Owner reports filed with NHTSA about this vehicle, newest first and reproduced as filed. They are unverified accounts: one proves nothing, and a pattern across many is the thing worth reading. Back to the full 2016 record →
2016 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 35. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO SHIFTER BEING UNABLE TO MOVE INTO PARK OR REVERSE. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. IT WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. *JS *TR
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BECAME BENT AND COULD NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE CARGO. THE DEALER (MYRTLE BEACH AUTOMOTIVE IN MYRTLE BEACH, SOUTH CAROLINA) WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,700.
WHILE DRIVING ON A MOUNTAIN ROAD THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SEND FIRE, SMOKE AND STEAM FROM THE MOTOR COMPARTMENT UNDER THE DASH BOARD AND OVER THE WIND SHIELD, CAUSING THE MOTOR TO STOP RUNNING AND SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSING THE BRAKES TO FAIL SENDING MY WIFE AND I DOWN A WINDING MOUNTAIN AND ULTIMATELY RESULTING IN A NEAR FATAL CRASH INTO A MOUNTAIN RETAINING WALL. THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THIS VEHICLE WAS BRAND NEW WHEN PURCHASED BY US AND ONLY 5 MONTHS OLD WITH 4500 MILES (2325 MILES WERE PUT ON VEHICLE BY THE TRANSPORTER TO GET IT FROM FACTORY TO POINT OF SALE). *TR*DT*JB*DT*TR
VEHICLE INFORMATION (11 COMPLAINTS) DATE REPORTED SEP 18, 2015 LOCATION WOODINVILLE, WA MANUFACTURER MERCEDES-BENZ USA, LLC - DBA SPRINTER VEHICLE 2015 MERCEDES SPRINTER 3500 TRANSMISSION NOT SPECIFIED DRIVETRAIN NOT SPECIFIED FUEL TYPE NOT SPECIFIED OCCURENCES 0 CRASH INVOLVED N INJURIES 0 DEATHS 0 SOURCE NHTSA WEBSITE I BOUGHT USED WINNEBAGO NAVION WITH MERCEDES SPRINTER CHASSIS AND CHROME REAR OUTSIDE DUAL WHEELS DOES NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THE INNER DUAL TIRE TO CHECK AND CHANGE THE AIR PRESSURE. I AM 66 YEAR OLD FEMALE AND HAVE NO WAY TO AIR MY INNER DUAL WHEELS DUE TO DESIGN FLAW. WINNEBAGO PROVIDES A RUBBER TUBE TO BE USED AS A TOOL TO REMOVE AND REINSTALL THE TIRE VALVE CAPS ON THE INNER WHEEL BUT THE ANGLE AND LENGTH OF THE INNER TIRE VALVE STEM MAKES THE JOB OF REINSTALLING THE VALVE CAP VIRTUALLY IMPOSSIBLE WITHOUT REMOVAL OF THE OUTER CHROME DUAL WHEEL. AS A RESULT, I CAN NOT CHECK THE TIRE PRESSURE ON THE INNER DUAL TIRE OR EVEN AIR THE TIRE BY MYSELF, CREATING A POTENTIAL SAFETY ISSUE. WINNEBAGO AND MERCEDES REFUSE TO CORRECT THIS PROBLEM AND WILL NOT AUTHORIZE THE USE OF VALVE STEM EXTENDERS TO MAKE CHECKING TIRE PRESSURE MORE USER FRIENDLY. REMOVAL OF THE OUTER CHROME WHEEL IS A JOB THAT SHOULD ONLY BE DONE BY PROFESSIONALS WITH THE PROPER EQUIPMENT, NOT BY THE VEHICLE OWNER.
SEPERATION OF BOTH FRONT TIRES ON MERCEDES 3500 SPRINTER. THIS TRUCK HAS HAD VERY LIGHT USE AND TRAVELS 17K PER YEAR. THE PHOTOS ARE ATTACHED.
OUR VIEW WAS SUBJECT TO A RECALL (NHTSA NOTICE - 17V-262) WHICH INVOLVED THE RADIO/CELL PHONE VOLUME & FUNCTION CONTROLS MOUNTED IN THE STEERING WHEEL. WINNEBAGO'S FIX WAS JUST REMOVING THE CONTROL. WHICH WAS A SAFETY FEATURE IN THAT WE DIDN'T HAVE TO TAKE OUR EYES OFF THE ROAD TO ANSWER THE PHONE OR ADJUST THE RADIO. IT SEEMS UNACCEPTABLE THAT WINNEBAGO'S ONLY ACTION WAS TO REMOVE THE CONTROL AND NOT REPLACE IT! MINNESOTA'S AG'S OFFICE RECOMMENDED CONTACTING NHTSA AND FILE A COMPLAINT.
