What 45 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-benz Sprinter 3500xd Crew Van

I HAVE HAD TWO FAILURES OF A REAR SPEED SENSOR WHICH HAVE CAUSED A LOSS OF ANTI LOCK BRAKING, TRACTION CONTROL, AND CRUISE CONTROL. THE MOST RECENT FAILURE ON OCT 14, 2020 ALSO RESULTED IN SOME ERRATIC TRANSMISSION SHIFTING. ALL OF THESE THINGS IMPACT THE SAFETY OF THE VEHICLE. IN BOTH FAILURES THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS.

NHTSA ODI 11365194

WHEEL SENSORS FAILURE CAUSES LOSS OF ABS BRAKING , CRUISE CONTROL AND TRACTION CONTROL. WHEN THIS OCCURS CAUSES THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP MODE AND RAPID REDUCTION OF SPEED. ALL OF THE ABOVE CAUSES A HAZARDOUS SITUATION ON THE FREEWAY. WE HAVE HAD 2 FAIL AND MANY OF OUR FRIENDS HAVE EXPERIENCED CTHE SAME.

NHTSA ODI 11364346

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, THERE WAS ABNORMAL CRUNCHING NOISE DETECTED. THE ABS WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE CRUISE CONTROL WAS INOPERABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PARK PLACE MOTORCARS MERCEDES-BENZ FORT WORTH (5601 BRYANT IRVIN RD, FORT WORTH, TX 76132) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE RPM SENSOR NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED HOWEVER THE FAILURE REOCCURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,500.*BF*JB

NHTSA ODI 11322346

REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILURE. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE A REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR IN EACH OF THE LAST 3 YEARS. WHEN THE SENSOR FAILS THE ABS SYSTEM STOPS OPERATING. CRUISE CONTROL IS DISABLED AND TRACTION CONTROL IS DISABLED. VEHICLE IS STILL DRIVABLE, BUT SAFETY SYSTEMS ARE LOST UNTIL REPAIRED. BASED ON WEB SEARCHES THIS IS A VERY COMMON PROBLEM FOR THIS VEHICLE AND MODEL YEAR. I HAVE NOT HAD A DANGEROUS INCIDENT WHEN THE SENSOR GAVE OUT THOUGH I HAVE HAD TO DEAL WITH SOME UNCOMMANDED BRAKING.

NHTSA ODI 11139000

BRAKE PEDAL IS SPONGY AND MUST BE PUMPED TO GET A FIRM PEDAL. I HAVE TAKEN IT TO THE DEALER TWICE AND COMPLAINED ABOUT THIS ISSUE, AND THEY TELL ME EVERYTHING IS NORMAL. WHEN YOU HAVE TO MAKE A SUDDEN SURPRISE STOP THE PEDAL GOES ALL THE WAY TO THE FLOORBOARD.

NHTSA ODI 10779280

BRAKES ARE SOFT AND SPONGY. WHEN DEPRESSED, THE PEDAL WILL TRAVEL TO THE FLOOR MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO STOP. THE DEALER REPLACED THE MASTER CYLINDER AND BRAKE BOOSTER IN MARCH, 2015, BUT THAT DID NOT CHANGE THE OPERATION OF THE BRAKES. MY UNDERSTANDING FROM VISITING SEVERAL FORUMS IS THAT THIS A COMMON COMPLAINT FROM OTHER SPRINTER OWNERS, YET MERCEDES BENZ SAYS THEY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF BRAKE ISSUES WITH THE VEHICLES. THE BRAKES ARE DANGEROUS AS THEY CURRENTLY OPERATE.

NHTSA ODI 10778175