2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Driver assistance Problems

The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, the ABS warning light and the electronic stability control warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that the motorhome was making abnormal clunking sounds. The contact was able to continue to drive at less than 30 MPH. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that one of the wheels must have failed to patch the ground. The manufacturer advised the contact to turn the vehicle on and off three times using the ignition key for the warning lights to disappear. The contact stated that he did so and the warning lights and warning messages disappeared; however, they reappeared the next day. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH and towing his Volkswagen vehicle, the transmission disengaged and the vehicle made an abnormal clunking sound. Then the transmission reengaged and disengaged causing the vehicle to lurch forward. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle the failure reoccurred. The RV was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the rear axle speed sensors, knock sensors needed to be replaced, and the recall repair for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) was completed. The contact also stated that the dealer cross-fired the speed sensors which caused the computer to not allow the vehicle to drive more than 35 MPH. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH, the vehicle leaned on his right side and crashed into a street sign. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, The warning lights reappeared and the vehicle leaned and hit the curb. The air bags did not deploy. There were no injuries sustained. A police report was not filed. The manufacturer was notified of the failures and offered the contract to trade the vehicle. The vehicl

NHTSA ID

11445998

Incident

Jan 3, 2022

Mileage

2,000 mi

trucks cut speed limit 65 to 10 normal highway i do understood %35 degrees slow down but its only %2 degrees uprise there is no power at engine rpm is shows less then 1 rpm and even if press the gas pedal all the way the truck does not accelerate like truck is lock right there very dangers any one drive back of me they are not accept that much speed change they are in dangers scarr to drive truck be couse same one get git back of truck and can get kill

NHTSA ID

11440985

Incident

Oct 4, 2021

The contact owns a 2016 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 unavailable. The contact stated that while driving over a railroad track at a slow speed, the vehicle independently accelerated with the ABS, check engine, and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to safely stop the vehicle and shut-off the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicle towed to the dealer. Due to the parts for the repair not being available, the dealer decided to place a new, yet defective, speed sensor on the vehicle as a temporary repair and the contact drove the vehicle back home. The manufacturer was informed of the failure but offered no assistance. The contact had called three separate dealers and it was confirmed that the part would not be available until the fourth quarter of 2021. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 23,580. Vin tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11425081

Incident

Jun 12, 2021

Mileage

23,580 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V042000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. MERCEDES-BENZ OF WILSONVILLE (25035 SW PARKWAY AVE, WILSONVILLE, OR 97070, 503-454-5000) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PART WAS NOT YET AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11403912

Incident

Mar 5, 2021

WHEEL SPEED SENSORS KEEP FAILING. I HAVE HAD EIGHT SENSORS FAIL IN THREE YEARS OF OWNERSHIP. TRANSMISSION SHIFTS ERRATICALLY, SPEED SURGES, ABS, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT AND BRAKING IS IMPAIRED. THIS HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION.

NHTSA ID

11390889

Incident

Jan 31, 2021

Mileage

18,000 mi

FOR THE THIRD TIME THE ESP AND ABS SYSTEM WARNING MESSAGE IS SHOWN, AT FIRST THE SPEED OF THE VEHICLE INCREASES, IN THIS CASE FROM THE SET 60 MPH TO 70, AT WHICH POINT I SHUT THE CRUISE CONTROL DOWN. FROM THEN ON FOR THE REST OF THE DAYS TRAVEL C.A.200 MILES AND FOR THE REST OF THE TRIP (450 MILES) CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERATIVE. EACH TIME IT HAPPENS A MECHANIC VISIT IS NECESSARY. THE VEHICLE IS A WINNEBAGO NAVION

NHTSA ID

11389262

Incident

Jan 15, 2020

Mileage

40,000 mi

I OWN AN RV ON A MERCEDES 3500 SPRINTER CHASIS. I HAVE EXPERIENCED NUMEROUS FAILURES THAT CAUSE THE RV TO SPEED UP RAPIDLY AND I HAVE TO TAKE EMERGENCY ACTION TO AVOID AN ACCIDENT. USUALLY, I SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL TO DISENGAGE THE TRANSMISSION. I HAVE ~43,000 MILES ON MY RV AND I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE AND MERCEDES HAS REPLACED THE WHEEL SENSORS 6 DIFFERENT TIMES. ALL MAINTENANCE PERFORMED ON THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN PROVIDED BY A MERCEDES DEALER SERVICE CENTER. DOESN'T SEEM TO MATTER IF I AM DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY OR CITY STREETS, WHEN THE FAILURE HAPPENS, THE VEHICLE STARTS TO ACCELERATE RAPIDLY, RPMS SKYROCKET, THE DASHBOARD GETS THREE TROUBLE INDICATOR LIGHTS THAT COME ON, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON. I AM PICKING UP THE VEHICLE FROM THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER TODAY AFTER JUST HAVING ANOTHER SENSOR FAILURE. I WAS DRIVING ON I-10 WHEN THE MOST RECENT FAILURE OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO ACCELERATE, RPMS WENT VERY HIGH. VERY SCARY SITUATION. THE "WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN" DATE I'VE ENTERED IS FOR THE MOST RECENT FAILURE. I HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS ISSUE NUMEROUS TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11387156

Incident

Dec 28, 2020

Mileage

43,000 mi

WHEN I WENT TO TRY THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE THE FOLLOWING THINGS HAPPENED: A CLUNKING SOUND IN THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. NUMEROUS WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON . ABS, COLLISION AVOIDANCE, CRUISE CONTROL, CHECK ENGINE, ESC OR ESP. OVER TIME THE LIGHTS CLEARED BUT CAME BACK ON WEEKS APART. I AM A RETIRED NASA SAFETY/RELIABLY ENGINEER. IN MY OPINION ALL OF THESE LIGHTS COME ON AS A RESULT OF FAILURES OF ONE OR MORE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY PROBLEM AS WHEN THERE IS A FAILED OR INTERMITTENT OPERATION OF A FAILED SPEED SENSOR. ALL OF THESE SAFETY SYSTEMS FAIL WHEN THE ONE SENSOR FAILS. THIS FAILURE COULD OCCUR UNEXPECTEDLY AT ANY TIME. LEADING TO LOSS OF LIVES AND VEHICLE. I HAVE NOT RECEIVED ANY WARNING LETTERS ON THIS MAJOR SAFETY FAILURE. ACCORDING TO THE DEALER MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE. AFTER THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY MERCEDES SAYS THEY WILL CHARGE THE OWNER TO FIX IT. AT THE VERY LEAST THE ISSUE CLEARLY NECESSITATES THAT THIS ISSUE BE ELEVATED, TO CONSUMERS, AND THAT THE ISSUE BE FIXED . A WARNING THAT DESCRIBES THE ISSUE AND MERCEDES STATUS ON A FIX SHOULD GO OUT TO ALL THE APPROPRIATE PARTIES IMMEDIATELY. THE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED PUT IN NEUTRAL THEN 4 WHEEL DRIVE WAS ENGAGED, IMMEDIATELY WHEN MOVING THERE WAS A BIG CLUNK AND THE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. THEY WENT OUT THEN CAME BACK ON INTERMITTENTLY FOR MONTHS. ONE TIME THEY CAME ON JUST SITTING AT THE LIGHT. FAILURE OF MULTIPLE SAFETY SYSTEMS DUE TO A SENSOR FAILURE IS UNACCEPTABLE. I BELIEVE A DESIGN FIX IS URGENTLY NEEDED AND SHOULD BE PRESSED FOR HARD BY THE GOVERNMENT. CURRENTLY THERE IS NO FIX. AND MERCEDES IS NOT ADEQUATELY WARNING THE PUBLIC OF THE ISSUE. UNTIL I PRESSED MERCEDES HARD ON THIS INTERMITTENT PROBLEM I WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF WHAT EXACTLY THE PROBLEM WAS. THE FAILURE OF ONE SENSOR SPEED CAUSES MULTIPLE SAFETY SYSTEMS TO NOT WORK.

NHTSA ID

11373892

Incident

Nov 3, 2017

Mileage

3,000 mi

THIRD-TIME SPEED SENSOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING ' ALL 3 TIMES WHILE DRIVING ON HIGHWAY. CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO SPEED UP / SLOW DOWN AND LURCH WITH THE ENGINE DOING HIGH REVS. CRUISE CONTROL BECOME INOPERABLE. ABS, FORWARD COLLISION, AND PARKING SENSORS BECOME INOPERABLE. BRAKES PERFORM ERRATICALLY FOR SEVERAL MOMENTS AND THEN ABS INDICATES IT IS INOPERABLE. VAN BECOMES HAZARDOUS TO DRIVE WHILE THE ELECTRONICS ATTEMPT TO SORT OUT WHAT IS GOING ON. VERY GLAD I WAS NOT IN CONGESTED TRAFFIC EACH TIME THIS HAPPENS AS THE VAN BECOMES UNSTABLE. M-BENZ SOLUTION IS TO REPLACE SENSOR ' THIS DOES NOT SEEM SAFE NOR VIABLE LONG TERM FIX.

NHTSA ID

11373244

Incident

Nov 5, 2020

Mileage

18,600 mi

DRIVING ALONG IN CRUISE CONTROL AROUND 65 MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN CRUISE CONTROL STOPS WORKING AND VEHICLE BUCKS QUITE A BIT,VERY STARTLING.THEN I NOTICE ON DASHBOARD THE SO CALLED THREE STOOGES LIGHTS APPEAR.THIS WAS MY FIRST ENCOUNTER AROUND 18,000 MI.AUGUST 2020.PROBLEM FIXED IN CT UNDER WARRANTY. TWO MONTHS LATER DRIVING THROUGH VIRGINIA,SAME STOOGE LIGHTS APPEAR IN THE MOUNTAINS SHIFTING ERRATICALLY.CALLED M B TECH, VERY HELPFUL,DIRECTED ME TO MERCEDES BENZ OF FREDERICKSBURG VA 77 MILES AWAY.INCONVENIENCED BUT GRATEFUL WORK WAS DONE UNDER WARRANTY.I BELIEVE THIS IS A HAZARD ON THE ROADS AND SHOULD BE A RECALL.

NHTSA ID

11366386

Incident

Oct 14, 2020

Mileage

18,000 mi

MB SPRINTER HAS FAULT THAT GENERATES INSTRUMENTS INDICATORS OF ABS, SKIDDING AND ANOTHER. BEFORE THIS OCCURRED TRANSMISSION SHIFTING BECAME ERRATIC AND WHEN BREAKING THE ENGINE REVVED UP AND ALSO MADE BRAKES UNLESS. NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED BUT WAS ALMOST OUT OF CONTROL.

NHTSA ID

11365059

Incident

Oct 4, 2020

Mileage

11,000 mi

WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED AT 10000 MILES (REFER TO PREVIOUS COMPLAINT), AGAIN FAILS AT 20000 MILES CAUSING ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING AND PROPULSION WITHOUT DRIVER INPUT.

NHTSA ID

11362948

Incident

Oct 5, 2020

Mileage

20,000 mi

WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILURE CAUSED VEHICLE TO DISABLE CRUISE CONTROL, ABS BRAKE SYSTEM AND PUT THE TRANSMISSION IN LIMP MODE. CANNOT ACCELERATE MORE THAN 25 MPH ON THE INTERSTATE. WAS TRAVELLING AT 62 MPH WHEN EVENT OCCURED. FRIGHTENING EXPERIENCE!

