2007 Mercedes-Benz ML500 Seats Problems
- Complaints
- 5about this part
- Share
- 56%of 9 total for the year
- Median mileage
- 128,000miles
- Trend
- Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.
NHTSA recorded 5 complaints about the seats of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML500, 56% of the 9 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 128,000 miles. 4 a fire, according to the filers.
Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.
Example complaints
Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.
“I got into my car and turned on the seat warmer. After 10 minutes of driving on the highway I could smell smoke but thought it was outside the vehicle. A few seconds later I felt a burning sensation on my lower back. I reached my left hand behind me to check and felt something hot, when I pulled my hand out my finger tips were covered in melted leather. The smoke by then increased, I shut the seat warmer off and exited the highway as quickly as possible.”
NHTSA complaint #10958297, filed 2017-03, 123,000 miles“I had my heated seat on the medium setting. While on my short commute to work (about 8 minutes) this morning my driver seat started to smoke and burned a hole through the leather and melted part of my clothing.”
NHTSA complaint #11156351, filed 2018-12, 155,000 miles“On november 22, 2015 I turned on my heated seat as I was exiting a shopping mall parking lot. When I got on the major city street I was driving about 35 MPH when I felt something really hot on my back so I jumped in my seat and readjusted my top, I felt the heat on my back again and this time it was hotter. I came to a stoplight and turned around to look at the seat and could see fire burning a hole thru the seat. I immediately started patting the seat to stop the fire from spreading and then turned off the heated seat control. …”
NHTSA complaint #10809201, filed 2015-12, 128,000 miles“While driving my 2007 ml 500 SUV, the passenger seat heater malfunctioned, resulting in an electrically induced smoldering fire. The heat source burned a dime sized hole completely through the leather seat, smoke started to appear and my skin started to burn right through my clothes. Thinking my clothes might burst into flames, I immediately came to a stop and safely jumped out of the car and then moments later turned off the car. Thankfully my clothes did not catch fire and I was not in busy traffic or this might have ended differently. …”
NHTSA complaint #10339102, filed 2010-06, 38,735 miles“The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes Benz ML500. The contact stated that while her boyfriend was driving, the front and back seat warmers were operating and the driver noticed smoke. The contact mentioned there was a smoke odor and noticed the front driver seat caught on fire. The contact stated that the driver extinguished the fire with his clothes by smothering the seat. In addition, there was a hole in the seat. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where they failed to provide a diagnosis and informed the contact the seat was going to be unplugged. The vehicle was not repaired. …”
NHTSA complaint #11434025, filed 2021-09, 199,800 milesRelated service bulletins
- 10248162Dec 4, 2023Crease formation on genuine leather seat covers in vehicles with low mileage ⢠Objects left on the seats for extended periods of time (pressure marks). ⢠Objects wedged…
- 11031635May 18, 2018To enhance the satisfaction of our customers, avoid further costs of litigation and return focus to its core business, Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) entered into a settlement…
- 10166099Jul 10, 2014Pneumatic comfort systems with insufficient performance, entirely inoperative or leaky.
- 10034608Feb 5, 2010Mercedes: the electrically folding 3rd seat row makes noises while folding up and down, or the folding function does not work at all. A warning message about locking the 3rd seat…
Seats: other model years
Other parts of the 2007 Mercedes-Benz ML500
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About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.
To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology