2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Driver assistance Problems

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact had not experienced a failure. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11422658

Incident

Mar 1, 2021

ON OR ABOUT MARCH 11TH, I WENT TO MERCEDES BENZ OF 4000 N. MAIN STREET, GAINESVILLE FL. TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT FOR THE SAFETY RECALL NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER 21V042000 ON MY 2012 SPRINTER 3500 ( VIN WDA PF4CA2C9519207,PRODUCTION DATE 04/12/2012). I MET WITH MICHAEL POTTEIGER, ASST. SERVICE MANAGER. TO MY DISMAY, MR. POTTEIGER INFORMED ME THAT THERE WAS NO SUCH RECALL AND THAT MERCEDES ADDRESSED THE ISSUE OF FAILED REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS BY EXTENDING THE WARRANTEE PERIOD. IN OTHER WORDS, THE SENSORS COULD ONLY BE REPLACED AFTER THEY FAILED. SINCE NHTSA PART 573 SAFETY RECALL REPORT 21V-042 DATED FEB 03, 2021 INDICATES THAT THE PLANNED DEALER NOTIFICATION DATE WAS FEB 22, 2021 THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THE DEALERSHIP WAS AWARE OF THE RECALL AND DELIBERATELY REFUSED TO PROVIDE THE REMEDY AS DESCRIBED IN THE RECALL REPORT. REQUEST THAT YOU TAKE NECESSARY ACTION TO IMMEDIATELY CORRECT THIS VIOLATION OF FEDERAL LAW TO PREVENT POSSIBLE FUTURE ADVERSE CONSEQUENCES. THANK YOU.03

NHTSA ID

11403923

Incident

Mar 11, 2021

Mileage

129,000 mi

THIS SPRINTER IS A WINNEBAGO 170X RV CONVERSION. ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS SINCE BUYING THE VEHICLE IN 2016 WE HAVE EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING. THE ENGINE REMAINS ON BUT THE TRANSMISSION IS NOT ENGAGED. STOPPING THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTING CLEARS UP THE PROBLEM TEMPORARILY BUT IT WILL CONTINUE TO HAPPEN UNTIL A FAILING REAR SPEED SENSOR IS REPLACED. THE FIRST TIME THIS OCCURRED THE LOCAL MB DEALER REPLACED BOTH REAR SENSORS FREE OF CHARGE EVEN THOUGH THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY. THE SECOND TIME A WHEEL SENSOR FAILED WE WERE FAR FROM HOME AND HAD TO DELAY OUR TRIP SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE THE CORRECT PART COULD BE INSTALLED. I HAVE ALSO FOUND IN REPAIR RECEIPTS FROM THE PRIOR OWNER THAT A REAR SENSOR WAS REPLACED WHEN THEY OWNED THE VEHICLE. THIS FAILURE MODE - SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. IT HAS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES ON FREEWAYS INCLUDING ONCE IN THE FAST LANE WHERE PULLING OVER TO THE RIGHT WAS IMPOSSIBLE. WE NOW CARRY A SPARE SET OF REAL WHEEL SPEED SENSORS IF WE FIND OURSELVES IN A LOCATION WHERE MERCEDES BENZ PARTS ARE NOT READILY AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11382947

Incident

Jul 10, 2020

Mileage

25,000 mi

THIS IS A SECOND OCCURANCE OF A PROBLEM REPORTED UNDER COMPLAINT NO. 11094122. THIS TIME THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED WHEN THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON (CEL, ABS, ESC AND ASC). DEALER DIAGNOSED IT AS A 'MALFUNCTIONNING RPM SENSOR'.

