Head-to-head reliability
Mercedes BENZ ML Class vs FORD F 150
How the Mercedes BENZ ML Class and FORD F 150 compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Mercedes BENZ ML Class vs FORD F 150: The ML has 268 complaints over 4 years (67/yr) and no recalls, while the F-150 has 11,311 complaints over 10 years (1,131/yr) and 145 recalls. ML owners report engine oil leaks and stalling; F-150 owners report transmission hard shifting and electrical failures. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The picture
Is the Mercedes BENZ ML Class or FORD F 150 more reliable?
A plain-English read on what the NHTSA record says about living with each vehicle.
Mercedes BENZ ML Class
The Mercedes-Benz ML Class, based on owner complaints, shows a pattern of intermittent engine and electrical gremlins, such as check engine lights that come and go and warning lights on mirrors. More seriously, some owners report oil leaks in the engine harness and camshaft solenoids, leading to costly repairs. There are also reports of stalling, sometimes due to fuel system issues, which can be a safety concern. Overall, it's a vehicle that may require attentive maintenance and could surprise owners with expensive repairs.
FORD F 150
The Ford F-150, with a much larger sample, exhibits widespread transmission issues, particularly hard shifting and jerking, often linked to the 10-speed automatic. Electrical problems are also common, including camera and pre-collision assist malfunctions. The high number of recalls (145) indicates a pattern of factory-acknowledged defects, but the sheer volume of complaints suggests that even after fixes, some issues persist. It's a popular truck, but buyers should be prepared for potential transmission and electronic headaches.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mercedes BENZ ML Class | FORD F 150 |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 268 Better | 11,311 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 0 Better | 145 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 27 Better | 328 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 67.0 Better | 1131.1 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 18 Better | 287 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 1 | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Mercedes BENZ ML Class
- 01ENGINE70
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM50
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER43
- 04FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM31
- 05POWER TRAIN26
Owners report intermittent check engine lights and oil leaks in the engine harness and camshaft solenoids, with one estimate of $8k in repairs. This can lead to rough running and potential engine damage if not addressed.
Random warning lights on the dash and mirrors are common, often tied to the same engine issues. These can be distracting and may indicate underlying sensor or wiring problems.
Stalling incidents, sometimes due to water in the spare wheel well affecting the fuel module and pump, have been reported. This can be dangerous, especially in traffic, and may require costly repairs.
“In the last year, randomly, when starting the vehicle, the yellow check engine light comes on. Turn the vehicle off, it is gone. The side view mirrors have the yellow lights lit up on them when driving down any road, the red warning lights that tell you there…”
“HELLO, REF: ML350 CAMSHAFT SOLENOID LEAK! I AM SEEKING OUT FOR YOUR HELP WRT TO A SITUATION WITH 2012 ML350. ENCLOSED HEREWITH IS AN INSPECTION REPORT FROM A RECENT SERVICE VISIT REQUIRING CLOSE OF $8K IN REPAIRS FOR YOUR REFERENCE. ENGINE HARNESS (OIL LLED H…”
FORD F 150
- 01POWER TRAIN3,553
- 02ELECTRICAL SYSTEM2,071
- 03UNKNOWN OR OTHER1,401
- 04EXTERIOR LIGHTING1,164
- 05ENGINE847
The most frequent complaints involve hard and delayed shifts, jerking, and clunking, particularly in the 10-speed automatic transmission. Some owners report sudden loss of power and vehicle shutdown, which is a serious safety risk.
Many owners see warnings for Front Camera Malfunction and Pre-Collision Assist Not Available on startup. These issues may disable safety features and require dealer visits.
Headlight problems are common enough to be a top component, with recalls addressing headlight failures. Owners may experience reduced visibility at night.
“I started noticing hard and delayed shifts from 7th into 8th gear. My RPM's were not increasing when this happened, and then on a very crowded major road I lost all power, vehicle shut off and drifted, then started up and jerked again very hard. This failure…”
“I am reporting a safety-related transmission problem I experienced with my 2020 Ford F-150 equipped with the 10R80 automatic transmission. While driving normally, the transmission shifts hard (ie: jerks, clunks) between 4-5 and 5-6 gears, and has on occasion…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Mercedes BENZ ML Class
No recalls on record.
FORD F 150 — 145 recalls
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 trucks equipped with high series LED headlamps with Autolamp (On/Off) functionality. The Daytime Running Lamps (DRL) may remain activated instead of dimming to parking lamps when the Master Lighting Switch (MLS) is manually rotated from…
The risk: DRL that cannot dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will reprogram the body control module, free of charge. The recall began March 10, 2020. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 20C03.
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2019-2020 F-150 vehicles. The fastener securing the Power Distribution Box (PDB) 12V cable and Battery Monitoring System (BMS) eyelets to the positive battery terminal may loosen and affect the vehicle's systems such as instrument panel displays and br…
The risk: Inoperative vehicle systems or an engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. Reduced braking and steering efforts increases the risk of a crash. This condition could also create a resistive short, increasing the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the positive battery cable/BMS/PDB joint for excess sealant adhesive and remove any excessive adhesive, reassemble the joint, and retorque the fastener, as necessary, free of charge. The re…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2015-2019 Ford F-150 and 2017-2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, F-350 Super Duty, F-450 Super Duty, and F-550 Super Duty pick-up trucks equipped with an engine block heater. Water and contaminants may get into the block heater cable's splice connector causin…
The risk: When the heater is plugged in, prolonged corrosion could cause a resistive short, increasing the risk of overheated or melted wiring which can increase the risk of a fire.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and dealers will disable the block heater cable, free of charge. Once parts are available, Dealers will replace the engine block heater cable, free of charge. The recall began June 3, 2019. Owners may contact Ford…
The defect: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 and 2019-2020 F-250, F-350, F-450, and F-550 Super Duty pickup trucks, and 2018-2019 Ford Explorer, 2019-2020 Expedition, and 2020 Escape vehicles equipped with driver and/or passenger's manual front seat back recliner mechanisms. Also…
The risk: A seat back with an improperly assembled recliner mechanism may have reduced strength and may not adequately restrain an occupant in a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Ford will notify owners, and Ford and Lincoln dealers will inspect the seat structure and replace them, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began October 21, 2019. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's num…
Buyer analysis
Mercedes BENZ ML Class or FORD F 150: which should you buy?
The Mercedes-Benz ML Class has far fewer complaints per year (67 vs 1131) and no recalls, suggesting a lower volume of reported issues. However, the ML's problems can be very expensive to fix, while the F-150's issues are more frequent but often covered by recalls. In practice, the ML may be less troublesome overall, but the F-150's issues are more predictable and potentially cheaper to address.
Key differences
- The ML Class has no recalls, while the F-150 has 145, indicating more factory-acknowledged defects in the Ford.
- ML owners report engine oil leaks and electrical gremlins, while F-150 owners report transmission hard shifting and electrical sensor failures.
- The ML has a higher rate of crash-related complaints (27 out of 268) compared to the F-150 (328 out of 11311), but the F-150 has more injuries and deaths in absolute numbers.
- The F-150's transmission issues can lead to sudden power loss, which is a critical safety concern, whereas the ML's stalling is less frequently reported.
- Check for oil leaks around the engine harness and camshaft solenoids, as these can be costly to repair.
- Inspect the spare wheel well for water accumulation, which can damage the fuel module and cause stalling.
- Test drive for hard shifts or jerking, especially between 4th-6th gears, as transmission issues are common.
- Verify that all camera and pre-collision warnings are not present on startup, as they may indicate electrical problems.
Before you buy
- For the ML Class, have a mechanic inspect the engine for oil leaks and check the fuel system for any signs of water damage.
- For the F-150, perform a thorough test drive including highway speeds to assess transmission shift quality.
- Check the vehicle's recall status and ensure all outstanding recalls have been addressed, especially for the F-150.
- Review service records for both vehicles to see if any major repairs have been done, particularly for the ML's engine and the F-150's transmission.
- Consider a pre-purchase inspection by a specialist for the specific model to catch potential issues early.
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Mercedes BENZ ML Class or FORD F 150 in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class vs FORD F 150
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class total complaints
- 268
- FORD F 150 total complaints
- 11,311
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class total recalls
- 0
- FORD F 150 total recalls
- 145
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class avg complaints/year
- 67.0
- FORD F 150 avg complaints/year
- 1131.1
- More reliable overall
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class
- Mercedes BENZ ML Class top complaint area
- ENGINE
- FORD F 150 top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN