MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS · model year

2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS

5 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2002MERCEDES-BENZM-CLASS carries 5 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, 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 2002 M-CLASS is service brakes, hydraulic with 1 filings, followed by air bags:frontal:sensor/control module (1) and steering (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 2002 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.

5
Complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

5 filings

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

ComponentCount
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1
AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE1
STEERING1
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)1
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING1

Recent Complaints

20120105ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M430. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH THE VEHICLE STARTED TO JERK AND IT SUDDENLY STALLED WITHOUT ANY WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND IT WAS TOWED TO THE CLOSES DEALER. THE VEHICLE FAILURE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 40,900. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

Mileage: 40,900

20100823ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)

WHILE DRIVING HER 2002 MERCEDES ML 500 AT A STEADY 40 MPH IN TRAFFIC THE ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ENGAGED FOR NO REASON LOCKING THE BRAKES AND MAKING THE VEHICLE UNCONTROLLABLE AND UNRESPONSIVE TO DRIVER INPUT. THE ONLY THING THAT PREVENTED US FROM BEING HIT WAS THERE WAS NO ONE BEHIND US, HAD THIS OF OCCURRED GOING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION WE WOULD HAVE CERTAINLY HAVE BEEN HIT. OUR VEHICLE IS AT THE MERCEDES DEALER NOW AND WE ARE BEING TOLD IT NEEDS A BRAKE SWITCH THIS WILL BE THE THIRD OR FOURTH ONE CHANGED ON THE VEHICLE, IT ALSO HAS A BAD YAW SENSOR THE PART THAT THE DEALER SAYS CAUSED THE STABILITY CONTROL TO MALFUNCTION. THE YAW SENSOR THAT IS CURRENTLY IN OUR VEHICLE IS NOT THE ORIGINAL AND HAS A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER MEANING IT HAS ALSO BEEN CHANGED IN THE PAST. I HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH THIS WHOLE SITUATION VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEMS SHOULD NOT JEOPARDIZE THE SAFETY OF THE OPERATOR THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY DEFECT. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE MERCEDES OWNER FORUMS AND FOUND N

Mileage: 60,000

20090218STEERING

RECALL CAMPAIGN # 2003-040005 - MERCEDES BENZ ML 320 RECALL OF POWER STEERING CLAMP. ITEM WAS REPLACED BY INDEPENDENT DEALER IN VIRGINIA AND THE CHARGE WAS COMPLETED FOR THE SERVICE RENDERED. RECALL NOTICE CAME IN THE MAIL 3 DAYS LATER, AND INDEPENDENT DEALER DOES NOT WANT TO REFUND ANY OR ALL OF THE SERVICE COST. INFORMATION RECEIVED CLAIMS THAT MERCEDES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR REFUND NOW. COST FOR PART AND SERVICE WAS $133.57. LOOKING FOR REFUND, WORK IS COMPLETE AND VEHICLE RUNS FINE. *TR

Mileage: 95,000

20061222AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE

TL* - THE CONTACT CALLED TO REPORT THAT THE AIRBAG INDICATOR LIGHT SAYS THAT THE AIRBAG IS OFF IN HER 2002 MERCEDES M CLASS. THERE IS A LIGHT NEXT TO THE AIRBAG THAT SAYS SRS WHICH IS ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH WHEN THE CONTACT WAS ADJUSTED THE FRONT PASSENGER SEAT AND THE AIRBAG LIGHT DEPLOYED. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED.

20040422SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

ONE DAY AFTER WASHING THE CAR, THE REAR BRAKE STICKS UNTIL PRESSING THE GAS PEDAL AND FORCE THE BRAKE TO RELEASE. IT MAKES A LOUD CRACKING NOISE DURING THE FORCE RELEASE. THE NOISE IS SO LOUD THAT YOU MAY THINK YOU HIT SOMETHING FROM YOUR BUMPER IF YOU DON'T KNOW THE PROBLEM. MBZ SAID THAT'S NORMAL BECAUSE OF THE RUST OVERNIGHT. THEY DID TOOK THE BRAKE APART, CLEAN AND PUT THEM BACK TOGETHER. THEY TOLD ME IT'S MY RESPONSIBLITY TO DRIVE THE CAR AFTER I WASH TO CAR TO GET RID OF THE EXCESS WATER WITHIN THE BRAKE PADS. YESTERDAY, IT WAS A RAINLY DAY AND I PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AFTER DRIVING. IT HAPPENED AGAIN NEXT DAY. I DON'T KNOW HOW CAN I DRIVE THE CAR TO GET RID OF THE WATER WHEN THERE IS A RAINLY DAY. I'M STILL WAITING FOR THE MANAGER TO GIVE ME AN ANSWER AND I DON'T THINK THEY WILL DO ANYTING TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM SINCE THEY CLAIMED THAT THIS IS NORMAL FOR THIS BRAKE.

Mileage: 3,261

Compare 2002MERCEDES-BENZM-CLASS to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS have?
The 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS has 5 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
What are the most common problems with the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS?
The most-complained component for the 2002 MERCEDES-BENZ M-CLASS is SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:SENSOR/CONTROL MODULE and STEERING.
Is the 2002 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.