That is an absolute travesty. Great service department, huh? God, I've even got a couple of S 500's in my loaner fleet for certain high-end/multiple car clients. It nearly turns my stomach to think of the level of service these places are getting away with. There was a time when MB regulated the loaner vehicle program. Part of the appeal was that clients would get to drive new models to familiarize themselves with them and potentially buy a new one. What dealership put you in a KIA, and have you contacted 800.FORMERC(edes) about that yet?!

Oh and very sorry to threadjack, as I was about to submit this I reaized what I was doing. Here's some common issues I posted on the forum I moderate (not mercedeshop, no plug) that I copied to make up for it. Also, don't forget about the harmonic balancer failures.

"ML's are notorious for wondow switches breaking. you will replace at least one set in the life of the vehicle. luckily, these are not very expensive and very easy to replace. the power sttering cooling hose that runs from the pump to the radiator will probably (or has probably) popped off at one time. there was a recall on this where the hose clamp was replaced. now we are replacing the whole hose. this is not a huge problem provided there is not other damaged caused from the pump running while dry. so listen very closely for power steering noise. the pump and steering rack are suspect if noise exists. make sure (of course) that YOUR mechanic inspects the vehicle thoroughly for fluid leaks. both diffs are known to leak at times, as well as the oil level sensors, the transmission data port connector, lower oil pans and lower radiator cooling hoses. if there is a lamella roof on the vehicle, don't even look twice. these never worked, they are noisy, leaky and expensive. pay close attention to any vibrations felt when performing parking lot maneuvers. this signifies a worn transfer case. the positioner stepper motor for the case goes bad sometimes but is also pretty cheap to replace. listen closely for any noise from the rear suspension. the shock assemblies will squeak over bumps when they are worn and will get very loud if left unattended. these are expensive. avoid '98 and '99 model years as they were more suseptable to these problems. they really got this vehicle right in '02, but all the 2000's were alright. there can be a phantom noise heard from the front of the vehicle at times. this is a noisy fuse box blower motor. relatively cheap and easy to install. also, make sure the cowl modification for the climate control system has been performed, as it's an unnecessary expense to a new vehicle owner. there are cases of the ac drainage hoses in the passenger compartment becoming clogged and leaking water on the floor. this is an easy fix most dealers will do for free. the auxillary cooling fans will sometimes become inoperative, blowing fuse 44. there is a wiring modification that can be done to rectify this. all in all, the vehicle will only be as good as its maintenance. if it was taken care of, it will run like it. just spend the time and look for the right one. also, an extended warranty is probably in order due to the price of parts for these vehicles. i recommend MBP as they take good care of my customers and are easy to work with from a service center standpoint. starmarked ML's are also a big plus. that's the long and short (but mostly long ) of it."