NHTSA Complaint #10733198 — 2011 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500

AS A HIGH USE BUSINESS VEHICLE, MY MERCEDES SPRINTER 2500 WAS OUT OF WARRANTY (36K MILES) WITHIN A YEAR OF PURCHASE. JUST ABOUT A MONTH BEYOND 36K, THE ROOF MOUNTED AIR CONDITIONER BEGAN LEAKING (MORE LIKE TORRENTING) WATER UPON THE MIDDLE BENCH SEATS AFTER EVERY RAIN. THIS WATER HAS ALSO LEAKED DOWN INTO THE FRONT ROOF MOUNTED ELECTRONICS, SUCH AS THE DOME LIGHTS, AND MADE THEM MALFUNCTION. THE VEHICLE IS ESSENTIALLY USELESS FOR PASSENGER OR GOODS TRANSPORT DURING ANY RAIN STORM. WHEN CONTACTED, AFTER MUCH RUN AROUND AND BROKEN PROMISE, THE MANUFACTURER INDICATED THAT BECAUSE WE WERE OUT OF WARRANTY, THE REPAIR WOULD BE A MINIMUM OF $1800. AFTER RESEARCHING ONLINE, THIS APPEARS TO BE MUCH MORE THAN AN ISOLATED INCIDENT. I HAVE READ HUNDREDS OF ACCOUNTS OF THE SAME PROBLEM AFFECTING OTHERS, BOTH IN AND OUT OF WARRANTY. THIS IS AN OBVIOUS AND DEBILITATING MANUFACTURER DEFECT. A CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT IS CURRENTLY UNDER WAY FOR THIS ISSUE IN CALIFORNIA, BUT SEEING THAT I AM IN ILLINOIS, I HAVE NO OTHER RECOURSE BUT TO FILE A COMPLAINT WITH NHTSA AND HOPE THAT YOU WILL INVESTIGATE AND HELP TO RECTIFY THIS UNFORTUNATE SITUATION FOR ALL AFFECTED CUSTOMERS.