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#BS-2002-MERML5-4992

2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500

Based on reports from 33 owners and 1 recall for this exact model.

Complaints

Crashes

Fires

Recalls

TSBs

✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 33 complaints, 1 crashes, 0 fires, and 1 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SteeringHIGH

6 owners reported steering issues — failures commonly reported around 97K miles.

!Inspect the BrakesMED

Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure

+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

0–30K

30–60K

60–90K

90–120K

120–150K

150K+

Peak failure range: 90–120K miles (9 reports) • Median: 97K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Steering (6 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Steering6 (18%)

Brakes4 (12%)

Speed Control3 (9%)

Engine3 (9%)

Electrical2 (6%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission1 (3%)

Power Train:automatic Transmission:control Module (tcm/pcm/tecm)1 (3%)

Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:pads1 (3%)

2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Steering Issues

Steering complaints account for 18% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500, with 6 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 97,000 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 97K-mile mark.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500, with 4 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Speed Control Issues

Speed Control complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to speed control-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500, with 3 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500. Recent trend: stable.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (1 recall)

01V290000Sep 2001

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:UPPER ARM

VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM MAY NOT MEET THE SPECIFIED STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 33 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 1 recall found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Mercedes Benz Ml500 Model Years

2011 2008 2007 2006 2005 2004 2003 2002

View all Mercedes Benz Ml500 years →

2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500?

The most commonly reported issue with the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 is related to the steering, with 6 complaints filed with NHTSA.

Is the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 reliable?

The 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 has 33 complaints, 1 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.

How much does it cost to fix 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 problems?

Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.

Does the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 have any recalls?

Yes, the 2002 Mercedes Benz Ml500 has 1 recall on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

What mileage do Mercedes Benz Ml500 problems start?

Based on 26 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 97,000 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 90–120K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.

What’s in the full report?

10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.

How is this different from free NHTSA data?

NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.

How is this different from Carfax?

Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.

What if the report isn’t useful?

100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.