Complaints by model year
Each bar is one model year. The most recent years are still collecting complaints.
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026
New York safety inspections
Share of first inspections failed on safety, by model year. Older cars fail more as miles build up, so compare each year with the average car of the same year. Best against its own year: 2014.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections, initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Year by year
| Model year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2009 M-Class | 1 | 1 |
| 2008 M-Class | 1 | 2 |
| 2007 M-Class | 2 | 2 |
| 2006 M-Class | 14 | 2 |
| 2004 M-Class | 0 | 1 |
| 2003 M-Class | 10 | 3 |
| 2002 M-Class | 5 | 5 |
| 2001 M-Class | 5 | 4 |
| 2000 M-Class | 25 | 5 |
| 1999 M-Class | 18 | 4 |
| 1998 M-Class | 5 | 4 |
A model year gets its own page when it has enough data for at least three sections
Most common problems
- Steering22
- Engine and engine cooling15
- Electrical system14
- Power train10
- Service brakes, hydraulic8
- Electronic stability control (esc)8
- Seats5
- Structure4
NHTSA ODI complaints, all model years
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 125 M-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died, and 62 people died inside them. These are counts, not crash rates: a model with more cars on the road shows up more often, and people killed outside the vehicle are not counted here.
| Model year | Vehicles in fatal crashes | Deaths in the vehicle |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 12 | 3 |
| 2010 | 7 | 0 |
| 2009 | 5 | 2 |
| 2008 | 10 | 10 |
| 2007 | 5 | 0 |
| 2006 | 5 | 0 |
| 2005 | 12 | 7 |
| 2004 | 4 | 1 |
| 2003 | 11 | 4 |
| 2002 | 11 | 9 |
| 2001 | 8 | 4 |
| 2000 | 22 | 11 |
| 1999 | 9 | 7 |
| 1998 | 4 | 4 |
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain) · how we count
In New Zealand
1,595 M-Class cars are on the New Zealand register; 58% arrived as used imports.
| Model year | Registered | Sold new in NZ | Used imports |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | 229 | 140 | 83 |
| 2014 | 305 | 229 | 69 |
| 2013 | 216 | 113 | 102 |
| 2012 | 172 | 81 | 86 |
| 2011 | 26 | 0 | 26 |
| 2010 | 67 | 1 | 65 |
| 2009 | 63 | 0 | 61 |
| 2008 | 85 | 17 | 64 |
| 2007 | 134 | 30 | 100 |
| 2006 | 107 | 11 | 94 |
| 2005 | 56 | 0 | 53 |
| 2004 | 13 | 0 | 13 |
| 2003 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| 2002 | 10 | 0 | 9 |
| 2001 | 20 | 0 | 20 |
| 2000 | 43 | 0 | 38 |
| 1999 | 14 | 0 | 14 |
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
In the Netherlands
6,157 M-Class cars are on Dutch roads; 59% arrived later as imports, and 2,496 still have a recall open. Open a year for APK defects, odometer checks and colours.
| First registered | On the road | Median list price |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 186 | €108,309 |
| 2014 | 330 | €103,765 |
| 2013 | 552 | €99,964 |
| 2012 | 815 | €98,413 |
| 2011 | 256 | €94,159 |
| 2010 | 237 | €89,390 |
| 2009 | 238 | €92,448 |
| 2008 | 411 | €93,583 |
| 2007 | 551 | €91,694 |
| 2006 | 908 | €88,592 |
| 2005 | 415 | €83,950 |
| 2004 | 130 | €74,281 |
| 2003 | 200 | — |
| 2002 | 258 | — |
| 2001 | 249 | €102,421 |
| 2000 | 212 | €100,031 |
| 1999 | 152 | — |
| 1998 | 57 | — |
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles (CC0) · list price is the manufacturer's catalogue price when new
In Finland
201 M-Class cars were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026: 11% petrol, 89% diesel. Mileage is the odometer reading at the last inspection.
| First registered | In use | Average mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2015 | 10 | 221,000 km |
| 2014 | 20 | 230,000 km |
| 2013 | 39 | 242,000 km |
| 2012 | 64 | 274,000 km |
| 2011 | 19 | 317,000 km |
| 2009 | 6 | 232,000 km |
| 2008 | 5 | 306,000 km |
| 2007 | 5 | 237,000 km |
| 2006 | 12 | 324,000 km |
| 2005 | 10 | 344,000 km |
| 2003 | 5 | 401,000 km |
| 1999 | 6 | 231,000 km |
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use, 30 Jun 2026 · CC BY 4.0
Road collisions in Great Britain
From 2021 to 2025, 513 M-Class cars were involved in road collisions in Great Britain that injured someone and were reported to the police. 6 of those collisions were fatal and 98 caused serious injuries. As with any count, models with more cars on British roads appear more often.
