Problems owners report
Complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class, by the system named in each complaint. One complaint can name several.
- Electrical system4
- Engine and engine cooling2
- Seats2
- Exterior lighting1
- Fuel system, gasoline1
- Power train1
- Steering1
NHTSA ODI complaints (public domain) · updated 23 Oct 2026 · 3 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 2003 M-Class vehicles were involved in crashes on US public roads in which someone died; 4 people died inside them. 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 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class failed the safety check 2.00% of the time — 5% less often than the average 2003 passenger car (2.11%). Median odometer at inspection: 141,639 miles.
NY DMV Vehicle Inspections (vezn-fmmk), initial inspections since Aug 2021 · how we count
Engines
The most common engines in 2003 Mercedes-Benz M-Class cars on Dutch roads are the 3.7 petrol (173 kW, 232 hp) and 2.7 diesel (120 kW, 161 hp).
| Engine | Power | Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 3.7 petrol | 173 kW 232 hp | 98 |
| 2.7 diesel | 120 kW 161 hp | 42 |
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
200 first registered in 2003 are on Dutch roads; 23% arrived later as imports.
Most common APK defects
- Stuur- of fuseekogel met slijtage kleiner of gelijk 1,0 mm139
- Overmatige vloeistoflekkage overige vloeistoffen107
- Bandenspanning niet op juiste waarde95
- Band onvoldoende profiel43
- Dimlicht onjuist afgesteld41
- Kentekenplaatverlichting werkt niet (goed) / ontbreekt40
- Veer gebroken of gescheurd39
- Stuurkogel te veel speling38
Colours
RDW Open Data: registered vehicles and APK defects (CC0) · defect descriptions in the RDW's Dutch wording
In the United Kingdom
609 cars built in 2003 were licensed for the road at the end of 2025, and 1,016 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
5 of these cars first registered in 2003 were in use in Finland on 30 Jun 2026, with an average of 401,000 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
32 2003 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.
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 2003 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 |
NHTSA manufacturer communications (public domain)
NHTSA investigations
POWER STEERING HOSE LEAK
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation