NHTSA Complaint #11354416 — 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500

AT APPROXIMATELY 11,600 VEHICLE MILES THE DEF WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON STATING THAT THERE WERE ONLY 10 REMAINING STARTS LEFT ON THE VEHICLE. PREVIOUS MESSAGE PRIOR TO THIS WAS TO CHECK THE DEF SYSTEM LEVEL. DEF HAD BEEN ADDED FOR THE PREVIOUS 2500 MILES EVERY 500 MILES TO MAINTAIN A FULL TANK. SINCE I WAS IN WYOMING THERE WERE NO MERCEDES DEALERS AVAILABLE TO TROUBLESHOOT THE WARNING MESSAGES. AFTER THE LIMITING START MESSAGE I CONTACTED THE NEAREST MERCEDES DEALER IN FARMINGTON, UTAH FOR AN EMERGENCY APPOINTMENT THE FOLLOWING DAY. I DROVE APPROXIMATELY 260 MILES FROM THE TETONS IN WYOMING TO HAVE THE SYSTEM CHECKED AND REPAIRED AT MY EXPENSE. THE REPAIR REQUIRED THE REPLACEMENT OF THE DEF TANK AND ASSOCIATED COMPONENTS AT A COST OF $3,400.00. MERCEDES REFUSED TO COVER THE COST OF REPAIR DUE TO VEHICLE AGE FOR THE STATE( NC ) NOT COVERED IN EXTENDED EMISSIONS WARRANTY.