| Year | Cars in injury collisions | Fatal | Serious |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 92 | 2 | 23 |
| 2024 | 85 | 0 | 20 |
| 2023 | 109 | 0 | 20 |
| 2022 | 108 | 2 | 16 |
| 2021 | 119 | 2 | 19 |
Department for Transport, STATS19 road safety data 2021–2025 · Open Government Licence v3.0 · how we count
In the United Kingdom
26,617 M-Class cars were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, by year of manufacture.
| Built | Licensed | Off the road (SORN) |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 6 | — |
| 2015 | 3,116 | 82 |
| 2014 | 3,778 | 161 |
| 2013 | 4,044 | 242 |
| 2012 | 2,371 | 282 |
| 2011 | 2,213 | 426 |
| 2010 | 2,169 | 569 |
| 2009 | 1,518 | 570 |
| 2008 | 1,601 | 829 |
| 2007 | 1,427 | 1,025 |
| 2006 | 1,126 | 1,116 |
| 2005 | 625 | 596 |
| 2004 | 816 | 1,009 |
| 2003 | 609 | 1,016 |
| 2002 | 516 | 1,339 |
| 2001 | 286 | 983 |
| 2000 | 241 | 974 |
| 1999 | 140 | 464 |
| 1998 | 15 | 72 |
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124) · Open Government Licence v3.0
MOT test results in Great Britain
428 M-Class cars took their annual MOT test in 2023; 71% passed first time, against 64% for all cars of the same ages. Older cars fail more often, so compare a year with the same year of other cars.
| First registered | Tests | Passed first time |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 327 | 72% |
| 2010 | 101 | 65% |
DVSA anonymised MOT tests and results, 2023 (Department for Transport) · Open Government Licence v3.0 · first tests of cars only; a fix made at the test station within the hour still counts as a fail
New registrations in Europe
114,470 new Mercedes-Benz M-Class cars registered in the EU, Norway and Iceland between 2010 and 2021, from the European Environment Agency's CO₂ monitoring of every new car. In 2021 the largest markets were Spain (4).
| Year | New cars | CO₂ g/km |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 4 | — |
| 2020 | 7 | 257 (NEDC) |
| 2019 | 10 | 219 (NEDC) |
| 2018 | 1 | 189 (NEDC) |
| 2017 | 17 | 180 (NEDC) |
| 2016 | 200 | — |
| 2015 | 14,404 | — |
| 2014 | 22,399 | — |
| 2013 | 27,525 | — |
| 2012 | 17,434 | — |
| 2011 | 13,449 | — |
| 2010 | 19,020 | — |
Averages are weighted by registrations; CO₂ is the type-approval value (NEDC until the WLTP switch). European Environment Agency, CO₂ emissions from new passenger cars · re-use permitted with acknowledgement
EU safety alerts
Safety Gate, the European Union's rapid alert system, names the M-Class in 5 alerts. European versions can differ from the North American car.
The three aluminium screws of the steering box may corrode due to exposure to spray water and aggressive road-grit (salt) used for melting ice. Advanced corrosion could weaken the screws, leading to potential breakage during manoeuvring or parking. If all fixi…
The upper suspension arm may not have been correctly screwed to the stub axle, which could affect the steering.
The axle screws on the front/rear axle may not have been correctly secured which could lead to an overload on the remaining screw connections on the axle concerned. This overload may result in the rupture of the screws and under certain conditions, in loss of …
In the event of a car crash involving strong forces the end mount of the rear right seat belt may fail because of incorrectly fixed bolts. This would increase the potential risk of injury to passengers.
The on-board high-voltage battery charger may malfunction. As a consequence it may incorrectly detect that an external charging cable has been inserted. If the vehicle is travelling at a speed of less than 5 km/h, this could lead to the activation of the park-…
Safety Gate (European Commission) · CC0
Recalls
15 campaigns cover the M-Class; the latest 12 are below.
