Assembled in the United States from complete knock-down kits, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has been hit with a whopping three recalls encompassing 3,775 examples produced for the 2019 to 2023 model years. The largest of the bunch, namely 23V-875, comprises 3,739 units from MY19 through MY22.
Back in February 2023, which is almost a year ago, Mercedes-Benz AG discovered that the longitudinal frame member reinforcements of certain body-in-white vehicles may not have been properly installed. The subsequent investigation included performance tests, which – obviously enough – concluded that said reinforcements could damage the rear axle's longitudinal frame member. Such damage increases the risk of failure of the third-row seat mountings.
As per documents published by the federal watchdog, suspect vans were assembled between October 15, 2018 and August 17, 2022 for the US market. A change in the installation procedure ensures that said condition would no longer occur after August 18, 2022, which goes to show that Mercedes-Benz AG was fully aware of the increased risk to rear-passenger safety since August 2022 or earlier.
Daimler Vans USA dealers will be instructed on January 5 to check the longitudinal frame member and – if necessary – reinstall it properly. Owners will be notified by first-class mail no later than February 16, a date that applies to the other two campaigns.
Recall number 23V-876 concerns 387 examples of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, namely 2019 to 2023 models assembled between January 31, 2019 and January 19, 2023. Said vans are believed to have been produced with partition walls that may be missing bolts, therefore allowing the wall to detach in case of a crash. Merc identified this deviation back in November 2022. The following month, the German automaker initiated an inspection of Sprinter vans still in M-B's control, as well as a rework campaign.
Photo: Mercedes-Benz
It took Mercedes-Benz AG a whole year since the inspection and rework campaign to determine a potential safety risk. Once again, dealers will be instructed on January 5 by Daimler Vans USA to check and – if necessary – rework the bolt connections. As per the attached document, Merc improved the assembly procedure in January 2023.
The final of three recalls concerns nine vehicles produced for the 2020 model year between September 15, 2020 and December 3, 2020. Recall number 23V-874 boils down to the connection between the propeller shaft bearing and crossmember loosening in time, impairing the guidance of the bearing. In the event of a crash, the propeller shaft could damage the fuel tank, resulting in a fuel leak.
Mercedes-Benz AG cites "a deviation in the production rework process" as the reason for certain crossmembers not meeting the correct specifications. Merc became aware of this condition in February 2023, prompting an investigation in March 2023.
Be that as it may, the recall report published on the NHTSA's website reads that Merc changed the rework procedure in December 2020. These discrepancies alone should be enough reason to bid the Sprinter farewell in favor of better-selling alternatives from Ford (Transit), Ram (ProMaster), and GM (Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana).
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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