2013 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and attempting to activate the cruise control, the vehicle failed to remain in cruise control mode. The contact stated that the ABS, traction control, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under a related recall. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.

The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact received a repair for the rear wheel speed sensors and now they were unable to exceed 50 mph while driving. The contact stated that the vehicle was possibly in Limp Mode. The contact contacted the dealer who performed the repair however, the contact was unable to take the vehicle in for an appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,000.

ON MARCH 22, 2020, THE VEHICLE ENTERED THE 'LIMP HOME MODE' WHILE TRAVELING ON AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY, WHERE THE SPEED LIMIT WAS 70 MPH. PRIOR TO THE FAILURE, WARNING LIGHTS WERE PRESENT ON THE DASHBOARD FOR ABS, ESP, AND ASR, WITH CRUISE CONTROL DISABLED. THESE INDICATOR LIGHTS WOULD CLEAR OCCASIONALLY AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN USE FOR A PERIOD OF TIME, AND THEN REAPPEAR AGAIN AFTER DRIVING FOR ABOUT AN HOUR OR TWO. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALERSHIP, WHERE TWO FAILED SPEED SENSORS WERE REPLACED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM. A YEAR LATER, THE WARNING LIGHTS ARE BACK, WITH THE LOSS OF CRUISE CONTROL. IT HAS NOT ENTERED INTO THE 'LIMP HOME MODE' AS OF NOW. I HAVE READ NEWS ARTICLES THAT WERE INITIALLY PUBLISHED ABOUT 6 MONTHS AGO, THAT SAID THAT THIS IS A KNOWN PROBLEM THAT IS BEING INVESTIGATED BY NHTSA. WHAT IS THE STATUS AND IS MERCEDES DOING ANYTHING TO ADDRESS THIS ISSUE? TO HAVE THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY ENTER INTO 'LIMP HOME MODE' ON THE INTERSTATE WHERE SPEED LIMITS ARE 70 MPH IS A SAFETY CONCERN.

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.

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.