2015 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 3500 Electronic Stability Control (esc) Problems

The contact owns a 2015 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 mph, the transmission inadvertently downshifted into third gear and the vehicle stalled with an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the rear wheel speed sensors were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, and the failure was remedied. The contact later received notification of NHTSA campaign number 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not contacted. Vin tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was 52,000.

Mileage: 52,000

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Mileage: 400

I WAS DRIVING ON AN INTERSTATE HWY AND THE ABS AND ESP WARNING MALFUNCTION OCCURED WITH A VISIT WORKSHOP MESSAGE. THE ENGINE RPM REVED UP AND THE VEHICLE SLOWED TO 40 MPH. I WAS ABLE TO GET TO A SAFE PLACE. CONSULTATION WITH A REPAIR FACILITY DETERMINED THE CAUSE TO BE THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS ON THE REAR WHEELS. FURTHER INVESTIGATION REVEALED THIS SAME THING PREVIOUSLY OCCURED WITH THE PREVIOUS OWNER WITH 4000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE THE SPEED SENSORS WERE REPLACED AT FACTORY AUTH DEALER AT THAT TIME. THIS INCIDENT I AM DESCRIBING OCCURED AT 12000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE. I WAS 700 MILES FROM HOME AND THE NEAREST FACTORY REPAIR FACILITY'S ONLY EMERGENCY OPENING WAS 3 DAYS IN THE FUTURE. THE INDEPENDENT REPAIR FACILITY THAT DIAGNOSED THE PROBLEM WAS NOT ABLE TO PERFORM THE NECESSARY REPAIRS. I DROVE HOME IN LIMP MODE. 4 SPEED SENSORS WERE PURCHASED AT A MERCEDES DEALER FOR A COST OF $900.00 AND REPLACED BY MYSELF. PRIOR TO REPLACING THE SENSORS THE SECOND TIME THE ABS AND ESP WARNING OCCURED BRIEFLY AND CLEARED ON THEIR OWN. MUCH RESEARCH HAS SHOWN THIS IS A VERY COMMON FAILURE OF THESE VEHICLES.

Mileage: 12,000

IN OCTOBER OF 2018 AT 28,860 ODOMETER MILES, THE PASSENGER REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED WHILE DRIVING FROM ATLANTA, GA TO WEST PALM BEACH, FL. CAUSING THE EPS, ABS, ANTI_COLLISION AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEM TO STOP FUNCTIONING WITH WARNING MESSAGES DISPLAYED ON THE DASH. I EXPERIENCED ERRATIC SPEEDS WHILE MANUALLY DRIVING HOME. ON OCTOBER 3, 2020, AT 39,214 ODOMETER MILES, THE SAME ISSUE HAPPENED AGAIN, ONLY THIS TIME IT WAS THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL SPEED SENSOR THAT FAILED WITH ALL THE SAME WARNING LIGHTS AND DISABLED EPS, ABS, ANTI-COLLISION AND CRUISE CONTROL SYSTEMS BEING SHUT DOWN. IN BOTH CASES THE FAILED SENSORS WERE REPLACED UNDER THE MERCEDES-BENZ EMISSION WARRANTY. I AM VERY CONCERNED THAT THESE FAILURES ARE COMMON WITH THIS MODEL VEHICLE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO EXPERIENCE FAILURES OF THESE SENSORS AFTER THE WARRANTY EXPIRES. I HAVE REPLACED TWO OF THEM SO FAR WITH LESS THAN 40,000 MILES ON THE VEHICLE AND THERE ARE STILL TWO MORE ORIGINAL SENSORS YET TO FAIL.

Mileage: 39,000

THIS IS A WINNEBAGO VIEW 24G ON SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS. WHILE HIGHWAY DRIVING, SUDDEN ABS AND ESP WARNING LIGHT WITH MESSAGE TO GO TO WORKSHOP. CRUISE CONTROL STOPS WORKING. LOSS OF POWER AND SHIFTING ABILITY IS INTERMITTENT. WAS ABLE TO DRIVE (WITHOUT CRUISE CONTROL AND WITH WARNING LIGHTS ON) FOR 100+ MILES TO SHOP. WHEN LOSS OF POWER OCCURED, I WOULD PULL OFF THE ROAD AND TURN OFF ENGINE, AND THIS WOULD TYPICALLY RESOLVE THE PROBLEM FOR AWHILE SPRINTER AUTHORIZED SERVICE CENTER REPLACED BOTH REAR WHEEL RPM SENSORS 7/3/20 ($581.09). SAME CONDITION RE-APPEARED DURING SIMILAR DRIVING CONDITION. SAME SPRINTER DEALER REPLACED RIGHT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM ON 8/18/20 ($507.48).

Mileage: 47,500

VEHICLE HAS A HIGH FAILURE RATE FOR TIRE ROTATION SPEED SENSORS. THIS CONDITION IMMEDIATELY DISABLES THE ANTILOCK BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL, TRACTION CONTROL AND CRUISE CONTROL. VEHICLE MILEAGE WAS 31000 MILES AT LOSS OF THIRD SENSOR. VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AT THE TIME OF ALL FAILURES.

Mileage: 31,000

WHILE GOING UPHILL AT ABOUT 50 MPH ON A HIGHWAY THE VEHICLE DID A HARD DOWNSHIFT AND THREE ENGINE LIGHTS CAME ON,ESP,ABS&ASR . I STOPPED AND CHECK TIRES AND AIR PRESSURE ALL OK. AT TIMES THE ENGINE WOULD BUCK, THEN SPEED UP. TURNED OFF ENGINE THEN STARTED IT AGAIN. I WAS ABLE TO DRIVE ABOUT 50 MILES TO MERCEDES DEALER WHO DIAGNOSED AS THE REAR AXEL SPEED SENSORS FAILURE. MEDFORD MERCEDES-BENZ REPLACED BOTH REAR REAL AXEL SPEED SENSORS (VEHICLE MILEAGE 27907) COST $909.00. VEHICLE WARRANTY ON SPEED SENSOR IS 5 YR OR 100,000 MILES.

Mileage: 27,907

I'M EXPERIENCING WHEEL SPEED SENSOR MALFUNCTION AND FAILURE AT INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SPEED. IT'S HAPPENED APPROX 10 TIMES. ONCE WHEN ENCOUNTERING A DIP IN THE ROAD. ONCE IN HEAVY CROSS WINDS. AND LASTLY WHEN PASSING AN 18 WHEELER. UPON MALFUNCTION, MY CAMPER LOOSES POWER DUE TO CRUISE CONTROL DROPPING OUT. THIS PUT ME IN UNSAFE CONDITION PASSING 18 WHEELER. FIRST FAILURE WAS ON I-8 IN REMOTE COUNTRY. I MADE IT TO SAFE AREA BUT WAS VERY STRESSED. FAULT CLEARED AFTER RESTARTING MY ENGINE. NEXT EVENT WAS IN COLORADO IN AUGUST 2019. IN HEAVY CROSSWIND ON INTERSTATE SYSTEM CODED 'WHEEL SPIN, LOSS OF TRACTION.' MULTIPLE TIMES I STOPPED, KILLED ENGINE, BUT CODES DIDN'T CLEAR. UPON LEAVING CAMP IT CODED ADDITIONAL ABS FAILURE. THIS RESULTED IN BREAKDOWN. VEHICLE BECAME ERRATIC JERKING AND LURCHING. I CALLED MERCEDES AND WAS TOWED 250 MILES TO DEALER IN LITTLETON CO. RIGHT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR REPLACED. LASTLY THIS HAPPEN AGAIN TWO DAYS AGO ON I-20 IN LOUISIANA. WHILE PASSING AN 18 WHEELER MY SPRINTER CODED 'WHEEL SPIN, VEHICLE SKID'.' IMMEDIATE LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL CAUSED LOSS OF SPEED. THE LARGE TRUCK SPED BY ME IN THE INSIDE LANE BUFFETING ME BADLY! I MAINTAINED CONTROL BUT THIS WAS UNSAFE FOR MYSELF AND THE TRUCK DRIVER! UPON GETTING OFF INTERSTATE I GOT ABS CODE WITH VEHICLE STUCK IN LOW GEAR (COMPUTER GENERATED RESPONSE).MERCEDES HAS ONCE AGAIN TOWED MY SPRINTER TO DEALER FOR REPAIR. ALL SAID THESE SENSORS ARE NOT FIT FOR PURPOSE. THEIR FAILURES AT HIGHWAY SPEED PUT OPERATORS AT RISK. THIS RUINS CONSUMERS PLANS.IT PUTS US UNSAFELY ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WAITING ON TOW TRUCKS.

