Total Complaints
6 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS · model year
1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS
6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crash report for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 1998MERCEDES-BENZM-CLASS carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 1 crash, 0 fires, 0 injuries, 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 1998 M-CLASS is structure:body:door with 1 filings, followed by structure:body:roof and pillars (1) and engine and engine cooling:engine:gasoline:belts and associated pulleys (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 1 investigation file overlapping the 1998 M-CLASS. 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.
6
Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths
Crashes Reported
1 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 |
| STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS | 1 |
| ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING | 1 |
| STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM | 1 |
| POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE | 1 |
Recent Complaints
20091018CrashPOWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE
WHILE PULLING INTO A PARKING SPOT IN A SHOPPING CENTER AND GOING ABOUT 5 MILES PER HOUR, SUDDENLY THE ACCELERATOR WENT TO THE FLOOR AND I CRASHED INTO 2 CARS. LUCKILY, I WAS NOT HURT AND THE DAMAGE TO THE 3 CARS WAS SLIGHT BUMPER DAMAGE. I CALLED THE POLICE AND MADE A REPORT. I BROUGHT IT TO THE GARAGE THE NEXT DAY TO HAVE THE CHECKED AND NO PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. THE NEXT DAY I WENT ON THE INTERNET THE CHECK FOR SIMILAR OCCURRENCES AND FOUND SEVERAL. MY CAR WAS A MERCEDES BENZ ML320 SUV. *TR
Mileage: 67,700
20040903ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
NO POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS HARD TO STEER THAT MIGHT CAUSE INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED. *AK
Mileage: 37,400
20040903STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST SYSTEM
NO POWER STEERING WHILE DRIVING WHICH IS HARD TO STEER THAT MIGHT CAUSE INTO AN ACCIDENT. THE HARMONIC BALANCER FAILED. *AK
Mileage: 37,400
20040315ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS
THE CRANKSHAFT HARMONIC BALANCER PULLEY OF MY MERCEDES ML 320 GAVE OUT ON ME WHILE I WAS DRIVING. THE BELT STARTED TO BURN. I CALLED THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALER IN HONOLULU, HI AND THE SERVICE MANAGER, DAN TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL ON THE PULLEY TO DATE AND THAT I SHOULD BRING MY ML 320 IN TO GET REPAIRED. DAN STATED THAT THE PULLEY MAY NOT BE THE ONLY PART THAT IS DAMAGED AND THAT THE COST COULD PROBABLY GO UP IN PRICE. I STATED THAT I HAD A MECHANIC LOOKED AT IT AND SAID THAT NOTHING ELSE WAS DAMAGED. DAN INSISTED THAT THERE WERE PROBABLY INTERNAL DAMAGES. AT THAT POINT, I DECIDED TO JUST PURCHASE THE PART AND HAVE MY MECHANIC FIX MY CAR BECAUSE MY MECHANIC LOOKED AT MY CAR THOROUGHY AND I FELT THAT THE MANAGER JUST WANTED TO HAVE ME BRING IN MY CAR IN FOR THE REPAIR(S) WHICH WOULD HAVE PROBABLY COST ME A LOT OF MONEY. *AK
20030102STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
ON DECEMBER 29TH WHILE TRAVELING WITH MY FAMILY ON I-77 NORTH IN VIRGINIA THE METAL SUNROOF WIND DEFLECTOR ON MY 1998 MERCEDES ML320 COMPLETELY AND WITHOUT WARNING BROKE OFF AND FLEW INTO THE PATH OF SEVERAL AUTOMOBILES. A MAJOR TRAFFIC ACCIDENT WAS NARROWLY AVOIDED. MY ML320 IS WELL MAINTAINED AND ONLY SERVICED BY THE DEALER WHOM SOLD ME THE CAR.
Mileage: 110,000
20000322STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR
REAR DOOR LOCK FAILED. YH
Compare 1998MERCEDES-BENZM-CLASS to Similar Vehicles
NHTSA Investigations
Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints does the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS have?▼
The 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS has 6 NHTSA complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS?▼
The most-complained component for the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS is STRUCTURE:BODY:DOOR with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS and ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:BELTS AND ASSOCIATED PULLEYS.
Is the 1998 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS 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.