2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Driver assistance Problems

I had the same issues as identified in a current recall entitled: Model 907 Sprinter. Model Year 2019-2022 Update Instrument Cluster Software. In my case the instrument cluster remained non-functional upon vehicle start-up exactly like the recall with an added problem of the ignition push button would not shut off the vehicle. I was left with a vehicle I could not shut off without an operational instrument cluster. While my model year and model number match this recall, for some reason my VIN number was not included in the recall so the dealer will not upgrade the software and fix this problem. The scope of this recall must be corrected to include my VIN number.

NHTSA ID

11691714

Incident

Oct 4, 2025

Brakes deployed and distance warning illuminated for a very brief instant at highway speed (70 mph) just when a vehicle traveling faster starts to overtake. Very scary! Luck to not have been hit on the right rear corner.

NHTSA ID

11671352

Incident

Jul 2, 2025

The ABS front wheel sensor became inoperable after 27K. This disables several onboard systems that assist in vehicle control, including blind spot detection, and collision warning systems. Looking at the sensor - it completely separated at the connector by the wheel hub. The surrounding area showed no signs of unusual trauma or deterioration.

NHTSA ID

11665427

Incident

Jun 5, 2025

The crosswind assist system is unsafe, it make the vehicle unstable when activated. Since new I took to the dealership many times and it never was fixed. And the line assist system many times do not let me turn right because it not see a broken line painted on the road.

NHTSA ID

11663819

Incident

May 27, 2025

My vehicle is activating “crosswind assist” and applying the brakes automatically, unilaterally, and abruptly while traveling at speeds over 40 mph on the highway, even when conditions are NOT windy. It seems that the sensor is overactive in detecting wind. I have taken it to the Mercedes dealer and they have stated they found no problems with the ESP sensors and state that the vehicle is responding to perceived wind conditions/instability normally and as it should. However, this was NOT like this for the first two years I drove the vehicle. It is DANGEROUS and not normal and the unilateral application of the brakes while I’m going 60 or 70 miles an hour on the highway forces my vehicle out of the lane and into parallel traffic lanes! The unilateral braking is sometimes so severe that my vehicle fishtails and feels like it is going to roll over into an adjacent lane or off the highway. This is going to cause a major accident to me and fellow drivers. Since the problem started six months ago and has steadily worsened, I have been advised to upgrade the suspension and install an “swaybar” and also to change the tires to make the vehicle more stable. I have done both. Neither has helped at all. I don’t know what to do or where to take it. It seems like deactivating the crosswind assist would be helpful in determining if the sensors are too sensitive or defective and whether it drives safely without them. But there is no way to deactivate that system. I have owned my vehicle for three years and for the first 2 1/2 years it drove perfectly, without this issue ever happening. My vehicle has not been in any collision and has had no damage, so I do not know where this came from. It seems like an electrical or sensor issue that has arised and neither a sprinter specialist mechanic nor the Mercedes-Benz dealership with a sprinter technician have been able to figure out what is wrong and how to fix it. This is URGENT and I need help or there will be a catastrophe.

NHTSA ID

11646502

Incident

Mar 4, 2025

since I am chemically sensitive and they had sprayed so much cleaner in this vehicle that when my husband got it home he took vinegar and cleaned it out many times and then he took it to someone to have them do the floor over so the plastic smell wouldn't stink so bad for me. It had to be there for a couple weeks or this I'm sure would have showed up much sooner. At one time our vehicle would not accelerate enough to pass or pull out safely from a stop sign but that seems to have gotten fixed but it continues to have the cruise control go off at the same time warning lights come on that says no brake assist no Lane keeping assist no distance. We have had it in the shop four times one time they had us replace the battery which really didn't need replaced and the things came back up again. It's a very frustrating vehicle and this happened within 30 days of us buying it. They gave us a limited 90 day warranty which they've been working on sporadically for months and keeping it for weeks at a time. We have spent a lot of time and money on this vehicle and it needs to be reported and something done about it as it's really really bad. It is an ongoing situation. Every time we take it in they either erase the warnings or somehow don't get it to act the same but it always happens with us within 200 miles of driving it. It's a constant thing on and off.

NHTSA ID

11560427

Incident

Sep 8, 2023

Adaptive brake assist slammed on the brakes without warning at 20-30mph while crossing railroad tracks bringing the van to a complete stop and putting it into park with the parking brake engaged while on the tracks. No object or vehicle was in the path of the van or anywhere nearby. Cargo slid forward in the van and some things being transported were damaged. This is at least the 4th time this vehicle has done this without a reason to, but this time was the only while at speed and moving forward. They have usually occurred because of a shadow on the ground or change of road surface while backing up. Warning beeps also happen when passing under overpasses on the highway and it appears to momentarily consider braking because of the shadow. At 70mph. Taking to the dealer to try and assess, but this appears to be a known problem according to online Sprinter forums and related to software. Incredibly dangerous.

