2012 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class: owner complaints and recalls
Analysis of 66 owner complaints filed with NHTSA and 0 recall campaigns. Updated 2026-07-25.
66
Complaints
0
Recalls
5
Crash reports
1
Fire reports
6
Injuries
112.1
Severity index
Severity index 112.1 - High. This weights crashes, fires, injuries and fatalities per 100 complaints; see methodology.
Among the 129 2012 vehicles we track with at least 40 complaints on file, the 2012 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class ranks 22 of 129 by severity, where 1 is the worst. Its severity is higher than 83% of its model-year peers. See the full 2012 ranking.
What actually fails
| Component | Complaints | Share of complaints citing it |
|---|---|---|
| ENGINE | 22 | 33.3% |
| FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM | 12 | 18.2% |
| ELECTRICAL SYSTEM | 12 | 18.2% |
| EXTERIOR LIGHTING | 9 | 13.6% |
| STEERING | 7 | 10.6% |
| POWER TRAIN | 6 | 9.1% |
| LANE DEPARTURE | 5 | 7.6% |
| FUEL SYSTEM | 5 | 7.6% |
The single most-reported system is ENGINE, cited in 22 of 66 complaints (33.3%). One complaint can name several systems, so these shares overlap and do not total 100%.
Complaints filed per year
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 4 |
| 2013 | 8 |
| 2014 | 3 |
| 2015 | 4 |
| 2016 | 4 |
| 2017 | 4 |
| 2018 | 4 |
| 2019 | 6 |
| 2020 | 1 |
| 2021 | 3 |
| 2022 | 3 |
| 2023 | 9 |
| 2024 | 9 |
| 2025 | 2 |
| 2026 (year to date) | 2 |
Complaint volume is rising - the last three years carry 2.9x the filings of the three before them, which usually signals a wear-related defect surfacing with age.
Source. US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration public complaint and recall APIs (api.nhtsa.gov), retrieved 2026-07-25. Complaints are unverified consumer reports; volume is influenced by how many units were sold and how long the vehicle has been on the road. Not affiliated with NHTSA or any manufacturer.