Mileage: 25,450

WHILE DRIVING OUR 2015 MERCEDES SPRINTER 3500 ON I-5 SOUTH FROM OAKLAND, CA TO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK ON THURSDAY, MARCH 19 SUDDENLY OUR SPEED CONTROL QUIT FUNCTIONING AND THE ABS, ESP AND TRACTION CONTROL LIGHTS ON OUR INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTED UP. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED A MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE DEPARTMENT IN BAKERSFIELD, CA AND WERE TOLD THAT AS LONG AS THE VAN SEEMED TO BE DRIVING , BRAKING AND HANDLING NORMALLY WE DID NOT NEED TO BRING IT IN FOR SERVICE BUT COULD CONTINUE DRIVING. THE VAN DID SEEM TO BE RUNNING NORMALLY SO WE DROVE ON WITHOUT SPEED CONTROL. ABOUT 400 MILES LATER AS WE WERE DRIVING INTO JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK THE BRAKES STARTED TO MAKE A LOUD CLICKING NOISE WHEN THE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED COMPLETELY AND THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NO LONGER SHIFT OUT OF 2ND GEAR MAKING IT IMPOSSIBLE TO DRIVE OVER 30 MPH. WE HAD TO HAVE THE VAN TOWED 46 MILES BACK TO PALM SPRINGS, CA AND AWAIT THE MERCEDES BENZ SERVICE DEPARTMENT THERE OPENING ON MONDAY, MARCH 23. AT THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT THEY DIAGNOSED THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS HAD FAILED WITH ONLY 48,271 MILES ON THE ODOMETER. THE FOLLOWING DAY THEY REPLACED THE REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSORS AND THE VAN WAS RUNNING NORMALLY AGAIN. I HAVE RESEARCHED THE PROBLEM WITH THE WHEEL SPEED SENSORS ON MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER VANS. IT SEEMS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM AT LEAST FROM THE YEAR 2013-2016. IT IS UNACCEPTABLE THAT A VAN THAT MERCEDES PROMOTES FOR ITS UTILITY HAS THIS KIND OF FAILURE COMMONLY. IT IS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY ISSUE. WE WERE DRIVING ON DRY PAVEMENT SO NOTICED NO PROBLEM WITH PERFORMANCE UNTIL THE BRAKES BEGAN TO MALFUNCTION AND THE VAN WOULD NOT SHIFT ABOVE 2ND GEAR. IF WE HAD BEEN ON WET OR SLICK ROADS THE LACK OF ANTI-LOCK BRAKES, TRACTION CONTROL AND ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL WOULD HAVE MADE THE VAN DANGEROUS TO DRIVE. MERCEDES BENZ NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING TO REMEDY THIS COMMON FAILURE.

Mileage: 48,271

THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THE RPM SPEED SENSORS HAVE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED ON MY 2016, 3500 MERCEDES SPRINTER

Mileage: 23,000

ABS,ESP AND TRACTION CONTROL OUT. WHEEL SPEED SENSORS CAUSE FAULT THAT TRIGGERS ALL THREE SYSTEMS TO FAIL. I HAVE REPLACED REAR WHEEL SENSORS THREE TIMES. WHEN FAILING THE TRANSMISSION IS ERRATIC AND WANTS TO SURGE AHEAD. I MUST STAND ON THE BRAKE TO NOT HIT THE CARS IN FRONT. MY VEHICLE HAS 22,000 MILES AND ISSUE STARTED ON OUR FIRST ROAD TRIP. IT USUALLY HAPPENS WHEN GOING ABOUT 5 MPH IN TRAFFIC. OUR VEHICLE IS A WINNEBEGO NAVION WITH A MB SPRINTER BASE. THIS PROBLEM IS STRICTLY A MERCEDES PROBLEM. *DT*JB

Mileage: 2,000