NHTSA Complaint #11355040 — 2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500

THIS SAFETY INCIDENT REPORT APPLIES TO ALL 2019+ SPRINTER 1500/2500/3500 WITH THE 4X4 DRIVETRAIN (HYDRAULIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM), IT DOES NOT APPLY TO 2WD MODELS WITH ELECTRONIC POWER STEERING RACKS. THE UPPER POWER STEERING HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE PS RESERVOIR TO THE PS COOLING ELEMENT LOCATED AHEAD OF THE RADIATOR IN THE FRONT GRILLE IS SECURED BY A WORM DRIVE CLAMP AT THE RESERVOIR SIDE AND A SPRING CLAMP AT THE COOLING ELEMENT SIDE. THE LOWER PS HOSE THAT CONNECTS THE COOLING ELEMENT TO THE HARDLINE WHICH BOLTS IN TO THE HYDRAULIC STEERING RACK ON THE DRIVER SIDE IS SECURED WITH A SPRING CLAMP ON THE COOLING ELEMENT SIDE AND A SWAGED CONNECTION ON THE HARDLINE SIDE. THIS SAFETY INCIDENT IS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS LOWER PS HOSE CONNECTION. THE HOSE IS TOO SHORT FROM THE FACTORY, AND IS TAUT BETWEEN THE COOLING ELEMENT SPRING CLAMP AND HARDLINE SWAGED CONNECTION. OVER TIME, WITH NORMAL DRIVING VEHICLE VIBRATIONS & ENGINE BAY HEAT CYCLING, THE LOWER PS HOSE WILL BACK OFF THE COOLING ELEMENT UNTIL IT FALLS OFF AND PS FLUID IS DUMPED IN THE ENGINE BAY. THIS MAKES THIS HEAVY FULL SIZE VAN INSTANTLY EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO STEER. HOSE BLEW OFF ON MY VAN AT 9500MILES ON THE ODOMETER, AS I WAS EXITING A FREEWAY ONTO A CURVING OFFRAMP. HAD I NOT BEEN AWARE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE I MIGHT NOT HAVE CAUGHT IT IN TIME... AT SPEED, ON A WINDING ROAD, WITH A CLIFF / DROP OFF NEARBY THIS COULD HAVE CATASTROPHIC RESULTS IF THE DRIVER IS NOT ABLE TO OVERCOME THE SUDDENLY VERY HEAVY STEERING EFFORT. THE SOLUTION IS A SIMPLE ONE. THE LOWER PS HOSE JUST NEEDS TO BE 1-2" LONGER SO THAT IT IS NOT TAUT BETWEEN THE TWO CONNECTIONS. TO DATE MERCEDES DEALERSHIPS HAVE ONLY REMEDIED TO THE PROBLEM BY ADDING A WORM DRIVE CLAMP IN PLACE OF THE SPRING CLAMP. THIS IS A POOR TEMPORARY FIX AND DOES NOT RESOLVE THE ISSUE THAT THE HOSE IS SIMPLY TOO SHORT AS MANUFACTURED.