Selling a junk Mercedes-Benz ML320
Any ML320 sells for scrap or parts, running or not. Below: what owners report most often for each model year, the recalls on file, and which of those change the offer. Enter your ZIP for a buyer near you.
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What owners report about the Mercedes-Benz ML320
NHTSA has 1,087 owner complaints on file for the Mercedes-Benz ML320, model years 1998 to 2009, the 273rd-most of the 423 models in our data. The most-reported components are steering (150, 14%), brakes (146, 13%), engine and cooling (117, 11%). 93 complaints involved a crash, 39 a fire, and 16 say the vehicle had to be towed. The median mileage when the problem was reported is 83,287 miles. The 2000 model year has the most complaints (258). Data as of 2026-10-12.
When the top complaint is steering, the question for a seller is whether a buyer will resell the car, pull the parts or scrap it. Read our guide to deciding whether to repair or junk: it explains which offers assume the part works and how to describe the car so the price holds at pickup.
Mercedes-Benz ML320 by model year
| Year | Complaints | Most reported | Crash | Fire | Recalls | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 200 | Engine and cooling | 15 | 5 | 0 | 97,615 |
| 1999 | 164 | Engine and cooling | 17 | 2 | 0 | 72,000 |
| 2000 | 258 | Steering | 26 | 6 | 0 | 79,250 |
| 2001 | 196 | Brakes | 19 | 7 | 0 | 94,527 |
| 2002 | 139 | Steering | 8 | 10 | 1 | 105,003 |
| 2003 | 31 | Steering | 2 | 4 | 0 | 70,750 |
| 2005 | 6 | Other | 3 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2006 | 1 | Transmission and drivetrain | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2007 | 20 | Engine and cooling | 0 | 2 | 2 | — |
| 2008 | 30 | Lights | 3 | 0 | 2 | 94,500 |
| 2009 | 42 | Fuel system | 0 | 3 | 3 | 58,331 |
Complaints are owner reports to NHTSA, not confirmed defects. Median miles is the odometer reading owners gave when they reported a problem, shown only where 20 or more reports include it.
Mercedes-Benz ML320 recalls
NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns across these model years, most often for brakes (2), suspension (1), air bags (1). Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer. Before you sell, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; a buyer who plans to resell the car will.
- 2007 model year, brakes (campaign 24V298000, Apr 2024): Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML, GL, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosion in the bra…
- 2007 model year, brakes (campaign 22V315000, May 2022): Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2006-2012 ML-Class, GL-Class, and R-Class vehicles. Please refer to MBUSA's recall report for specific vehicle model details. Moisture may accumulate and cause corrosio…
- 2009 model year, air bags (campaign 16V081000, Feb 2016): Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. (MBUSA) is recalling certain model year 2009-2010 ML320 BlueTec 4Matic, GL320 BlueTec 4Matic and R320 CDI 4Matic, 2011 E350 Cabriolet and E550 Cabriolet, 2009-2011 ML350, ML350 4Matic, ML550 4Mati…
- 2002 model year, suspension (campaign 01V290000, Sep 2001): VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER VEHICLES. THE LEFT FRONT UPPER CONTROL ARM MAY NOT MEET THE SPECIFIED STRENGTH REQUIREMENTS.
What a Mercedes-Benz ML320 is worth as a junk car
Buyers price a junk ML320 on four things: its weight at today's scrap steel price (the floor), the parts still on it that can be resold, whether it starts and drives, and how far they have to tow it. None of those come from a complaint database, so use this page to describe the car accurately and our junk car value guide to work out a ceiling for the metal. Then get more than one offer.
Guides for selling this car
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Questions people ask
- What is a junk Mercedes-Benz ML320 worth?
- What a yard can recover: the car's weight at the current scrap steel price, plus parts it can resell (the catalytic converter, engine, transmission and wheels if they're good), minus towing and processing. The same ML320 gets different offers from different buyers, so compare at least two. Our value guide shows the public benchmark.
- Will a junkyard buy a Mercedes-Benz ML320 that doesn't run?
- Yes. Junkyards and junk car buyers take cars that don't start, and most arrange the tow. Tell them honestly whether it starts, whether the engine and transmission are still in it, and whether the catalytic converter is on; those are what change the price.
- Should I fix an open recall before selling a Mercedes-Benz ML320?
- Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for as long as the car exists. If the car is going for scrap, the repair won't change the scrap price. If a buyer might resell it or pull parts, a completed recall can help. Check your VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup first.
- Where do these Mercedes-Benz ML320 numbers come from?
- From the complaint and recall data NHTSA publishes for every make and model, counted by model year on 2026-10-12. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect, and the count rises with how many of the model were sold.