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 1999-2002 M-CLASS AND MODEL YEAR 2000-2003 M-CLASS AMG VEHICLES. THE CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM IN THE AFFECTED VEHICLES ALLOWS THE DRIVER TO DISENGAGE THE SYSTEM IN A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING TAPPING THE BRAKE PEDAL, USING THE CRUISE CONTROL STALK, OR BRAKING THE VEHICLE ENOUGH TO REACH A CERTAIN RATE OF DECELERATION. MERCEDES-BENZ HAS DETERMINED THAT UNDER CERTAIN CIRCUMSTANCES USE OF THE BRAKE PEDAL MAY NOT AUTOMATICALLY DISENGAGE CRUISE CONTROL AS EXPECTED BY THE DRIVER, ALTHOUGH THE OTHER MEANS OF DEACTIVATING CRUISE CONTROL REMAIN FULLY OPERATIVE. SPECIFICALLY, WHERE THE DRIVER PUMPS THE BRAKES RATHER THAN APPLYING CONSISTENT PEDAL FORCE, THE LEVEL OF FORCE REQUIRED MAY BE UNUSUALLY HIGH.
MERCEDES BENZ IS RECALLING 16,130 MY 2009 M-CLASS W164 PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH THE OPTIONAL POWER LIFT GATE. AS A RESULT OF A FAULTY SEAL AROUND THE REAR TAIL LAMP ASSEMBLY, WATER MAY ENTER THE REAR COMPARTMENT CONTAINING THE SPARE TIRE. WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE CONTROL UNIT FOR THE POWER LIFT GATE CAN RESULT IN DISABLING OF THE POWER LIFT GATE MOTOR.
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 577 MY 2008 GL-CLASS, M-CLASS, AND R-CLASS VEHICLES. A DEFECT MAY EXIST IN THE DRIVING PIN USED TO CONTROL THE OIL PRESSURE OF THE POWER STEERING.
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING 125,228 MY 1998-2004 M-CLASS VEHICLES. THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
MERCEDES-BENZ IS RECALLING MY 2006-2008 M-CLASS, R-CLASS, MY 2005-2009 SLK-CLASS, MY 2005-2008 C-CLASS, MY 2003-2004 AND 2006-2008 CLK-CLASS, MY 2003-2008 E-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2008 CL-CLASS, MY 2008 CLS-CLASS, MY 2004 AND 2007-2008 S-CLASS, MY 2003 G-CLASS, AND MY 2003-2004, 2006 AND 2009 SL-CLASS VEHICLES. A SOFTWARE CALIBRATION NUMBER (SCN) CODING RECEIVED ON THE AFFECTED VEHICLES DURING A RECENT WORKSHOP VISIT WAS INCORRECT. DEPENDING ON THE MODEL YEAR AND MODEL AFFECTED, THE RESULTS OF AN INCORRECT SCN CODING CAN AFFECT A NUMBER OF VEHICLE SAFETY AND EMISSION FUNCTIONS INCLUDING THE FOLLOWING TYPES OF FUNCTIONS: (1) THE FUEL GAUGE READINGS MAY BE INCORRECT; (2) A STUCK FUEL-LEVEL SENSOR MAY NOT BE DISPLAYED IN THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER; (3) THE OBD SYSTEM MAY CAUSE THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT TO ILLUMINATE INCORRECTLY; AND, (4) THE SPEEDOMETER MAY BE OUT OF TOLERANCE.
ON CERTAIN VEHICLES, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN FULLY FASTENED TO ITS MOUNTING STUDS.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, A HOSE CLAMP THAT SECURES THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES, THE HOSE CLAMP USED TO SECURE THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLING HOSE TO THE POWER STEERING FLUID COOLER MAY NOT PROVIDE SUFFICIENT CLAMPING FORCE FOR THIS CONNECTION.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 208, S7.3, "OCCUPANT CRASH PROTECTION." THE SEAT BELT CHIMES MAY NOT FUNCTION AS DESIGNED AND IS NOT CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE STANDARD.
CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH DUNLOP SP5000 TIRES. SOME OF THESE TIRES HAVE A SEPARATION AROUND THE ENTIRE CIRCUMFERENCE IN THE AREA OF THE SIDE WALL AND TREAD.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. CERTAIN ALL ACTIVITY MODULE II (AAM II) COULD HAVE A SUB-COMPONENT THAT COULD CAUSE THE MODULE TO INTERMITTENTLY NOT FUNCTION PROPERLY. THE AAM II CONTROLS A NUMBER OF SYSTEMS INCLUDING THE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, INSTRUMENT CLUSTER, DOOR LOCKS, AND WIPER SYSTEMS.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE SEAT BELT ANCHOR IN THE REAR FOLDING MIDDLE SEATING POSITION MAY HAVE BEEN MANUFACTURED WITH OUT-OF-TOLERANCE HARDWARE.
NHTSA recalls