'98 ML320 started to sputter BADLY while driving, lulling, lagging, very slow!

[320MLover]

We were driving uphill when the ML started sputtering. We pulled over and the temperature was fine, it was not overheating. We continues to drive on the side of the road while the ML would accelerate between 5-10 mph, before sputtering and lulling back to 1 mph.

We pulled over when we had more room to get out, about 1/8 mile. Checked all of the fluids, no leaks, no coolant, nothing.

The ML was able to limp home and it still starts, idling just a little more roughly than previous to the incident.

This beauty already has 199K miles on it! I've been dreading the day that I had to install a new fuel pump. Has that day finally come?

Or is it possible that it's a transmission issue? The trans has always solid with no issues. We recently flushed the tranny and installed a new trans filter.

Any ideas on this one?

[ILUVMILS]

Was the CHECK ENGINE light blinking???

[320MLover]

No, the check engine light was not blinking... it was on, but not blinking.

[320MLover]

Could this be the transmission? It still starts fine and runs fine, when I switch into a gear it starts to sputter. It just kind of lunges and smells a little funny when shifting or trying to drive.

Any ideas?

[ILUVMILS]

You need to have the fault codes read out. Lots of parts stores will do this for free.