NHTSA ID

11554700

Incident

Nov 10, 2023

Our Sprinter 2500 is equipped with Mercedes Benz autonomous cruise (Distronic Cruise). It fails repeatedly for unknown reason, and when it does it also disabled related safety features (collision warning, emergency braking) as well as standard cruise control. The manual suggests checking for bugs, snow, or other obstructions on sensors, but they’ve been clear. Forums note that their vans also cut out, theorizing that it happens because there aren’t any vehicles in front of the van for prolonged periods of time and the software thinks there is an error. They also note that Mercedes had not been helpful. The fact 1) it happens for unknown reasons, and 2) it disables essential safety systems is concerning and unacceptable.

NHTSA ID

11530016

Incident

Jul 2, 2023

When driving in a low-density area, on roads with little to no traffic, the vehicle assumes that the radar has failed if it does not see a vehicle in front of it for a long enough time. Since this is a larger van, I tend to drive 65mph on higher speed roads such as an interstate. Many cars understandably pass me as the speed limit is usually much higher. Even though they pass me the van does not register that car on the radar in regard to its failure state. When the radar "detects" that it's failed (which it has not) it disables the adaptive cruise control, emergency braking, and in general any speed control. This is a very drastic measure for a device that has not actually failed. Again, all cruise/ speed control functionality is disabled, and the vehicle must be driven with the peddle while the radar is in a "failure" state. To restore functionality, I have to tailgate another car, if there is one around, for 5 to 10 miles. Once the radar is happy with seeing enough return signals it will re-engage the adaptive cruise control and emergency braking. If there are no other vehicles around for the next hour the process repeats. Attached are photos that should also be geo-marked, along with a screenshot showing the progression of the photos on a map.

NHTSA ID

11491076

Incident

Oct 23, 2022

Entire brake system (distance warning, active brake assist) malfunctions frequently without conditions that warrant. Brakes and steering impeded and distracts and startles driver. Problem confirmed by dealer without remedy. Dealer states no malfunction in system. Taken vehicle to dealer on four separate occasions. Dealer recalibrated and reset and called tech support at manufacturer and manufacturer said that is the way it is supposed to operate. The problems persist on every trip we take. Warning indicators began within 50 miles of my picking up the vehicle brand new from the dealer. System disables then resets itself at random times during driving. Dealership states they have no codes indicating fault in system.

NHTSA ID

11452148

Incident

Jul 27, 2021

My 2021 Mercedes Benz Sprinter van came equipped with Lane Keeping Assistance and Automatic Braking features that are on by default every time the engine is started. There is no way for an owner or a Mercedes Benz technician to have the safety feature set to remain off until the driver chooses to engage the features. I believe this is a safety hazard, as we experienced 2 incidents on a recent trip. 1. Lane Keeping Assistance took over the vehicle without warning from a slight wind gust, and almost caused us to get in an accident. We were traveling at 60+ mph on an interstate highway, and without warning, the van started to move from side to side and was difficult to gain control of the van. The MB Lane Departure Assistance was automatically braking different wheels of the van at different times to force the van to stay in the lane, but we never went out of the lane in the first place. If there was a car next to us, our 2021 MB van would have caused a severe accident. 2. Automatic Emergency Braking was engaged when the system thought a shadow from a light pole was an object in the road. We were traveling at 20 mph in a town center on a sunny morning, and the braking happened for no reason. We then saw the shadows. We would like Mercedes Benz to allow owners to turn off safety features, and have them remain off by default.

NHTSA ID

11437425

Incident

Sep 13, 2021

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving on the highway at 65 MPH, there was construction that had directed traffic to the right side of the road. The contact stated that while driving past the construction site, the active lane departure assist warning light illuminated on the instrument panel which caused the steering wheel to shake and the brakes to lock-up. The vehicle independently began to steer out of the lane and into another lane which almost caused a crash. The contact had to use excessive force to keep the vehicle from hitting the other vehicle. The contact stated that the failure occurred 3 times after the initial failure on the same day caused by Active Lane Keep Assist program, while driving under similar conditions. The contact then decided to turn off the active lane departure assist feature to avoid any further potential failures. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 400.

NHTSA ID

11430080

Incident

Aug 20, 2021

Mileage

400 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V411000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention) however, the part to the recall repair was unavailable. The contact took the vehicle to the local dealer and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11429298

Incident

Jul 3, 2021