What are the most common problems with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class?

Electrical system has the most NHTSA complaints at 20, then engine and unknown or other at 17 each. Total complaints are 68.

Does the 2014 ML-Class have recalls?

Yes, four: 22V955, 19V787, 18V272 and 17V177.

What is the gas mileage of the 2014 ML-Class?

It ranges from 13 city / 17 highway for the ML63 AMG to 18 city / 23 highway for the rear-wheel drive ML350.

How much horsepower does the 2014 ML-Class have?

EPA lists 302 hp for the 3.5L, 402 hp for the 4.7L and 518 hp for the 5.5L.

2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class Problems and Recalls

NHTSA has 68 owner complaints on file for the 2014 ML-Class^[1]. The car also has four recalls on file^[2], including one for water that can damage the fuel pump control unit and stall the engine^[3].

68owner complaints^[1]

4recalls^[2]

15–20MPG combined (EPA)^[4]

Problems
Recalls
Fuel economy
Engine and size
By year
Verdict
FAQ

Most reported problems

Complaints are owner reports sent to NHTSA. They are unverified, and one complaint can name several components. The counts below are not adjusted for how many cars were sold.

Of the 68 complaints^[1], these groups have the most:

Component group	Complaints
Electrical system^[5]	20
Engine^[6]	17
Unknown or other^[7]	17
Fuel/propulsion system^[8]	7
Structure^[9]	5
Fuel system, diesel^[10]	5
Lane departure^[11]	5
Power train^[12]	4

Electrical. None of the electrical complaints mention a crash, fire or injury^[5]. In a sample of complaints we read, owners describe warning lights, an instrument cluster that stayed on and drained the battery, and the car losing power after water got into the vehicle.

Engine. None of the engine complaints mention a crash, fire or injury^[6]. In the sample we read, some owners describe the engine stalling or shutting off while driving. Others describe oil leaks and check engine lights.

Fuel pump and water. In the samples we read for the fuel groups, owners describe stalling that they link to water in the spare tire well^[8]^[10]. Some of them say the trouble returned after the recall repair described below. These are single owner reports and we cannot confirm them.

Unknown or other. This group has 3 crashes, 2 fires and 1 injury, the highest crash and fire counts of the groups listed here^[7]. The median mileage at failure is 24,750^[7]. The group name does not tell us what failed.

Structure complaints include 2 crashes and 1 injury across 5 complaints^[9].

Recalls

NHTSA lists four recalls for this car. Each remedy is described as free of charge.

Fuel pump control unit (22V955), December 2022. Water can collect in the spare tire well and damage the fuel pump control unit. That can stall the engine while driving and raises crash risk. Dealers install a water drain plug, check for water, and replace the control unit if needed. Affected units: 348,183^[3].
Emergency call software (19V787), November 2019. A software fault can make the eCall system's date and time wrong, so it may send the wrong vehicle location. That can slow emergency responders. The fix is an over-the-air update, or a dealer software update. Affected units: 24,226^[13].
Active Curve System oil (18V272), April 2018. If the oil in the system's reservoir is low, it can foam and leak out. Leaking oil near an ignition source raises fire risk. Dealers correct the oil level and replace the reservoir cap. It applies to certain versions with the Active Curve System^[14]. Affected units: 9,725^[14].
Air bag software (17V177), March 2017. Some control units may have the wrong software, which could affect how the air bags deploy in a crash. Dealers update the software. Affected units: 51^[15].

Before buying, ask for proof that the recalls were done. Because some owners in our sample say the water problem came back after the fuel pump recall repair^[8]^[10], check the spare tire well for water too.

Fuel economy

EPA ratings depend on the engine and drive. Annual cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not prices from when the car was new.

Version	City / highway / combined MPG	EPA annual fuel cost
ML350, 3.5L, rear-wheel drive^[4]	18 / 23 / 20	$4,100
ML350 4matic, 3.5L, premium^[16]	18 / 22 / 19	$4,350
ML350 4matic, 3.5L, premium or E85^[17]	18 / 22 / 19	$4,350
ML550 4matic, 4.7L turbo^[18]	14 / 19 / 16	$5,150
ML63 AMG, 5.5L turbo^[19]	13 / 17 / 15	$5,500

Engine and size

EPA lists these horsepower ratings for 2014 test vehicles:

3.5L 6-cylinder: 302 hp^[20]
4.7L 8-cylinder: 402 hp^[21]
5.5L 8-cylinder: 518 hp^[22]

All rated versions use an Automatic 7-spd^[17]^[4]^[16]^[19]^[18].

How 2014 compares with other years

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA for each ML-Class model year. The 2014 is highlighted^[2].

Show the numbers

Model year	Complaints	Recalls
1998	133	0
1999	169	0
2000	214	0
2001	190	0
2002	117	1
2003	61	0
2004	53	0
2005	31	0
2006	210	2
2007	108	2
2008	88	2
2009	121	3
2010	101	3
2011	113	3
2012	65	3
2013	56	4
2014	68	4
2015	52	5

The 2014 model year has 68 complaints and 4 recalls on file^[2]. Nearby years look like this^[2]:

2012: 65 complaints, 3 recalls
2013: 56 complaints, 4 recalls
2015: 52 complaints, 5 recalls

So 2014 has more complaints than the years just before and after it, and the same recall count as 2013. Some earlier years have more complaints, such as 113 in 2011 and 210 in 2006^[2]. Complaint counts are not adjusted for sales, so treat the gaps as rough.

Should you buy a used 2014 ML-Class?

The facts do not point to a clear reason to avoid it, but they do call for homework. Confirm that all four recalls were done, and look closely at the fuel pump water issue because some owners say it returned after repair^[3]^[8]^[10]. Electrical and engine complaints lead the counts^[5]^[6], though they come from unverified owner reports. Fuel costs depend a lot on the engine, from $4,100 to $5,500 a year by EPA estimate^[4]^[19]. A pre-purchase inspection fits this car well.

Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class?: Electrical system has the most NHTSA complaints at 20, then engine and unknown or other at 17 each^[5]^[6]^[7]. Total complaints are 68^[1].
Does the 2014 ML-Class have recalls?: Yes, four: 22V955, 19V787, 18V272 and 17V177^[3]^[13]^[14]^[15].
What is the gas mileage of the 2014 ML-Class?: It ranges from 13 city / 17 highway for the ML63 AMG to 18 city / 23 highway for the rear-wheel drive ML350^[19]^[4].
How much horsepower does the 2014 ML-Class have?: EPA lists 302 hp for the 3.5L, 402 hp for the 4.7L and 518 hp for the 5.5L^[20]^[21]^[22].

Facts and sources

NHTSA has 68 owner complaints on file for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class (7 mention a crash, 2 a fire, 3 injuries, 0 deaths reported). NHTSA vehicle records
Owner complaints and recalls for every Mercedes-Benz ML-Class model year (chart above). NHTSA recall database
Recall 22V955, filed December 23, 2022: Fuel System, Gasoline › Delivery › Fuel Pump › Control / Drive Module. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for ML350, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 7-spd, Premium, Rear-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 23 highway / 20 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,100. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
20 complaints name the electrical system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the engine component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
17 complaints name the unknown or other component group (3 crashes, 2 fires, 1 injuries, median mileage at failure 24,750). NHTSA vehicle records
7 complaints name the fuel/propulsion system component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the structure component group (2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the fuel system, diesel component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
5 complaints name the lane departure component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
4 complaints name the power train component group (0 crashes, 0 fires, 0 injuries). NHTSA vehicle records
Recall 19V787, filed November 1, 2019: Communication. NHTSA recall database
Recall 18V272, filed April 27, 2018: Suspension › Front. NHTSA recall database
Recall 17V177, filed March 14, 2017: Electrical System › Software. NHTSA recall database
EPA rating for ML350 4matic, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 7-spd, Premium, 4-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for ML350 4matic, 3.5L 6-cyl, Automatic 7-spd, Premium or E85, 4-Wheel Drive: 18 city / 22 highway / 19 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $4,350. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for ML550 4matic, 4.7L 8-cyl turbo, Automatic 7-spd, Premium, 4-Wheel Drive: 14 city / 19 highway / 16 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $5,150. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA rating for ML63 AMG, 5.5L 8-cyl turbo, Automatic 7-spd, Premium, 4-Wheel Drive: 13 city / 17 highway / 15 combined MPG; EPA estimated annual fuel cost $5,500. EPA / DOE fueleconomy.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class with 3.5L 6-cylinder: rated 302 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class with 4.7L 8-cylinder: rated 402 hp. www.epa.gov
EPA Test Car List, 2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class with 5.5L 8-cylinder: rated 518 hp. www.epa.gov

Complaints submitted to NHTSA by owners; unverified reports, one complaint can name several components. Complaint counts are not normalized by sales; compare years of the same model, not different models. EPA annual fuel cost uses EPA's current fuel price assumptions, not the price when the car was new. Horsepower is the rating listed for EPA test vehicles. Dimensions are Canadian-market specifications and can differ slightly from US models.

2014 Mercedes-Benz ML-Class: problems, recalls and fuel economy