2020 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 Complaints

On July 7, after driving a half hour late morning, we stopped to tour Skyline Caverns, Front Royal, VA. Parked in the shade. The vehicle was turned off for 90 minutes. Starting up, the following warnings began displaying: -- Active Lane Keeping Assist Inoperative -- LOW RANGE Malfunction - To Park, Apply Parking Brake -- ESP® (Electronic Stability Program) Inoperative -- Active BAS (Brake Assist System) Functions Limited. See Operator's Manual. -- Blind Spot Assist Inoperative -- Active Distance Assist DISTRONIC Inoperative. Looked up items in the owner's manual. Accessed the MBUX on-line manual. Accessed the Assistance menu. Malfunctioning systems showing as "Function Unavailable". Called MB Roadside Assistance. They said vehicle drivable, but must be careful. Asked about the "LOW RANGE Malfunction" -- after the support person consulted with others, all uncertain about the impact highway driving would have on the "LOW RANGE Malfunction". Authorized tow to Euro Motorcars Bethesda Sprinter, 9030 Comprint Ct, Gaithersburg, MD 20877 Tel: 301-652-9000 / 301-881-5160. After the vehicle was parked at Comprint Ct after the tow, the same warnings continued to appear. I don't believe the dealer's mechanics were able to start working on the problem until July 12 at which time the warning messages were no longer appearing. Dealer has been unable to replicate malfunction. Mechanic supervisor drove vehicle 100 miles over the weekend of July 17 without replicating malfunction. Vehicle currently at Comprint Ct. Received NHTSA Recall #21V411 on July 24; the above described Malfunctions may be related to this recall.

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact received notifications of NHTSA campaign numbers: 20V802000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic), 21V055000 (Electrical System), and 21V411000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention) however, the dealer informed the contact that the parts for the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brakes applied independently. The contact stated that the brake warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed and continued to experience failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 18.

POWER STEERING HOSE IS NOT LONG ENOUGH, IS POORLY CONNECTED/CLAMPED, AND HAS BEEN DISCONNECTING FROM MULTIPLE OF THESE VEHICLES, CAUSING AN IMMEDIATE EMERGENCY SITUATION (LOSS OF POWER STEERING), AND AN IMMEDIATE VEHICLE BREAKDOWN. MERCEDES IS AWARE OF THIS ISSUE BUT HAS THUS FAR FAILED TO ADDRESS IT

BOUGHT VEHICLE 26 SEP 20 FROM GENERAL RV IN DRAPER, UTAH I WAS INFORMED OF THE WINNEBAGO REVEL 2ND ALTERNATOR RECALL NUMBER 162 HAD TO BE COMPLETED BEFORE I DROVE THE VEHICLE OFF THE LOT. SO, I WAS TOLD [PER MANAGER MIKE MALLORY] IT WAS COMPLETED ON OCTOBER 10TH AND THUS DROVE IT OFF THE LOT ON OCTOBER 22ND, 2020. FAST FORWARD FOUR MONTHS TO FEB 2021 AS STARTED TO NOTICE A GOD-AWFUL SQUEALING SOUND WHEN I STARTED THE VEHICLE NO MATTER WHAT TEMPERATURES AND IT HAS PROGRESSIVELY GOT WORSE UP UNTIL APRIL NOW. ON 8 APRIL 21 WHILE AT A MERCEDES-BENZ DEALER IN FARMINGTON, UT I WAS TOLD THE SECONDARY ALTERNATOR WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT AND THE ONE AND ONLY SERPENTINE BELT HAD EXCESSIVE WEAR, PLUS THE ISSUE WAS NOT A MERCEDES-BENZ WARRANTY ISSUE,, BUT RATHER A AN UP-FITTER (WINNEBAGO) PROBLEM PER MECHANIC TREVOR AND SERVICE REP ALEX! SO, ON 9 APR 21 I CONTACTED GENERAL RV AGAIN & SAID WHAT THE MERCEDES DEALER TOLD ME AND ON THE 22ND OF APRIL I PROVIDED PHOTOS OF THE ALTERNATOR ISSUE, SO THEY (PAUL DELUCA LEAD SVC REP) ORDERED THE RECALL KIT #162 FROM WB. HOWEVER, HERE'S THE REAL KICK IN THE FACE AKA COMPLAINT... WHY WOULD THEY NEED TO ORDER ANOTHER RECALL KIT WHEN THEY TOLD ME THEY STALLED IT IN OCTOBER 2020 BEFORE I COULD EVEN DRIVE IT OFF THE LOT? THEREFORE, GENERAL RV FLAT OUT LIED TO ME WHICH IS UNBELIEVABLE AND TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE ESPECIALLY WITH THE SEVERITY OF A SERPENTINE BELT FAILURE AT SPEED EQUALS LOSS OF STEERING AND CRASH AND/OR DEATH NO TO MENTION TOTALLED VEHICLE! SECOND ISSUE/COMPLAINT IS MY ACTIVE BRAKE AND DISTANCE SENSOR BEHIND THE GRILL HAS BEEN RANDOMLY FAILING ESPECIALLY AT THE WORST TIMES I.E. LONG ROAD TRIPS! SO, THIS RENDERS THE CRUISE CONTROL & SMART BRAKING INOPERABLE WHICH IS UNACCEPTABLE ON A NEW VEHICLE WITH ONLY A FEW THOUSAND MILES ON IT. SO, I HAVE BEEN TO THE SAME MB DEALER IN FARMINGTON, UT 3NOR 4 TIMES TO FINALLY FIX IT, BUT NO FIX!!

I ONLY HAVE ABOUT 2200 MILES ON THIS VEHICLE BUT I HAVE NOTICED 3 TIMES THAT THE ELECTRONIC 4 WHEEL DRIVE ENGAGED BY ITSELF AS I WAS MOVING DOWN THE ROAD. YOUR ARE ONLY SUPPOSED TO BE ABLE TO ENGAGE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE WHILE STOPPED. I NEVER NOTICED ANYTHING UNTIL I SAW THE RED LIGHT WHICH COMES ON WHEN THE 4 WHEEL IS ENGAGED. I WENT ON LINE TO SEE IF OTHERS HAD EXPERIENCED THIS AND I SAW SEVERAL REPORTS OF THE SYSTEM ENGAGING AND NOT BEING ABLE TO GET IT DISENGAGED AS WELL AS HAVING THE VEHICLE NOT BE DRIVABLE AFTERWARDS. I HAVE NOT EXPERIENCE ANYTHING BUT IT GOING INTO 4 WHEEL DRIVE ON ITS ON WITHOUT ME ENGAGING IT. IT OCCURRED WHILE IN MOTION AND TWICE ON EXPRESSWAYS AND ONCE ONN A LOCAL LOW SPEED ROAD

VEHICLE ACCELERATES UNCHARACTERISTICALLY SLOWLY UPON COLD START IN COLD TEMPERATURES / HIGH ELEVATION. MANY DOCUMENTED CASES IN PREVIOUS AND CURRENT MODEL SPRINTER WHICH USES THE SAME OM642 DIESEL ENGINE. HTTPS://SPRINTER-SOURCE.COM/FORUMS/INDEX.PHP?THREADS/71254/ THERE HAVE BEEN MULTIPLE TIMES WHERE I TRIED TO CROSS AN INTERSECTION OR MAKE A LEFT ACROSS A HIGHWAY UPON RECENT COLD START AND THE VAN ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY, LEAVING ME MOVING VERY SLOWLY ACROSS THE OPPOSING TRAFFIC LANE(S).

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE COOLANT WARNING LIGHT INTERMITTENTLY ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT HAD TAKEN THE VEHICLE TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SPRINGFIELD (295 BURNETT RD, CHICOPEE, MA 01020) WHERE THEY DISCOVERED NO FAULT WITH THE COOLANT SYSTEM HOWEVER, THE WARNING LIGHT CONTINUED TO ILLUMINATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE CONTACT THEN PERFORMED A VIN SEARCH ON THE NHTSA WEBSITE AND DISCOVERED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V055000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) AND 21V152000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC) HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE UNAVAILABLE. MERCEDES-BENZ OF SPRINGFIELD (295 BURNETT RD, CHICOPEE, MA 01020, (413) 624-4100) WAS CONTACTED AND IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THE PARTS WERE 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 FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

WHILE DRIVING ON A HIGHWAY AND PASSING UNDER A ROAD SIGN DESCRIBING THE NEXT EXIT, THE SPRINTER VAN AUTOMATIC CRASH AVOIDANCE KICKED IN, CAUSING THE VAN TO AUTOMATICALLY JAM ON THE BRAKES AND LOSE APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH WHILE CAUSING THE WHEEL TO PULL DECIDEDLY TO THE LEFT. THERE WERE NO VEHICLES IN FRONT OR BEHIND, AND THANKFULLY ENOUGH NONE CLOSE ENOUGH TO CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON OCCURRENCE, AND EVEN IF THE BRAKES DO NOT ENGAGE, THE CRASH AVOIDANCE ALERT SOUND WILL OFTEN TIMES CHIME AND STARTLE THE DRIVER FOR OTHER OVERHEAD OBSTACLES LIKE TRAFFIC SIGNS AND TUNNEL ENTRIES. THIS FEATURE, ALONG WITH LANE DEPARTURE ASSIST (WHICH ALSO IS BUGGY) AUTOMATICALLY TURNS ON AFTER EVERY RESTART, EVEN AFTER BEING TURNED OFF MANUALLY. IT IS UNSAFE.

I TOOK MY VAN TO THE LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER CONCERNED ABOUT NHTSA RECALL 20V-663. I KNOW OWNERS OF SPRINTER VANS WHO ARE TAKING THEIR VANS IN FOR THIS RECALL AND THE SPRING TYPE POWER STEERING CLAMP IS BEING REPLACED WITH A SCREW CLAMP. MY 2020 SPRINTER BUILT IN FEB. 2020 IS NOT BEING CAPTURED BY THE SCOPE OF THIS RECALL YET HAS A SPRING CLAMP INSTALLED AND THE HOSE IS NOT FULLY SEATED. MY VS30 PLATFORM 907 VAN WAS MANUFACTURED IN GERMANY RATHER THAN CHARLESTON, SC AND FOR SOME REASON IS BEING EXCLUDED FROM THIS RECALL. MY LOCAL MERCEDES DEALER WILL NOT ADDRESS THIS FOR ME. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT THE SCOPE OF THIS RECALL NEEDS TO BE OPENED UP TO INCLUDE VS30 PLATFORM 907 SPRINTER VANS MANUFACTURED IN GERMANY DURING THIS SAME TIME PERIOD. PHOTO INCLUDED SHOWS A VERIFIED COMPLETED RECALL REPAIR.