2014 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 3500 Vehicle Speed Control Problems

THE FOLLOWING HAS BEEN SENT TO MERCEDES CORPORATE CUSTOMER SERVICE All of the following has started happening since an exhaust recall was done by Mercedes. In September 2022, we were driving cross country to Denver Colorado and enough codes piled up in the background that we went into limp mode in the middle of 70 MPH highway traffic. This happened without warning and was an extreme safety concern. But I was lucky to be near an exit and already in the right lane. I reset these codes and finished going to Denver the next day. The two Sprinter dealers in Denver were backlogged several weeks; so we spent over $600 trying to troubleshoot the issues with Colorado Fleetworks, a qualified Sprinter specialist. He checked codes too; ran other diagnostics; replaced the fuel filter and air filter even though they had been done only 10,000 miles earlier; and performed a forced DPF regeneration. He also replaced the DPF pressure sensor. This work did not help change the daily multiple code problems. We had to reset them every day coming back from our trip. When we returned home we took it to the dealer. They confirmed the codes, reset them, and test drove it 25 miles. Since codes didn't return, they said, "There is nothing we can do if we don't witness active codes." I said, "How active do they have to be? I will have codes in the next 20 to 30 miles like I do every day I drive it." These never happened in the 6 years prior to the recall wok. Either the programming is confused, some of the new sensors are faulty, or something. A totally separate problem is the faulty factory crimps on the connector of the rail pressure sensor. This is a known defect; and we've had the exact same symptoms and code as noted in Xentry TSB MC-10135520-9999. The engine has actually cut off when turning into traffic a few times. This is an extreme safety concern.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE SURGED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND THE VEHICLE DROVE AS DESIGNED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V042000 (ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL UNKNOWN LOCAL DEALERS TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED. 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 FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 15,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

Mileage: 15,000

WHEEL SPEED SENSOR ON VEHICLE HAS MALFUNCTIONED MULTIPLE TIMES. WHEN SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTIONS THE VEHICLE SPEED SURGES AND OPERATES ERRATICALLY ON ITS OWN. CONDITION HAPPENS WHEN VEHICLE IS IN MOTION. CONDITIONS HAPPEN AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS

Mileage: 46,000

IT STARTED WITH TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING, DASH WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING, NO CRUISE CONTROL ALL WHILE IN MOTION

Mileage: 28,000

WHEEL SPEED SENSORS MALFUNCTIONING WHILE DRIVING. GOING ON THE THIRD TRIP TO THE DEALER FOR RNR. THIRD FAULT AFTER A COUPLE OF HUNDRED MILES SINCE THE SECOND RNR. MANY INTERNET FORUMS EXPLAIN SAME ISSUES N FRUSTRATIONS. VEH HAS ONLY 13500 MILES, THREE RNRS WITHIN THE 500-1000 MILES.

Mileage: 13,500

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RAIN AND 3 MESSAGES DISPLAYED ON THE DASH: 1) ESP (ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM) VISIT WORKSHOP, 2) ASR (ACCELERATION SLIP REGULATION) ICON VISIT WORKSHOP AND 3) ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) VISIT WORKSHOP. ALSO RECEIVED COLLISION AVOIDANCE ASSIST INOPERATIVE NOTIFICATION. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND ERRATIC GEAR SHIFTING RESULTING IN EXTREMELY UNSAFE OPERATION. LATER, MERCEDES SERVICE DETERMINED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED). DIAGNOSIS AND FIX WAS $473.99 PLUS TAX. THEY SAID THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH SPRINTERS ESPECIALLY IF UPLIFTED TO RV. I UNDERSTAND THERE IS AN ONGOING NHTSA INVESTIGATION OF THIS PROBLEM. I STRONGLY BELIEVE THESE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS SHOULD BE RECALLED DUE TO THEIR EFFECT ON ESP, ASR, ABS AND COLLISION AVOIDANCE ASSIST CAUSING UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND ERRATIC GEAR SHIFTING WHICH RESULTS IN EXTREMELY UNSAFE OPERATION.

Mileage: 42,019

WHILE DRIVING ON INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, THE FOLLOWING WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED: ABS, ESP AND ARS NOT FUNCTIONING AND TAKE TO WORKSHOP. ALSO, THE BLINDSPOT WARNING ON MIRRORS STOPPED WORKING, AS DID THE CRUISE CONTROL. DROVE SEVERAL HOURS TO NEAREST MERCEDES DEALERSHIP WITHOUT THESE SAFETY FEATURES. PROBLEM DIAGNOSED AS RPM SENSOR FAILURE. WAS ADVISED THAT ALTHOUGH ONLY ONE SENSOR FAILED, THEY RECOMMENDED REPLACING BOTH AT THE SAME TIME. AT THE TIME, THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 40,111 MILES ON ODOMETER, BUT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. SERVICE ADVISOR STATED THAT SENSOR MAY HAVE GOTTEN HOT, SUGGESTING I HAD DRIVEN WITH EMERGENCY BRAKE ON. I TOOK EXCEPTION TO THIS, AS I RARELY EMPLOY THE E-BRAKE UNLESS I AM ON A VERY STEEP INCLINE, AND HAD NOT USED DURING THIS TRIP. REPAIR COST TOTALED OVER $700. COPY OF BILL ATTACHED. THIS OCCURRED ON SEPTEMBER 8, 2018, AS I WAS BEGINNING A MULTI-STATE TRIP.

Mileage: 40,000

AFTER DRIVING FOR SEVERAL HOURS, THE CRUISE CONTROL WOULD DROP OUT & THE ABS, STABILITY CONTROL & WHEEL SPEED SENSOR LIGHTS WOULD COME ON.

Mileage: 22,000

VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO SPEED SENSORS REPLACED, FIRST ONE IS THE LEFT REAR AT ONLY 10,385 MILES MAY 29TH 2020. THE SECOND ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR AT 10,615 MILES JULY 8TH 2020. DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE SPRINTERS HAVING THIS ISSUE YET THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS. AS OF THIS DATE TOTAL COST TO GET IT OPERATING SAFELY AGAIN IS $1018.93 ( PARTS AND LABOR ) WHEN THESE GO OUT THERE IS NO WARNING WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WHICH YOU THEN LOSE YOUR ABS BRAKING, TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL. AFTER INVESTIGATING THIS IT IS A KNOWN FACT AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NOT ANY TECHNICIAN CAN REPLACE THIS. ALL THIS HAPPENS WHILE IN MOTION CITY DRIVING AND HIGHWAY DRIVING.

Mileage: 10,385

ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS OBVIOUSLY DISABLED ALL OF THE ABOVE FUNCTIONS. CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS VERIFIED TO BE A FAULTY LH WHEEL SPEED SENSOR BY THE REPAIR SHOP. *TR

Mileage: 8,450

PROBLEM WITH SPEED SENSORS . I HAVE REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR ON MY VEHICLE ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. MERCEDES BENZ SEEMS TO BE DOING NOTHINGS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BE CONCERNED THAT THE PUBLIC NEEDS YOUR HELP WITH THIS AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

Mileage: 20,000