skytop

My '09 ML350 is unstable at speeds over 35 mph. I had it to the dealer and they just give me the high center of gravity story. They state all SUV's are inherently far more unstable than passenger cars.
Cold comfort and I don't buy the explanation. Maybe 10 years ago but not today and not with MB. I would have thought this SUV would have more intelligent suspension and mechanicals that would control swaying and excessive leaning. Not so. At any speed over 35, any sudden emergency avoidence maneuver will definitely roll this vehicle over. Rapid left and right steering wheel movement sets up a very dangerous rocking motion that fully upsets the vehicle AND the occupants. It is hard to believe the vehicle is so twitchy and unstable. Even the MB tech was unnerved by the instability of the ML350. If I would have experienced this before buying, I would not be an MB owner. That is a fact.

Has anyone found any solutions for this problem? Anyone change shocks from the stock Bilsteins?

Vernl

Mine is stock with air suspension and its rock solid all the way up to the speed limiter at 220 km per hour and i am afraid i spend too much time driving it at high speed and it will bite me in the *** lol

vinceching

have you test driven another 09? if not, i'd do that first.

QuadBenz

Is it possible there's something wrong with your specific ML? How would all the reviewers be able to test it through slaloms at speeds above 50? They don't flip. I can't really comment on the stability as I have an ML63, but good luck with your car.

QuadBenz

This is from Edmunds.com.

sosh

Mine is rock solid at most all speeds. Just about the same as my E Class. You really have to try to even feel as if you will roll over. I have used exit ramps that are steep, with sharp curves and a 15 MPH limit at 70MPH with no ill effects.

krown

Is this your first SUV? If so, I can understand your apprehension. I have an ML63 as well and it grips the road like nobody's business!

II Kings 9:20

Are these 15mph curves banked? I know in West Virginia if you take a 15 mph curve at even 40mph you get an immediate flip down the mountain straight to the boneyard.

Txhurdle

Best Rollover Ratings of any SUV on the road, so it sounds like a situation of just not being used to driving a high center of gravity vehicle.

chronman6

I think you may have been better off with a R350 if you wanted more of a sedan feel.

sosh

Most are slightly banked. Know what you are talking about as I have driven in WVA.

II Kings 9:20

Some of those short chute on ramps with zero merge in Philly are down right scary too. Getting back to the OP: I think there is a serious suspension problem if indeed the over 35mph description is accurate and not just a higher CG. I drove the ML, XC, and X5 extensively before getting the X5. If I drive over a dime I can tell if it is heads or tails, I would have felt any inherent instability in the ML and it was rock solid like the others.

The OP should see another dealer. I had my 87 300E to 3 dealers (Columbus, Nashville, and Richmond) and none could find the steering issue I was having for over a year. I finally took it to an independent German shop and they immediately found a bad right ball joint. I had both done and the car drove like new. I am not suggesting taking a new car under warranty to an indie (not a bad idea to find the problem) but rather to another dealer or simply drive another new ML for comparison. I wonder why this defect was not found on the pre purchase and delivery test drive.

cschmelz

Sigh is all I have to say to this...Quite the overstatement

sosh

My take on this is that the OP is having a bit of buyers remorse and will use this to try to return the ML. Perhaps its a financial issue. However even if there is a fault with his at 35MPH it should not show any signs of instability. For a dealer employee to make a statement that he quoted is almost unthinkable. In actuallity if this is the case he certainly did overstate the problem if one does exist and he did pick the wrong "fault" to base his negativity on. This is just not so. The ML is about the moat stable SUV in the world, enjoys an excellent safety record and reputation for this issue. My thoughts again are that the OP has no clue or could be not even an ML owner and just wishes to trash an MB product. If there is any instability its with the OP.

roadrutz

You're being a bit harsh on somebody who has made 61 posts!

I now have a full five days experience with my ML550, so I qualify as an expert, right? But for the record, my initial sense is that the vehicle is not as stable as my seven-year-old X5 was. It is way more comfortable, true, but the steering is somewhat over-boosted for my taste, and the whole truck feels quite tippy if it is given a sudden steering input. Only after the suspension has had time to catch up does the vehicle feel relatively stable. It is also more susceptible to cross winds than the BMW, regardless of the suspension setting I put it at.

By no stretch of the imagination would I classify it as 'unstable' at speed, but those people who state that it is "rock solid" and use terms like that have apparently not driven a true driver's car. [Ducks head to avoid incoming missiles...]

sosh

I don't think I am being harsh at all, just honest. I have almost 4 years with my ML500 and a total ML experience of over 10 years with 3 ML's. As for the BMW comparison check the professional tests and you will find that the roll over tendency is less with the ML as is the history of roll overs.
As far as never having driven a "driver's car" I doubt if you have as much experience with them as I do. I can start with a Ferarri 330GTC, go on to 3 BMW 6 series including an M6, go further to a series of British sports cars and then there is the Shelby AC Cobra that I owned for many years and add the 66 Corvette that I still own. Whats your qualification to make that statement?? Besides children can and do make 61 or more posts!!

QuadBenz

You should test out an ML63 if you can. The front suspension is 100% stiffened compared to a regular ML, I believe. I'm not sure if that's the same with the ML550, but definitely try it. I bet you'll find it much better than your previous X5.

II Kings 9:20

Not a missle but I'll stand by "rock solid" of the three SUVs I mentioned. Compared to my old M3 (a true driver's car in most books) they do not corner as well but that does not mean they are inherently flabby or loose, just higher off the ground and do not drive like sports cars but are rock solid nonetheless.