NHTSA ID

11362944

Incident

Sep 9, 2020

Mileage

25,000 mi

ABS/ESP/CECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHTS ALL CAME ON AT ONCE. MERCEDES DEALER DIAGNOSED PROBLEM AS LEFT REAR RPM SENSOR. MADE REPAIR. UNDERSTAND FROM OWNER FORUMS SENSOR FAILURE IS VERY COMMON ON THESE VEHICLES. ONLY HAD 22,700 MILES. MERCEDES NEEDS TO WORK ON IMPROVING THESE PARTS OR MAKE REPAIRS AT NO CHARGE. *TR

NHTSA ID

11331476

Incident

Jun 16, 2020

Mileage

22,700 mi

DRIVING ALONG ON CRUISE CONTROL. CRUISE CONTROL DEACTIVATES, ANTI-LOCK, TRACTION CONTROL AND ANTI-SKID LIGHTS COME ON. I STOP THE VEHICLE, THE TRANSMISSION WANDERS BETWEEN GEARS JERKING. I GO TO MB DEALERSHIP THEY REPLACE R REAR SPEED SENSOR MILEAGE:9659MILES. AT 12,060 MILES THE SAME THING HAPPENS. I DRIVEA FIVE HOUR ROUND TRIP TO MB DEALER, THEY REPLACE THE L REAR SPEED SENSOR. AT 17,000 MILES (NOW OFF WARRANTY) ALL THE LAMPS ARE ON AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT INTO DRIVE AND I FACE A 133 MILE TOW TO KNOXVILLE, TN MERCEDES DEALERSHIP.

NHTSA ID

11331427

Incident

May 9, 2018

Mileage

9,659 mi

THIS MB SPRINTER 3500 3.0 DIESEL IS THE CHASSIS FOR A 2018 THOR CHATEAU 24FS RV. 2018-07-06 - 8485 MILES: LEFT REAR SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. 2018-09-14 - 9488 MILES: RIGHT REAR SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. 2020-05-22 - 14127 MILES: LEFT REAR SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. IN ALL CASES THE TRACTION, SKID, AND ABS LIGHTS COME ON ALONG WITH THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY. WHEN THIS OCCURS, THE TRANSMISSION CAN SHIFT MANY TIMES PER SEC WHEN TURNING A SHARP CORNER (AND CAUSE THE RV TO "BUCK"). ALSO THE TRANSMISSION CAN DROP OUT OF DRIVE MULTIPLE TIMES AND REV THE ENGINE RPMS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS, ALSO CAUSING THE RV TO "BUCK". A STARTLED DRIVER MIGHT TRY TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AND LOCK THE STEERING WHEEL. MB SERVICE AGENT ON 5-22-2020 TOLD ME THAT THEY SEE THIS WITH RV'S "ALL THE TIME, BUT NEVER SEEM TO SEE IT WHEN THE SPRINTER IS JUST A VAN. UNCLEAR WHY THIS IS HAPPENING". THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE AN ACCIDENT!!! IT ALMOST DID FOR ME DRIVING 55 MPH ON I-515 IN GA NEAR WOODSTOCK AND OTHER TIMES. ALSO CAUSED ME TO HAVE THE RV TOWED TO THE MB DEALER IN ATLANTA FROM TYBEE ISLAND GA AT AN EXPENSE OF $600. AT MINIMUM, MB SHOULD UPDATE THEIR ESP COMPUTER TO SANITY CHECK THE DATE BEING GIVEN BY THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS. IF THEY DON'T MAKE SENSE, THEN DISABLE ABS, TRACTION AND SKID, BUT DON'T START SHIFTING THE TRANSMISSION MULTIPLE TIMES PER SECOND, OR TAKE IT OUT OF GEAR AND REV THE ENGINE. *DT*JB*DT *DL