NHTSA ID

11373656

Incident

Sep 1, 2020

Mileage

38,500 mi

A THOR MOTOR COACH ON A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER MDB 11K 170 16 0257554 CHASSIS. ON 4/17/2019 THE DEF SENSOR FAILED ON 05/18/2020 THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED. ON 09/14/2020 THE BATTERY FAULT PANEL BLEW OUT. ON 10/12/2020 THE EXHAUST GAS SENSOR FAILED. ON 10/22/2020 THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED. THESE FAILURES HAPPENED WHILE ON TRIPS WITH NO AUTHORIZED REPAIR FACILITIES WITHIN 100 MILES LEAVING THE PEOPLE IN THE COACH IN UNSAFE LOCATIONS WITH NO CELL PHONE SERVICE. THIS COACH HAS A FEATURE THAT PUTS IT INTO A LIMP MODE, THAT SHIFTS IT INTO LOW GEAR WITH A MAXIMUM SPEED OF ABOUT 25 MPH WHICH IS VERY UNSAFE ON ANY HIGHWAY. THIS IS PROMOTED AS A SAFETY FEATURE WHEN IN FACT IT IS A HAZARD FEATURE.*DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11366929

Incident

Oct 12, 2020

Mileage

45,692 mi

EIGHT (8) WHEEL SPEED INDICATORS HAVE FAILED AT THE FOLLOWING MILEAGES: 21,866/26 AUG 2015 (2 EACH REAR AXLE); 22,594/8 SEP 2015 ('2 EACH FRONT AXLE); 40,996/17 APR 2018 (1 EACH RIGHT REAR AXLE) AND (1 EACH LEFT FRONT AXLE); 42,319/ 9 MAY 2018 (1 EACH RIGHT FRONT AXLE); AND 48,041/ 2 OCT 2018 (1 EACH LEFT REAR AXLE). EACH FAILURE RESULTED IN AN INDUCED SEVERE REDUCTION OF VEHICLE SPEED CAUSING AN INTENSE SAFETY ENVIRONMENT FOR OUR VEHICLE AND OTHER HIGHWAY TRAFFIC. ALL FAILURES ARE DOCUMENTED WITH REPAIRS CONDUCTED BY AN MERCEDES BENZE REPAIR FACILITY. NON OF THE FAILURES WERE EXPLAINABLE BY THE FACILITIES AND WAS SIMPLY A 'SHRUG OF SHOULDERS'. THERE IS NO WAY TO OVER-RIDE THE INDUCED SPEED REDUCTION AND IS UNACCEPTABLE. ALL FAILURES WERE EXPERIENCED ON MAJOR HIGHWAYS OR INTERSTATES. DOCUMENTATION WILL BE FORWARDED IF REQUESTED. PLEASE ADD TO NHTSA PE 20014

NHTSA ID

11365784

Incident

Oct 2, 2018

Mileage

48,041 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY IN CLEAR WEATHER, ABS/BAS/ESP WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON CAUSING LIMITED DRIVING DUE TO NO ABS BRAKING CRUISE CONTROL, OR STABILITY CONTROL. THIS HAS HAPPENED 5 TIMES ON VARIOUS WHEELS OF MY SPRINTER 3500 FROM 2013-2019. THE FAILURE OF THESE SENSORS CAUSES A VERY UNSAFE CONDITION. BESIDES THE SAFETY ASPECT, REPAIR OF THESE SENSORS ARE $500 EACH OCCURRENCE.

NHTSA ID

11363990

Incident

Jun 12, 2019

Mileage

15,000 mi

DROVE ON INTERSTATE EXPRESSWAY AT 60 MPH WHEN SUDDENLY THE ENGINE DISCONNECTED FROM THE TRANSMISSION. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, ABS WARNING, ESC WARNING AND ASC WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. HAD TO CAREFULLY COAST TO THE ROAD SHOULDER. TURNED OFF ENGINE AND CHECKED FOR OBVIOUS PROBLEMS UNDER THE HOOD, BUT FOUND NOTHING. STARTED ENGINE UP AGAIN AND WAS ABLE TO DRIVE HOME, ALTHOUGH ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS REMAINED ON. MB DEALER DIAGNOSIS SHOWED A MALFUNCTIONING WHEEL SPEED SENSOR AND REPLACED IT. NOT EXACTLY A PLEASANT FEELING WHEN YOU'RE IN EXPRESSWAY TRAFFIC AND SUDDENLY LOOSE ALL PROPULSION!!

NHTSA ID

11094122

Incident

May 2, 2018