Photo: Mercedes-Benz / edited
Daimler Vans USA is calling back no fewer than 52,993 units of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Freightliner-badged Sprinter from the VS30 series. The suspect vans feature a blower motor fuse layout that wasn’t designed for prolonged operation at the highest blower setting.
Mercedes-Benz AG started reviewing field reports of thermal events involving the Sprinter in February 2022 according to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The Stuttgart-based automaker couldn’t identify the ignition source or burn pattern at the time. Come fall 2022, two extra thermal event reports from outside the U.S.A. were received.
In both cases, Merc identified lots of thermal damage in the area of the fuse box. With that in mind, the German automaker conducted an engineering review of the Sprinters that suffered thermal damage. The results followed in early November, and Mercedes validated them with driving tests throughout December 2022.
Depending on assembly space temperatures, ambient temperatures, and usage, the transitional resistance between a fuse and the fuse holder may increase so much that a fire could result from it. Merc blames itself for “a deviation in the development process” of the Sprinter. More specifically, the blower motor fuse layout doesn’t meet requirements. 11 field reports of thermal events involving the U.S. Sprinter have been filed thus far.
The document attached below further highlights that Mercedes introduced an updated fuse layout in February 2020 for vehicles meant for the United States market. This begs the question why did Mercedes-Benz pretend that it wasn’t aware of the root cause of this issue?
I wish I had an answer to that, but as with all things Mercedes, it’s highly possible that part of the reason is reducing costs. Recalls weigh a lot in financial statements, and Mercedes is a publicly traded company that doesn’t need that kind of expenditure eating into its profit margins. The Sprinter is also a sweetheart of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to the many problems it has been recalled for thus far.
As mentioned earlier, nearly 53k vehicles are called back on this occasion. The affected population is listed with build dates ranging between September 16th, 2017 and February 3rd, 2020 for both the Mercedes and Freightliner versions of the VS30-series Sprinter. Owners of the affected 2019 and 2020 models will be informed of the recall no later than April 14th, 2023.
Dealers will be instructed to replace a 25-amp fuse (part number N000000004207) and its supply line. They will also relocate the fuse within the fuse box. To prevent the possibility of a thermal event, owners are advised to operate the front blower exclusively in manual mode. Owners shouldn’t crank it up to maximum cold or maximum hot either, according to Mercedes-Benz AG.
The Sprinter presently retails at $43,500 sans destination for the cargo van, $46,700 for the crew can, $48,700 for the passenger van, and $47,300 for the cab chassis. In the second half of 2023, the new eSpriter electric van will join the lineup to rival the likes of the Ford E-Transit.
In both cases, Merc identified lots of thermal damage in the area of the fuse box. With that in mind, the German automaker conducted an engineering review of the Sprinters that suffered thermal damage. The results followed in early November, and Mercedes validated them with driving tests throughout December 2022.
Depending on assembly space temperatures, ambient temperatures, and usage, the transitional resistance between a fuse and the fuse holder may increase so much that a fire could result from it. Merc blames itself for “a deviation in the development process” of the Sprinter. More specifically, the blower motor fuse layout doesn’t meet requirements. 11 field reports of thermal events involving the U.S. Sprinter have been filed thus far.
The document attached below further highlights that Mercedes introduced an updated fuse layout in February 2020 for vehicles meant for the United States market. This begs the question why did Mercedes-Benz pretend that it wasn’t aware of the root cause of this issue?
I wish I had an answer to that, but as with all things Mercedes, it’s highly possible that part of the reason is reducing costs. Recalls weigh a lot in financial statements, and Mercedes is a publicly traded company that doesn’t need that kind of expenditure eating into its profit margins. The Sprinter is also a sweetheart of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration due to the many problems it has been recalled for thus far.
As mentioned earlier, nearly 53k vehicles are called back on this occasion. The affected population is listed with build dates ranging between September 16th, 2017 and February 3rd, 2020 for both the Mercedes and Freightliner versions of the VS30-series Sprinter. Owners of the affected 2019 and 2020 models will be informed of the recall no later than April 14th, 2023.
Dealers will be instructed to replace a 25-amp fuse (part number N000000004207) and its supply line. They will also relocate the fuse within the fuse box. To prevent the possibility of a thermal event, owners are advised to operate the front blower exclusively in manual mode. Owners shouldn’t crank it up to maximum cold or maximum hot either, according to Mercedes-Benz AG.
The Sprinter presently retails at $43,500 sans destination for the cargo van, $46,700 for the crew can, $48,700 for the passenger van, and $47,300 for the cab chassis. In the second half of 2023, the new eSpriter electric van will join the lineup to rival the likes of the Ford E-Transit.
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