2017 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 Complaints

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A RATTLING NOISE WAS HEARD INSIDE THE CARGO AREA. ALSO, DURING EXTREME HEAT, THE PASSENGER SIDE WOULD WARP. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF TEMECULA (40910 TEMECULA CENTER DR., TEMECULA, CA 92591, (951) 216-7800) WHERE NO FAILURE WAS FOUND AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED IN THAT MANNER. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF LONG BEACH (2300 E SPRING ST, SIGNAL HILL, CA 90755, (562) 372-2707) WHERE THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE VEHICLE NEEDED TO BE INSULATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE SEVERAL TIMES AND A CASE WAS OPENED. THE MANUFACTURER REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER. THE CONTACT ALSO FILED A COMPLAINT WITH THE FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION AND WAS INFORMED OF A PENDING RECALL IN REGARDS TO THE VEHICLE STRUCTURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 80. *TT CONSUMER STATED THE BUMPER WAS DAMAGED AND REPLACED WHEN THE TRUCK WAS DELIVERED IN THE DARK. THE CARGO FLOOR WAS DEFECTIVE 2 FLORRS WERE ORDERED. UPDATED 9/25/18*JB

WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY (10MPH), ROUGHLY STRAIGHT, ON A GRAVEL ROAD, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO STEER, BUT STEERING EFFORT WAS VERY HIGH. THE LOWER HOSE CONNECTED TO THE COOLER FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD FALLEN OFF AND ALL THE FLUID HAD BEEN EXPELLED. I COULD SEE NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAVE HAPPENED. THE CLAMP WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE HOSE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE HOSE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO THE HOSE. I RE-ATTACHED THE HOSE. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST AUTO-PARTS STORE (~ 70 MILES, MIXED GRAVEL AND PAVEMENT) AND REFILLED THE POWER STEERING FLUID. I CONTINUED TO CHECK THE HOSE FREQUENTLY. I FOUND THAT DRIVING SLOWLY (10-15 MPH) ON GRAVEL ROADS, THE HOSE WORKS LOSE AND HAS TO BE PUSHED BACK ON EVERY 10 MILES OR SO. I THINK THERE IS CONSTANT RISK OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN A CORNER WITH A HEAVY VEHICLE LIKE THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. THE TWO IMAGES BELOW SHOW THE CONNECTIONS TO THE COOLER FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID BEFORE AND AFTER A SECTION OF GRAVEL ROAD THAT IS ABOUT 10 MILES LONG. THE ROAD WAS DRIVEN AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THIS ROAD IS 25 MPH. THE LOWER HOSE IN THESE IMAGES IS THE HOSE IN QUESTION. IN THE SECOND IMAGE NOTICE THAT THE CLAMP IS ON THE FLARE. THIS HOSE IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. *TT *JS *JS