2001 Mercedes-Benz Ml430 Recalls

No recalls on record Updated July 2026

No NHTSA recalls on record for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz Ml430. That means NHTSA has no open safety campaign for this vehicle — it does not guarantee the absence of problems. Owners have filed 65 complaints with NHTSA, most often about the service brakes. Last updated July 5, 2026.

Complaints by component

SERVICE BRAKES
11
1crashes
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
8
1crashes2injuries
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
6
ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC)
6
STEERING
3
1crashes
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
3
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL:CRUISE CONTROL
3
POWER TRAIN
2
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
2
CHILD SEAT
1
Total complaints65

What owners report

Verbatim reports filed with NHTSA, lightly edited for readability and with personal information removed.

“Was driving 50 miles per hour when the car slammed on the brakes, nearly getting me rear ended. The throttle would not respond until the car was doing maybe5 miles per hour - on an interstate! The bas/esp light was on solid. I got onto an off ramp, called the dealer, was told it could be several…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2022-08-24

“Was driving 50 miles per hour when the car slammed on the brakes, nearly getting me rear ended. The throttle would not respond until the car was doing maybe5 miles per hour - on an interstate! The bas/esp light was on solid. I got onto an off ramp, called the dealer, was told it could be several…”

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM · reported 2022-08-24

“Was driving 50 miles per hour when the car slammed on the brakes, nearly getting me rear ended. The throttle would not respond until the car was doing maybe5 miles per hour - on an interstate! The bas/esp light was on solid. I got onto an off ramp, called the dealer, was told it could be several…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2022-08-24

“Re: 2001 mb ml430 electronic braking sensor the front passenger brake initially locked up at low speed upon acceleration. After stopping and turning the vehicle off and back on the system was back to normal. Then one day I was traveling at near 70 mph in the passing lane of an interstate highway…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2017-10-14

“Re: 2001 mb ml430 electronic braking sensor the front passenger brake initially locked up at low speed upon acceleration. After stopping and turning the vehicle off and back on the system was back to normal. Then one day I was traveling at near 70 mph in the passing lane of an interstate highway…”

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · reported 2017-10-14

“Re: 2001 mb ml430 electronic braking sensor the front passenger brake initially locked up at low speed upon acceleration. After stopping and turning the vehicle off and back on the system was back to normal. Then one day I was traveling at near 70 mph in the passing lane of an interstate highway…”

UNKNOWN OR OTHER · reported 2017-10-14

“Twice now while driving and going over minor bumps (dots on the road to warn of crosswalks and a driveway entrance curb) the bas/esp and hazard lights have come on and the car has automatically applied violent breaking that took control of the direction the car was heading. This breaking continued…”

SERVICE BRAKES · reported 2017-09-10

“Twice now while driving and going over minor bumps (dots on the road to warn of crosswalks and a driveway entrance curb) the bas/esp and hazard lights have come on and the car has automatically applied violent breaking that took control of the direction the car was heading. This breaking continued…”

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL (ESC) · reported 2017-09-10

Defect investigations

Investigation EA08009 Opened 2008-04-28 · closed 2009-12-16

BRAKE LINE CHAFE

ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND MERCEDES AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA SUBMITTED BY MERCEDES INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A LOW RATE (36.5 COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES AND 0.29 PERCENT WARRANTY CLAIM RATE), WITH NO DISCERNABLE DEFECT TREND INDICATING THAT THE RATE OF CHAFING RELATED BRAKE LINE…

Investigation EA08009 Opened 2008-04-28 · closed 2009-12-16

BRAKE LINE CHAFE

ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO ODI AND MERCEDES AND WARRANTY CLAIM DATA SUBMITTED BY MERCEDES INDICATES THAT THE ALLEGED DEFECT HAS OCCURRED AT A LOW RATE (36.5 COMPLAINTS PER 100,000 VEHICLES AND 0.29 PERCENT WARRANTY CLAIM RATE), WITH NO DISCERNABLE DEFECT TREND INDICATING THAT THE RATE OF CHAFING RELATED BRAKE LINE…

Investigation PE07007 Opened 2007-02-01 · closed 2007-07-11

ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL MALFUNCTION

ODI OPENED PE07-007 AFTER RECEIVING 4 COMPLAINTS WITHIN A 6 WEEK PERIOD ALLEGING INCIDENTS OF UNCOMMANDED BRAKE APPLICATION IN MODEL YEAR (MY) 2000 THROUGH 2001 MERCEDES M CLASS SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES.INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THE REPORTS OR GATHERED IN SUBSEQUENT CONSUMER INTERVIEWS INDICATED THAT THE INCIDENTS WERE…

Investigation PE10050 Opened 2010-12-21 · closed 2011-05-04

Brake lamp switch failure.

ODI opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.Consumers also…

Investigation PE10050 Opened 2010-12-21 · closed 2011-05-04

Brake lamp switch failure.

ODI opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.Consumers also…

Investigation PE10050 Opened 2010-12-21 · closed 2011-05-04

Brake lamp switch failure.

ODI opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.Consumers also…

Investigation PE10050 Opened 2010-12-21 · closed 2011-05-04

Brake lamp switch failure.

ODI opened the investigation based on reports that the subject vehicle brake lamp switch (switch) failure caused 1) inoperative brake lamps (stay on or fail to illuminate), and/or 2) shift interlock failure (shifter locked in park), and/or 3) the cruise control to fail to cancel with brake application.Consumers also…

Sources & methodology

Recall, complaint, and investigation records from official NHTSA datasets (FLAT_RCL, FLAT_CMPL, FLAT_INV), synced weekly. Counts reflect NHTSA records for the 2001 Mercedes-Benz Ml430 as of July 5, 2026. Complaint narratives are consumer-submitted and unverified. This page contains ads and affiliate links. Full methodology.