Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Steering6
- Engine and engine cooling4
- Electrical system3
- Seat belts3
- Power train3
- Fuel system, gasoline2
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Visibility1
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Equipment1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 0 injuries and 0 deaths reported
Compared with other years
NHTSA ODI complaints by model year
Fatal crashes in the US
From 2020 to 2023, 9 1999 M-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 7 people died inside them, and 5 of the vehicles rolled over. This is a count, not a crash rate: it grows with the number of cars on the road.
NHTSA Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), crash years 2020–2023 (public domain)
New York safety inspections
At its first New York inspection the 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class failed the safety check 1.48% of the time — 16% less often than the average 1999 passenger car (1.76%). Median odometer at inspection: 155,829 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 3.2 petrol (160 kW, 215 hp) and 4.3 petrol (200 kW, 268 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.2 petrol | 160 kW 215 hp | 114 |
| 4.3 petrol | 200 kW 268 hp | 21 |
RDW Open Data (CC0): registered passenger cars and their fuel data · engine size rounded to 0.1 litre, net maximum power · versions with at least 20 cars
In the Netherlands
152 first registered in 1999 are on Dutch roads; 53% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen141
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm100
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde51
- Licht- donkerscheiding dimlicht onduidelijk37
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt35
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld29
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm28
- Mechanische delen van het remsysteem vertonen slijtage24
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
140 cars built in 1999 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 464 more were declared off the road (SORN).
Department for Transport and DVLA, vehicle licensing statistics (table VEH0124, year of manufacture) · Open Government Licence v3.0
In Finland
6 of these cars first registered in 1999 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 231,000 km on the odometer at their last inspection.
Traficom (Finnish Transport and Communications Agency), open data on vehicles in use · CC BY 4.0
In New Zealand
14 1999 cars are on the New Zealand register; 100% arrived as used imports, 0% were sold new in New Zealand.
NZ Transport Agency Waka Kotahi, Motor Vehicle Register (March 2026) · CC BY 4.0
Recalls
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 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.
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.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES. THE LATCHING MECHANISM ON THE SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY WAS NOT ASSEMBLED CORRECTLY. IF THE PLASTIC COVER IS LOOSE DURING THE ENGAGEMENT OF THE BUCKLE TONGUE TO THE LATCH MECHANISM, THE BUCKLE COULD UNLATCH.
Whether a recall was fixed on a particular car is known only to the manufacturer: check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
NHTSA recalls · summaries in NHTSA's own words
Service bulletins
What Mercedes-Benz told its dealers about the 1999 Mercedes-Benz M-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 612169 | SOME CUSTOMERS MAY COMPLAIN OF POOR AM / ELECTRICAL INTERFERENCE ON AM. *TT |
| 605370 | SUBJECT REGARDING SRS CONTROL UNIT PROGRAMMING. *TT |
| 603611 | CONDITIONS REGARDING THE TELEPHONE PRE-WIRING FROM THE RADIO COMPARTMENT TO THE CENTER CONSOLE WAS NOT INSTALLED BY THE FACTORY ON TELEPHONE KIT. *YC |
| 10051989 | MERCEDES: SEE DOCUMENT SEARCH BUTTON FOR OWNER LETTER. THE LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE AND CLAMP SHOULD BE REPLACE, UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY, DUE TO POWER STEERING LEAKAGE FROM CONNECTION TO POWER STEERING COOLER. MODELS 1998-2003 163.154, (ML320, 430, 55, 500, 350). *PE |
| 10016685 | ESP LAMP ILLUMINATED. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
BRAKE LINE CHAFE
POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK
ENGINE CRANKSHAFT PULLEY FAILURE
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation