What 67 owners told NHTSA about the 2019 Mercedes-benz Sprinter 2500 Crew Van

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the stability crosswinds feature engaged in windy weather, the brakes independently activated without driver input, and the vehicle swerved and was uncontrollable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

NHTSA ODI 11581121

THE VEHICLE HAS SOME EMERGENCY STEERING CONTROL THAT IS AUTOMATICALLY BUILT IN. IF YOU GO OUTSIDE OF THE LANES, IT NOT ONLY STEERS YOU BACK TO WITHIN THE LANES, BUT ALSO SLAMS ON THE BRAKES. IT IS AUTOMATICALLY ON. IT CAN BE SHIFTED OFF EVERY SINGLE TIME YOU START THE VEHICLE, BUT IT IS A DEFAULT SETTING. THIS HAS PROVEN TO BE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS IN APPROXIMATELY 5 SITUATIONS WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, AND I JUST BOUGHT THE VEHICLE FOUR MONTHS AGO. TO ILLUSTRATE IT: WE WERE DRIVING THROUGH A CONSTRUCTION ZONE. AT TIMES IN CONSTRUCTION/WORK ZONES, THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC FORCES YOU OUTSIDE OF THE LINES FOR SAFETY PURPOSES. HOWEVER, THE VAN TRIED TO FORCE US BACK "INTO THE LINES" MULTIPLE TIMES, IN CONSTRUCTION, AT NIGHT, WITH MANY OTHER VEHICLES. IT ACTUALLY FORCED OUR VEHICLE BACK ACROSS THE LINE AND INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC IN MULTIPLE SCENARIOS. THIS IS A CASE OF AN AUTOMATIC "SAFETY" SETTING GONE WRONG. IT IS HIGHLY, HIGHLY DANGEROUS TO HAVE IT AUTOMATICALLY DO THIS, WHETHER IT'S DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC, SAME DIRECTION TRAFFIC, CONSTRUCTION OBSTACLES OR EVEN SWERVING TO AVOID DEBRIS OR ANIMALS. THIS LANE ASSIST MUST BE DISABLED TO ALLOW FOR SAFE OPERATION OF THIS VEHICLE.*DT *TR

NHTSA ODI 11362197

NEW PURCHASE 02-29-2020; THE MERCEDES SPRINTER 2500 THAT WAS UPFITTED BY AIRSTREAM INTO THE AIRSTREAM INTERSTATE NINETEEN. I DROVE ABOUT 60 MILES AND WHEN BACKING FROM A PARKING SPOT I FELT A SUDDEN GRAB/JOLT FROM THE RIGHT FRONT UNDERCARRIAGE AS IF BACKED OVER A DOG/CHILD. THANKFULLY NOTHING. THREE MORE TIMES THIS OCCURRED OVER TWO DAYS BUT W/O FINDING A CAUSE I CHOSE TO DRIVE 800 MILES TO SEATTLE FROM CALIFORNIA VIA I-5. ABOUT 40 MILES ENROUTE I WAS GOING 70 MPH ON A STRAIGHT, SLIGHT DOWNGRADE STRETCH WHEN THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY GRABBED TO THE RIGHT WITH A SHORT/ABRUPT JERK ON THE STEERING WHEEL. THIS WAS THE SAME AS THE BACKWARD BUT NOW FORWARD AND FRIGHTENING. FORTUNATELY I HAD BOTH HANDS ON THE WHEEL WITH A FIRM GRIP DUE TO THE UNFAMILIAR DARK ROADWAY AND DOWNGRADE STRETCH. THIS OCCURRED FIVE OTHER TIMES OVER THE NEXT 70-100 MILES AT A REDUCED SPEED OF 40-50 WITH A FIRM GRIP ON THE WHEEL AND EXPECTING IT SO I STAYED IN THE FAR LEFT LANE TO AVOID GOING OFF THE ROADWAY ON THE RIGHT. THE FOLLOWING DAY I RESUMED THE DRIVE AT ABOUT 40-50 MPH AND FELT THE SAME GRAB INTERMITTENTLY. I CALLED MERCEDES ROADSIDE ASSIST THROUGH THE VEHICLES ELECTRONIC CONNECTIONS ON THE NAV/MEDIA SCREEN AND THEY PROMPTED ME THROUGH DEACTIVATING THE BRAKE ASSIST. I DEACTIVATED ALL THE OTHER SENSOR DEVICES LIKE LANE ASSIST, PARKTRONICS ETC THAT I COULD FIND TO BE AS SURE AS POSSIBLE IT WAS NOT GOING TO OCCUR AGAIN WHILE DRIVING. THESE ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS REACTIVATE EACH TIME YOU TURN THE IGNITION OFF SO I HAD TO REMEMBER TO DO THAT PRIOR TO DRIVING EACH TIME I STOPPED. I DROVE THE 800 MILES HOME W/O THE SENSORS ACTIVE AND THE PROBLEM DID NOT RECUR. AIRSTREAM'S UPFIT MAKES IT LESS STABLE AND THE WEIGHT NOW ABOUT 10,000-13-000 POUNDS VERY DANGEROUS. IF CRUISE CONTROL WAS ENGAGED MUCH MORE OF A PROBLEM OR WINDING ROADS. I'M A RETIRED COMMERCIAL PILOT AND IT SCARED ME; NEEDS INVESTIGATED SOON.

NHTSA ODI 11317084