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Before you buy a used Mercedes-Benz ML (W163).

2000–2005 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

Mercedes-Benz ML (W163), real photo of this generation
Rudolf Stricker · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

  • 13-pin connector leak on the 722.6 gearboxAutomatic gearbox
    Period mentioned
    1996–2013
    Mileage mentioned
    The sheet does not mention a mileage.

    Applies if: Only if fitted with the automatic gearbox described in the record.

ML 230 / 320 / 350 / 430 · ML 270 / 400 CDI

ML 230 / 320 / 350 / 430 (Petrol) · ML 270 / 400 CDI (Diesel)

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Mercedes-Benz ML (W163)
EngineDocumented faultsRecalls
ML 230 / 320 / 350 / 430Petrol11 with conditions1
ML 270 / 400 CDIDiesel11 with conditions1

According to the data we have, all its engines have the same number of documented faults.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

  1. Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
  2. Ask an official Mercedes-Benz dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
  3. Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.
Recall: steering circuit hose clampSteering

How to check it: Check VIN; replace clamp with modified type.

View full entry

On the test drive: what to look and listen for

Taken from each sheet's symptoms and checks. You can tick off what you have already looked at: it is saved only in this browser.

0 of 1 checked

Automatic gearbox

  • Look out for: Oil around the electrical connector on the side of the gearbox, harsh shifts or slipping, delayed engagement and limp mode: the car stays in one gear (usually 2nd and reverse after a restart) and the engine light comes on.

    Ask them to check: Read the gearbox control unit codes before switching off if possible (a restart can clear them). Look for oil at the connector and, with it unplugged, on its pins and at the control unit plug. According to the service bulletin, the connector should only be removed with gearbox oil below 50 °C to avoid damaging the conductor plate, and the harness must be routed without tension.

OBD codes worth looking for

If they let you read the fault memory with an OBD reader, these are the codes mentioned in this model's sheets:

P0700P0715P0720

Sources

Every fact on this page comes from these Testigo sheets and their original sources. Sources are not checked in real time.

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