FREEWAY AND PULLED INTO A GAS STATION. I CALLED A TOW TRUCK (I WAS AFRAID MY BRAKES WERE NOT GOING TO WORK AND I DIDN'T WANT TO PUT MY YOUNG SON OR ANYONE ELSE IN DANGER. THE BENZ DEALERSHIP DID A FULL INSPECTION AND FOUND THAT THE SBC (SENSOTRONIC BRAKE CONTROL SYSTEM) NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE ALSO STATED THAT MB HAD A RECALL ON THIS PARTICULAR PART, HOWEVER THAT I MISSED THE THE FRAME TO GET IT REPLACED. I CALLED THE MB CORPORATION AND SPOKE TO SEVERAL SERVICE REPS AND THEY ALL TOLD ME I SHOULD HAVE GOTTEN IT REPLACED WITHIN THE RECALL TIME FRAME OF 10 YEARS. I EXPLAINED
Mileage: 75,000
20060908STRUCTURE
DT*: THE CONTACT STATED ONE OF CONTACT'S CLIENTS SUFFERED 3RD DEGREE BURNS ON THE CALF OF THE LEG WHILE EXITING THE VEHICLE FROM A STAINLESS STEEL PORTION OF THE RUNNING BOARD. THE RUNNING BOARD WAS VERY HOT FROM THE SUN SHINING INSIDE THE VEHICLE RESULTING IN THE CLIENT'S LEG BEING BURNED. THE DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED.
Mileage: 37,941
20040923STEERING:RACK AND PINION:PINION SHAFT
WHILE DRIVING, THE STEERING WHEEL STARTED SHAKING UNCONTROLLABLY. THE CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND DROVE IT TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONSUMER THAT THE STEERING RACK PINION SHAFT NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC THAT THE THIS PROBLEM HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE AND HAS NOT BEEN RESOLVED. PLEASE FILL IN ADDITIONAL INFORMATION. *JB
20031213STEERING:RACK AND PINION
I HAVE 2003 MERCEDES BENZ G 500. WHEN I AM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AND I HIT A BUMP IN THE WHOLE ROAD THE WHOLE STEERING UNIT IN THE TRUCK SHAKES AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL BECAUSE OF IT. THIS HAS HAPPENED A FEW TIMES AND THE PROBLEM IS DOCUMENTED BY OTHER OWNDERS AT WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG HTTP://WWW.BENZWORLD.ORG/FORUMS/FORUMS/THREAD-VIEW.ASP?TID=1124269&POSTS=16&FID=30&NP=1128200. *AK
Mileage: 16,000
20030921SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
ESP BRAKING SYSTEM ON THE 2003 G500 GOING DOWN HILL AROUND CURVES PAST 40 MPH IS A SERIOUS DRIVING HAZARD. AUTOMATIC BRAKING ON THE LEFT TIRE TURNING TO THE RIGHT CAN THROW YOU INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. ESP NEEDS TO BE ADJUSTED. *JB
20030722STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
CONSUMER STATES THAT REAR DOORS DO NOT LOCK. DEALER NOTIFIED. *AK
20030722SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT
CONSUMER STATES THAT WHILE DRIVING ABS LIGHT COMES ON. DEALER NOTIFIED.*AK
Compare 2003MERCEDES-BENZG500 to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 have?▼
The 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 has 7 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500?▼
The most-complained component for the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 is STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:ABS WARNING LIGHT and SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE.
Is the 2003 MERCEDES-BENZ G500 safe to buy?▼
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?▼
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.
Vehicle Safety Guides
Data as of 2025. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.