1st amg

MY2009 ML 350 I have had for a couple of weeks and I have not felt that insecure at speed on the highway, of course the center of gravity is not like a car so it takes getting used to, but in no way did I ever feel unsafe, I would test drive another one and see what it feels like.

roadrutz

Not as many missiles as I expected!

Sosh -- without getting into a p***ing contest with you, I would hazard a guess that in my 67 years on this planet as an incurable car nut I have had every bit as many fine autos as you have, including two Maseratis, seven BMWs, two Vettes, one Jag, a Dodge Stealth (one of the most under-rated cars of the past 50 years), several English sports cars (I grew up there) all of which were awful, and a bunch of quite forgettable nothing-mobiles. I still have several dusty trophies in my basement from the days when I drove around racetracks and later when I competed in semi-serious rallying. To top it off, a friend with rather more money that sense let me borrow his Gallardo for six weeks last summer; it was a squeeze fitting into it, but a hoot to drive at grossly illegal speeds. So yes, I believe I know exactly what a well-handling vehicle should feel like.

QuadBenz: I drove two ML63s. They are delightful vehicles with more than enough power, but a well-driven X6 would blow them off the road on any twisty section. Twenty -- or even ten -- years ago I would almost certainly have picked the AMG over the 550, but I am sufficiently long in the tooth that I value comfort a little more now, and the ML63 does have a choppy ride. And it is wicked expensive.

Hey, I really like this ML550! It has all the attributes I was looking for (and the "leather" dash I ordered is the cat's meow, the finishing touch to an excellent interior). But it is NOT a "driver's car". Its roadholding is, at best, adequate.

sosh

Well we have the same amount of time on this earth. Glad to hear of your car experience also. Growing up in England must have been a wonderful automotive experience. Yes the British cars were horrible in relaibility but they did handle and were fun. During my flying career whenever I had an overnight or two in London I spent most of it in the car and motorcycle museums and even factories. I also collected old British Bikes for years and had several Vincents, Velocettes, Ariel's, BSA's and a Brough Superior.
I also agree the ML is not and will never be a sports or performance car. Its an SUV (Truck). However it does handle well and is extremely stable for what it is and better than some cars. I too had use of an AMG ML for a weel or so and opted not to buy one. This is due to the harsh ride and the lack of a spare tire.

roadrutz

Last fall I sold my much loved 10-year-old owned-since-new BMW R1100RT. The guy who bought it turned up on -- of all things -- a Hesketh. You are probably one in about ten million people who would even know what that is!

Back in my youth I had an Ariel Golden Arrow and then a Honda Dream, both of which revved high enough to sound like gas turbines. Honda had a Dream on display at the motorcycle show here in Calgary last year. They insisted on taking my picture with it on the grounds that nobody in Honda Canada had ever met anybody before who had actually owned one!

OP: Sorry, we hijacked this thread. Back to unstable MLs...

skytop

First, my intent is not to upset anyone who is having a love affair with their MB suv. That being said, I will respond in kind to what has generally been posted. My experience with this new ML350 is not satisfactory. Other issues also ruin the "MB experience" but I am only referring to the suspension issue now.

There is NO WAY anyone can state sincerely that their suv is "rock stable." Take it up to 65 and wiggle the steering and hold on tight. We are talking about an suv and not a low slung car or sports car. Additionally, my ML is even very sensitive to side winds. This causes a seriously obnoxious situation during windy days. I find this flaw to be very annoying. On long trips, I must constantly adjust for changes in vehicle direction due to wind loading effect.

I do not have the air suspension option. The car was approaching 60K list and I could not see spending any more money on options of an already overpriced vehicle. In retrospect, the air suspension would have possibly been a necessary option ONLY if it helps big time with lateral stability.

This is my 5th MB and I have had a number of M car BMW's plus I was a member of the SCCA. I also ride motorcycles for over 30 years. I feel I have an appreciation and understanding of what 'rock stable' feels like and my ML350 "ain't anywhere near it." My kid calls it the wiggle express.

The dealer tech just stated that I might change my tires. The car came with Contis which are known to have soft sidewalls. After I put some miles on, I will switch to Michelins and hope they will be stiffer to ameliorate the softness of the lateral movement. I do not have the air suspension option.

I will keep this vehicle for two years and then get rid of it. I will not be purchasing an SUV ever again.

1st amg

I have the michelins, and secondly, is this your first SUV, have you ever owned a truck etc? Like I stated before, any SUV will not compare to a car whatsoever in road holding. The michelins I dont feel as the sidewalls are rolling or folding, so tires might correct the situation, hope you figure it out as you seem very dissappointed, but rest assured, even an X5 or the Q7 will give you the same quality of ride.

roadrutz

While I agree with you that the ML is hardly "rock steady" at speed, I think you are being a little dramatic if you have decided never to buy an SUV again because your ML doesn't drive as well as your BMWs. In my experience, the only SUV (or SUV-like) vehicle that drives anywhere near as well as a sports car is the BMW X6. The X6 50i has been tested on the Nurburgring with a lap time slightly better than a Maserati's. With its low roofline at the rear, it is nowhere near as practical as an ML nor does it ride as well, but if you want sort-of-SUV qualities plus physics-defying roadholding, it's your perfect compromise. I nearly bought one -- actually had one on order -- but decided the ML was so much more comfortable that I went with the Mercedes. Thus far I have no regrets. (Yes, I do have the air suspension.)

You should also check out the ML63 and, if budget is an issue, the Jeep SRT. A new X5M is on its way, too, likely quicker than either of these.