— Sprinter VS30 vans are recalled because wiring harnesses may overheat and cause fires.
Recalled are more than 53,000 model year 2019-2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VS30 and Freightliner Sprinter VS30 vans.
Mercedes says the heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) blower motor circuit may not be adequate which could allow the harness to overheat.
Mercedes noticed the problem in February 2022 while reviewing "thermal events" in Sprinter vans, including incidents outside the U.S.
Two fires were traced to the fuse boxes, and engineers put vans through driving tests to determine the cause of the fires. Mercedes concluded 11 Sprinter vans in the U.S. suffered fires or other thermal incidents, although no injuries or deaths have been reported.
According to Mercedes-Benz, "the fuse layout of the interior blower motor might not meet the requirements for prolonged operation at the highest blower setting."
Mercedes is advising Sprinter drivers to only operate the HVAC front blower in manual (not automatic) mode whenever the engine is on. Do not use the maximum blower or lowest/highest temperature settings until the van is repaired.
Dealers will relocate and replace the fuses and wiring harnesses once owner notification letters are mailed April 14, 2023.
Sprinter owners with questions or concerns should call 877-762-8267 and ask about recall number 8297010.
2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Recall
In a separate recall, about 350 model year 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van are recalled if equipped with electrically adjustable front swivel seats.
The wiring harnesses for the swivel seats may have been incorrectly installed and may become damaged, which can cause the front side airbags not to deploy as intended.
Sprinter owners may call 877-762-8267 and refer to recall number 5491810.
