Jowila

I have 2004 ML350 Inspiration Edition and the only thing I have been inspired to do is go find a cliff to drive it off of. It is by far THE WORST car I have ever owned. I have had it in the shop 14 times, in 18 months. Anyone else have similar problems?
Everytime I go to the dealer I feel like

pointman

sell it and be done with it.

sosh

I have owned 3 ML's, 98, 02 and now an 06. None were any where near the problem that you seem to be having. Drive it off a cliff and post pictures, or better yet go to another dealer.

twenty2

I've got a 02 ML500 and have got nothing but issues as well. Thinking about selling it before something else goes bad.

00ML430 Bulldog

What problems are you having??? Maybe you need to find a new dealership service department.

55fanatic

hmm have you checked the common ML problem thread? See if its anything that deviates from the regular and you should explain the problems, maybe we could be of some service

dgcamero

I inherited it when my '98 Intrepid ES was totalled (not my fault - it was a superior and *much* higher quality vehicle by the way). It's currently sitting at 141K miles. This one seems to be about average in terms of reliability --- nothing has failed completely in the past couple of years. My Mom had it since it was new until Thanksgiving '05, she stole the car I bought and is now driving it with no intentions of ever driving the CrunkL again. I don't really like either vehicle very much, so it's all the same to me.

Problems:
- Rattles, squeaks, etc, all fixed by the dealer under warranty, they've come back with a vengence post 100K.
-Lots of switches and controls (windows, rear wiper, seat heater, etc.) failed under warranty, none since.
- Driver's side seat heater completely failed once, now only the backrest heats up (better than nothing since I've never had seat heaters before ).
- Something broke with the HVAC blower motor or fan --- it sounded like a helicopter and had to be replaced once under warranty.
- Turn signal stalk goes on cancellation vacations every other day or so, it's been replaced twice already.
- Engine started burning lots of oil at 60K, replaced as a "gesture of goodwill," but I'm guessing it was just the piston ring seating problem that they call the sludge agreement. Hasn't burned oil since...Mobil 1 0W40 only.
- Both of the main keys went on a permanent engine starting strike, so for a while, my Mother had to carry around the Mickey Mouse key to start the car and one of the main keys to unlock the doors. She has since replaced the key with a new one to the tune of about $200.
- Harmonic Balancer failed once, I think it messed some other things up, but they didn't get that repaired --- I'm looking into that tomorrow. I think it's going to fail again since the engine is vibrating very badly (Hopefully it will be covered under TSB).
- The fuse for the pusher A/C condenser fans blows every couple of weeks in the summer.
- The condenser for the A/C broke and took the compressor with it at 95K ($2600 )
- Alternator died at about 100K (minor $400 job).
- The foam/sponge material that seals the flaps that close off the dash vents has deteriorated and no longer seals well. It's mildly annoying in the winter when your feet are cold and you don't want hot air on your face, not a problem in the summer.
- The part that holds the sunroof's built in wind deflector up (left side) broke off a couple of months ago and fell on my head.
- I think one or more of the catalytic convertors is splitting and spewing fumes into the interior of the car in stop and go traffic with the HVAC on "Fresh [Fumes]."
- The steering seems to be a bit loose, I think it's an inner or outer tie-rod bushing, It's speculation because it's the only thing that consistently breaks in an Intrepid.
- The trip computer lies about the fuel economy. It consistently reads about 1 - 2 mpg high.
- The light for the radio display and the clock are burned out. I can usually get the clock light to work by tapping the dash just right.

Transmission seems to be fine by the way, the software could stand to be updated, but it's good --- That's with a lot of ~4000# trailer pulling too (4th gear max --- don't use OD).

Hopefully you have better luck...

Stiggs

Damn I wish my alternator was $400. Mine died last week and cost me $800. My ML had 69K miles on it when the alternator died.

My window switches also died on me at around 65K miles (actually just the drivers switch didn't work).

Also my driver's seat heater didn't work....just the back heated up...not the butt. That died before last summer...can't remember the milage for that. All I do know is that it cost around $700-$800 to fix.


Why can't anything be cheap to fix on these trucks??

55fanatic

hey lightbulbs are cheap to fix... as long as you dont have xenons

dgcamero

You just gotta find the right mechanic --- the one that fixed my alternator was the only person who ever worked on my old Jetta...but I guess nothing ever broke on the Jetta so it's an unfair comparison. I was referred to him by my buddy who had an '86 Porsche 944 --- he was the mechanic for that, so that must be where the 'discount' came in :-)

Reynaldo

I have an '03 'inpiration' also....not nearly as 'un-inspired' as yours, I'm afraid. The only frustration, however, I have right now is, that, after replacing the original bulbs..(mine comes w/ bi-xenon)..the lights are no longer white/intense blue-ish as they once were...They(the dealer) told me--after replacing the bulbs is, that, the light will not be the same as they were first came from the manufacture. But, when I first turn on the ignition--there is that white light as it was(original)....but, after 30 seconds--it comes back to yellowish. I mean....how dif can it be??
I hope it is something that they fix for me this weekend.