NHTSA ID

11325768

Incident

May 22, 2020

Mileage

14,000 mi

ON JULY 7, 2019, WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 RV IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING A RAINSTORM IN BRANSON, MISSOURI. MULTIPLE DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING THE VEHICLE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THIS WAS THE SAME FAILURE WE HAD EXPERIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE IN FEBRUARY, 2019. THE BRANSON AREA IS EXTREMELY HILLY BEING PART OF THE OZARK ?MOUNTAINS?. WE WERE OBVIOUSLY VERY CONCERNED ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANT DANGERS OF TRYING TO DRIVE IN THIS AREA WITHOUT A WORKING BRAKING SYSTEM. WE WERE ABLE TO DRIVE OUR SPRINTER TO OUR RV PARK AND PARK IT. WE SPENT ALL DAY ON MONDAY, JULY 8, GETTING THE UNIT TOWED 90 MILES TO BENTONVILLE, ARKANSAS, THE NEAREST MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER SERVICE CENTER. WE SPENT ALL THE NEXT DAY AT THE SERVICE CENTER GETTING THE UNIT REPAIRED. AGAIN, ONE OF THE REAR SPEED SENSORS WAS FOUND TO BE THE PROBLEM AND IT WAS REPLACED. OUR REPAIR WAS DELAYED AT THE SERVICE CENTER WHILE THE MERCEDES-BENZ SERVICE CENTER WAS WAITING FOR APPROVAL ON REPAIRING THIS SPEED SENSOR. THE SERVICE MANAGER INDICATED THAT MERCEDES-BENZ HAD ISSUED A SERVICE BULLETIN RELATED TO SPEED SENSOR FAILURES ON MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTERS WITHIN THE LAST MONTH AND THEY HAD TO GET APPROVAL MERCEDES-BENZ IN GERMANY BEFORE MAKING REPAIRS. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE BY MERCEDES-BENZ AS AN EXTENSION OF OUR WARRANTY. THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE REPORTS OF SPEED SENSOR FAILURES ON MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTERS ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND NUMEROUS OTHER SPRINTER/SPRINTER RV WEBSITES. SPEED SENSOR FAILURE ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 HAS BEEN REPORTED BY OTHERS UNDER NHTSA ID NUMBERS 11196530,11138785,11124129, 11093070, 11232230. *TR

NHTSA ID

11232524

Incident

Jul 7, 2019

Mileage

36,875 mi

ON FEBRUARY 14, 2019, WE WERE DRIVING OUR 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 RV IN HEAVY TRAFFIC DURING A RAINSTORM IN SPRING HILL, FLORIDA. MULTIPLE DASH WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON INDICATING THE VEHICLE ABS BRAKING SYSTEM HAD FAILED. THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHIFTING VERY ERRATICALLY WHILE WE WERE IN TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE EVENTUALLY WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF FIRST GEAR WHICH PLACED US IN A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION AS WE TRIED TO GET OUT OF THE TRAFFIC STREAM AND FIND A SAFE PLACE TO PARK THE VEHICLE. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED APPROXIMATELY 35 MILES TO THE NEAREST MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER SERVICE CENTER IN WESLEY CHAPEL, FLORIDA. THEY ULTIMATELY DETERMINED THAT ONE OF THE VEHICLE?S REAR SPEED SENSORS HAD FAILED AND THEY REPLACED IT. THE REPAIRS WERE MADE UNDER MERCEDES-BENZ WARRANTY. SPEED SENSOR FAILURE ON THE MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 HAS BEEN PREVIOUSLY REPORTED BY OTHERS UNDER NHTSA ID NUMBERS 11196530,11138785,11124129, 11093070. *TR

NHTSA ID

11232230

Incident

Feb 14, 2019

Mileage

34,500 mi

REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILURE. CAN CAUSE VEHICLE TO SURGE UNCOMMANDED. VEHICLE ENTERS LIMITED OR LIMP MODE. SOME FEATURES / FUNCTIONS ARE DISABLED. WHILE STATIONARY VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO ACCELERATE (SURGE) IN SPITE OF DRIVER BRAKE APPLICATION. VEHICLE HAS HAD THIS FAILURE TWO TIMES ONCE FOR EACH REAR WHEEL SENSOR FAILURE.

NHTSA ID

11196530

Incident

Oct 21, 2018

Mileage

8,500 mi

AT 12000 MILES, BOTH REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS FAILED CAUSING MULTIPLE INDICATOR PANEL ALARMS, SPONGY BRAKING AND DRIVETRAIN/TRANSMISSION TO STICK IN A GEAR, IE. WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS (STUCK IN FIRST GEAR ON INTERSTATE AT ONE POINT). *DT THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY DOWNSHIFTED. BOTH THE REAR RPM SENSORS WERE REPLACED. *JS

NHTSA ID

11138785

Incident

Oct 4, 2018

Mileage

11,500 mi