Total Complaints
4 filings
MERCEDES-BENZ ML550 · model year
4 NHTSA complaints for this specific cohort.
NHTSA overall rating
Not crash-tested
New Car Assessment Program
The 2009MERCEDES-BENZML550 carries 4 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 2009 ML550 is tires with 1 filings, followed by air bags (1) and service brakes (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 2009 ML550. 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.
Total Complaints
4 filings
Crashes Reported
0 reports
Source
NHTSA ODI
Federal complaints database
At or below the fleet median complaint volume.
| Component | Count |
|---|---|
| TIRES | 1 |
| AIR BAGS | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES | 1 |
| SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC | 1 |
The contact owns a 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML550. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the brake pedal, the brake pedal went to the floorboard and seized. Additionally, the vehicle failed to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact continuously depressed the brake pedal until the brake pedal raised off the floorboard. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V315000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair was performed; however, the brake booster was not replaced. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and assisted in towing the vehicle to the dealer. The dealer informed the contact that a fee would be charged for a diagnostic test and repair. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was unknown.
In mid February/early March the brakes failed while the vehicle was moving in a parking lot. After exiting the vehicle with the emergency brake on, I found a pool of brake fluid under the car. After towing it home, I had to make the decision to leave the car sitting as I did not have the financial resources to take it to an authorized mechanic as I had lost my job in January. In May learned of the recall and called the number, only to be told that I have to wait for a letter in the mail and to do nothing until I receive a letter. After roughly 2 months we received that letter, and the only instructions were to set up a service appointment, which I did at their earliest date available, which was 20 days later. As the car sat undriveable for months on end the lines clearly corroded further and further, and the battery was also damaged by sitting uncharted for that period of time. So when they received the car, they would not repair the car until the battery was replaced, which they would
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 MERCEDES-BENZ ML550. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V081000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.
TIRES ARE NEW 3500 MILES. NORMAL DRIVING AT 40 MPH LOUD NOISE COMING FROM TIRE AND BLEW OUT. THE STEEL BELT WAS FAULTY. TWO DAYS LATER LOUD NOISE COMING FROM ANOTHER NEW TIRE TIRE OUT OF ROUND DUE TO STEEL BELT FAILURE. NO ROAD HAZARD SO TIRE DEALER SAID EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NEW IT WILL BE ANOTHER 880.00. THE TIRES CLEARLY ARE FAULTY AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DUNLOP 255/50R19 ALL 4 BOUGHT AND INSTALLED 2 FAILED 2 DAYS APART. VERY DANGEROUS BLOWOUT NO INJURIES. THESE TIRES ARE NOT RIGHT AND SHOULD BE COVERED UNDER A RECALL. I HAVE BEEN IN CAR BUSINESS FOR 45 YEARS AND KNOW WHAT THIS IS. NO RESULTS AND NEED CLOSURE QUICKLY !!
Mileage: 113,663
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.