2015 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS AT THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE DIESEL PARTICULAR FILTER WAS FRACTURED. THE CHASSIS CONNECTING BRACKET FAILED AND FRACTURED THE DIESEL PARTICULAR FILTER. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THAT THE WARRANTY WAS EXPIRED AND THE REPAIR COST WOULD NOT BE COVERED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 45,000.

ON THURSDAY JULY 9TH AFTER 9:00 PM, I WAS DRIVING UP ROUTE 8 IN VIRGINIA FROM NORTH CAROLINA AND MY POWER STEERING WENT OUT. MY VAN HAS SUFFERED FROM SUBSTANTIAL NOISE AND VIBRATION BETWEEN 1600 AND 2000 RPM ON SLIGHT GRADES SINCE THE DAY AFTER I PURCHASED IT. WITH JUST SHY OF 20,000 MILES ON THE VAN, MUCH OF IT GOING UP AND DOWN GRADES, IT IS MY PERCEPTION THAT THE POWER STEERING FLUID HOSE VIBRATED LOSE. ALMOST 500 HOURS OF DRIVING, JUST SHY OF 20,000 MILES IN TEMPS THAT VARIED FROM LOWS OF 40 TO HIGHS OF 110, AND CONSISTENT VIBRATIONS DURING THE SPECIFIED RPM AND THE HOSE VIBRATED LOOSE AND LOST POWER. THE VIBRATIONS ARE A KNOWN ISSUE FOR SPRINTER 4X4'S AND THEY HAVE TRIED TO ADDRESS THE ISSUE UNSUCCESSFULLY WITH DAMPENING AND THICKER LEAF SPRINGS. THIS REMAINS INEFFECTIVE AND NOW, DANGEROUS. I AM GRAVELY CONCERNED THAT OTHER ITEMS IN THIS 4X4 MODEL VAN COULD COME LOOSE, OR WORSE SOMEONE ON A MOUNTAIN PASS COULD LOSE CONTROL AS I DID AND CAUSE A FATAL ACCIDENT. DUE TO THE 4X4 SYSTEM AND THE DESIRE OF IT'S OWNERS TO DRIVE TO REMOTE PLACES, I FEEL THIS WARRANTS AN IMMEDIATE INVESTIGATION TO PROTECT THE OWNERS WHERE DIAMLER VANS HAS CLEARLY DECIDED NOT TO MANAGE IT'S SAFETY. IF ANYONE HAD COME DOWN THE SWITCHBACKS ON ROUTE 8, NEITHER OF US WOULD HAVE HAD ENOUGH TIME OR SPACE TO AVOID AND ACCIDENT. I WAS INCREDIBLE LUCKY. I WAS FORCED TO DRIVE ACROSS THE ROAD LINES TO MOVE THE VAN AS I COULD NOT CONTROL THE STEERING. I FEARED FOR MY LIFE UNTIL I GOT TO THE TOP OF THE SWITCH BACK AND WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER ON RELATIVELY STRAIGHT FLAT GROUND. THE TRAILER I WAS TOWING SUFFERED AS I WAS NOT ABLE TO ARTICULATE THE VAN ON THE ROAD SUCH THAT IT DID NOT GO OFF THE ROAD AND HIT TREES AND EMBANKMENT.. .UPDATED 07/21/15 *BF.....UPDATED 08/12/15 *BF THE CONSUMER STATED THE SUSPENSION WAS REPLACED. HOWEVER, IT DID NOT RESOLVE THE VIBRATION ISSUE. ...UPDATED 9/24/2015 *JS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V764000 (ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING). THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WERE NOT EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS TO PERFORM THE RECALL REPAIRS. A SECOND AUTHORIZED DEALER WAS CONTACTED, WHO INDICATED THAT THE PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE AND THE CONTACT WAS PLACED ON A WAITING LIST WITH NO ESTIMATED TIMEFRAME AS TO WHEN THE REPAIR WOULD BE PERFORMED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO PROVIDE A REASONABLE TIMEFRAME TO INDICATE WHEN THE PART AND APPOINTMENT WOULD BE SCHEDULED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.