Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electronic stability control (esc)1
- Engine and engine cooling1
- Service brakes, hydraulic1
- Steering1
- Air bags1
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, 11 2002 M-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 9 people died inside them, and 4 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 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class failed the safety check 1.34% of the time — 33% less often than the average 2002 passenger car (2.00%). Median odometer at inspection: 141,901 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 3.2 petrol (160 kW, 215 hp), 5.4 petrol (255 kW, 342 hp) and 2.7 diesel (120 kW, 161 hp), out of 5 versions with at least 20 cars.
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.2 petrol | 160 kW 215 hp | 99 |
| 5.4 petrol | 255 kW 342 hp | 52 |
| 2.7 diesel | 120 kW 161 hp | 50 |
| 5.0 petrol | 215 kW 288 hp | 26 |
| 4.0 diesel | 184 kW 247 hp | 20 |
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
258 first registered in 2002 are on Dutch roads; 37% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm182
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen131
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde95
- Band onvoldoende profiel45
- Band(en) aanwezig met een profieldiepte van 1,6 t/m 2,5 mm43
- Waarschuwingsinrichting antiblokkeersysteem geeft defect aan35
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt34
- Waarschuwingsinrichting airbag- / gordelsysteem geeft defect33
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
516 cars built in 2002 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,339 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 New Zealand
10 2002 cars are on the New Zealand register; 90% 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.
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.
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 2002 Mercedes-Benz M-Class: known faults, fixes and updates.
| Bulletin | Summary |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| 10012829 | ENGINE WILL NOT START AND FAULT MESSAGE START ERROR APPEARS IN INSTRUMENT CLUSTER. *TT |
| 10000347 | SEATBELT WARNING CHIME SERVICE CAMPAIGN. *TT |
| 10000089 | SERVICE CAMPAIGN REGARDING SEATBELT WARNING CHIME. *TT |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
Brake lamp switch failure.
BRAKE LINE CHAFE
POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation