NHTSA Complaint #11209151 — 2016 ITASCA NAVION

WE HAVE NOW HAD TO REPLACE 6 WHEEL SENSORS ON THIS MERCEDES SPRINTER-BASED RV THAT WAS PURCHASED IN JUNE 2015 (SO IT IS NOT QUITE 4 YEARS OLD) AND HAS ONLY ~40600 MILES ON IT. IT IS APPARENTLY A WELL KNOWN PROBLEM WITH SPRINTER BASED RVS, BUT NOT WITH SPRINTER VANS. WHENEVER A SENSOR FAILS (WHICH VIRTUALLY ALWAYS OCCURS WHEN WE ARE ON A LONG DISTANCE TRIP WITH THE RV), ANTILOCK BRAKES, STABILITY CONTROL, AND CRUISE CONTROL ARE LOST, SO THIS PRESENTS A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY CONCERN. DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE, A MERCEDES DEALERSHIP MAY OR MAY NOT BE NEARBY. FURTHERMORE, NOT ALL MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS SERVICE SPRINTER BASED VEHICLES. THERE IS CLEARLY A DESIGN FLAW WITH THESE SENSORS, AS MANY OTHERS HAVE EXPERIENCED THIS PROBLEM, THOUGH MOST NOT AS OFTEN AS WE HAVE. SO FAR, THE ONES WE HAVE HAD REPLACED HAVE BEEN COVERED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT THIS MAY NOT CONTINUE IN THE FUTURE. FROM MY PERSPECTIVE, MERCEDES NEEDS TO CONTINUE TO COVER THE COST OF REPLACING THESE SENSORS FOR AS LONG AS THE VEHICLE IS IN SERVICE; PERHAPS THIS WILL PROVIDE AN INCENTIVE FOR THEM TO DEVELOP A BETTER WHEEL SENSOR FOR USE IN SPRINTER BASED RVS.