What 13 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Mercedes-benz Sprinter 2500 Cargo Van

The contact owns a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 20V663000 (Steering) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who stated that parts were not yet available. The contact was informed the parts were backordered until May 30, 2022. The contact stated the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not notified. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ODI 11436675

LOWER POWER STEERING HOSE DETACHING FROM COOLER CAUSING LOSS OF POWER STEERING. I HAVE 8500 MILES ON THE VAN. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE ACROSS ALL SPRINTER FORUMS. I HAVE TO ADD A NEW CLAMP TO FIX THE ISSUE. IM SO SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT MB HAVE DONE NOTHING TO FIX THAT ISSUE ON ALL SPRINTER VAN... ITS A "TIME BOMB" TO HAPPEN 7 COULD SERIOUSLY HAVE A DEADLY CONSEQUENCE IN AN EMERGENCY LOSING YOUR POWER STEERING

NHTSA ODI 11349566

THE CROSSWIND ASSIST IS NOT WORKING. BECAUSE OF THE HIGH PROFILE ON THIS VAN, IT BECOMES VERY DANGEROUS IN WINDY CONDITIONS. WE ALMOST GOT BLOWN OUT OF THE FREEWAY BECAUSE OF THIS FEATURE NOT WORKING ON OUR 2017 VAN. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY CAN NOT DUPLICATE THE ISSUE. OF COURSE NOT, WE LIVE IN FRESNO WHERE ONLY GETS WINDY ONCE A YEAR.

NHTSA ODI 11104706

WHILE DRIVING SLOWLY (10MPH), ROUGHLY STRAIGHT, ON A GRAVEL ROAD, THE POWER STEERING SUDDENLY FAILED. I WAS ABLE TO STEER, BUT STEERING EFFORT WAS VERY HIGH. THE LOWER HOSE CONNECTED TO THE COOLER FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID HAD FALLEN OFF AND ALL THE FLUID HAD BEEN EXPELLED. I COULD SEE NO REASON FOR THIS TO HAVE HAPPENED. THE CLAMP WAS STILL CONNECTED TO THE HOSE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANYTHING HITTING THE HOSE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF DAMAGE TO THE HOSE. I RE-ATTACHED THE HOSE. I DROVE TO THE NEAREST AUTO-PARTS STORE (~ 70 MILES, MIXED GRAVEL AND PAVEMENT) AND REFILLED THE POWER STEERING FLUID. I CONTINUED TO CHECK THE HOSE FREQUENTLY. I FOUND THAT DRIVING SLOWLY (10-15 MPH) ON GRAVEL ROADS, THE HOSE WORKS LOSE AND HAS TO BE PUSHED BACK ON EVERY 10 MILES OR SO. I THINK THERE IS CONSTANT RISK OF SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER STEERING IN A CORNER WITH A HEAVY VEHICLE LIKE THIS COULD BE CATASTROPHIC. THE TWO IMAGES BELOW SHOW THE CONNECTIONS TO THE COOLER FOR THE POWER STEERING FLUID BEFORE AND AFTER A SECTION OF GRAVEL ROAD THAT IS ABOUT 10 MILES LONG. THE ROAD WAS DRIVEN AT ABOUT 10 MPH. THE RECOMMENDED SPEED FOR THIS ROAD IS 25 MPH. THE LOWER HOSE IN THESE IMAGES IS THE HOSE IN QUESTION. IN THE SECOND IMAGE NOTICE THAT THE CLAMP IS ON THE FLARE. THIS HOSE IS ABOUT TO FALL OFF. *TT *JS *JS

NHTSA ODI 11101528