THE AIR CONDITION SHUTS DOWN AFTER A COUPLE OF HOURS. IT JUST COMES FROM THE VENTS HOT AIR AND STAUNCHY (BAD ODORS) ODORS. CONTACT MERCEDES BENZ AND THEY SAY THAT THEY AWARE OF THE PROBLEM BUT ARE NOT WILLING TO FIX IT.
FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE AND PASSENGER SIDE, AND THE CARGO SLIDING DOOR, HANDLES PINCH FINGERS. THE WAY THE HANDLE LATCH OPENS PROVIDES THE OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR FINGERS/HAND TO SLIDE INTO THE OPENING PART OF THE LATCH, AND GET SEVERELY PINCHED. BLEEDING WAS SOMEWHAT SEVER RECENTLY, WITH BLOOD STREAMING DOWN THE VEHICLE'S DOOR BODY. THE SKIN ON MY LEFT SMALL FINGERTIP WAS PINCHED ARE REMOVED, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL BLEEDING. I HAD TO OFTEN CHANGE THE BANDAGES TO MAINTAIN PRESSURE. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, AND OCCURRED WHILE OPENING SLIDING CARGO DOOR LATCH
HAD TO SLAM ON BRAKES TO AVOID HITTING A CAR THAT PULLED OUT IN FRONT OF ME AS I APPROACHED A RED LIGHT. REAR PASSENGER BRAKE LINE FAILED AS A RESULT OF THE STOP. PUMPING BRAKES RESULTED IN FLUID BEING PUMPED OUT OF THE LINES.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VEHICLE THE CONTACT NOTICED RUST ON THE REAR BUMPER AND CORROSION UNDERNEATH THE VEHICLE. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE WEATHER CAULKING WAS NOT SEALED AND LEAKED WATER ON THE BUMP-OUT LOCATED BETWEEN THE HOLES OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER PROVIDED THE CONTACT WITH A CONTRACT THAT INDICATED A 2016 FOREST RIVER PRISM 2200 LE. THE DEALER WOULD NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIR THE VEHICLE; THEREFORE, THE CONTACT REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE VEHICLE FROM THE DEALER IN THAT CONDITION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 500. UPDATED 06/13/17*LJ CONSUMER STATED SALES DEALER MADE ME WAIT ONE WEEK AFTER PURCHASE "TO GET IT READY" THEY SAID. HOWEVER THE SCREEN DOOR FELL APART WHEN HE OPENED IT. A MAGNET WAS MISSING. SO I BELIEVE THEY MADE ME WAIT A WEEK TO NOT HAVE THE 3DAY RIGHT TO RECIND. UPDATED 9/27/18*JB
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD NOT YET SUPPLIED THE PARTS AND REMEDY FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V465000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING). THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM THE MANUFACTURER MONTHS AGO. THE CONTACT WAS UNCERTAIN OF WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS NOT AVAILABLE.
THE VEHICLE HAS EXCESSIVE BRAKE PEDAL FREE-PLAY TRAVEL BEFORE BRAKING OCCURS. ALTHOUGH THE MANUFACTURER'S OWNERS MANUAL WARNS AGAINST PUMPING THE BRAKE PEDAL TO STOP THE VEHICLE, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO DO SO ESPECIALLY IN AN EMERGENCY SITUATION. IF THE DRIVER HAS TO HESITATE TO MAKE A DECISION ON WHETHER TO BRAKE OR ACCELERATE, THE FREE-PLAY TRAVEL WILL NOT ALLOW THE DRIVER ENOUGH TIME TO BRAKE SAFELY. THE VEHICLE IS DIFFICULT TO BRING TO A SAFE STOP UNLESS THE BRAKE PEDAL IS PUMPED AT LEAST TWO PUMPS BEFORE IT FEELS LIKE AND BRAKES LIKE A NORMAL SYSTEM. THE EXISTENCE OF THIS CONDITION WAS CONFIRMED BY A LOCAL MERCEDES DEALERSHIP TECHNICIAN. HIS RESPONSE WAS, "THIS IS NORMAL FOR THE 1-TON CHASSIS TO HAVE A SOFT, SPONGY PEDAL AND MAY GO TO THE FLOOR BEFORE THE BRAKE GRABS, BUT IN A EMERGENCY SITUATION IT WILL STOP EVEN IF THE PEDAL IS ALMOST TO THE FLOOR."
NHTSA publishes every complaint as the owner wrote it and investigates only a fraction. Spelling, capitalisation and judgement are the filer’s own. What carries weight is repetition: the same component failing the same way across many filings, and whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.
Full record for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 → · Every Sprinter 3500 year → · How the figures are calculated →