eBusiness Weekly
Select Mercedes-Benz Sprinter could catch fire due to a problem with the blower motor and its fuse.
Two separate recalls have just been issued for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter in the United States, with the first involving 2019-2020 models and the second limited to the 2022 model year.
The first of the recalls is the most significant, impacting 52,993 Sprinter and Freightliner Sprinter models. Affected vehicles were manufactured between September 16, 2017 and February 3, 2020.
A recall notice from the German car manufacturer reveals that the fuse layout of the interior blower motor might not meet the requirements for prolonged operation at the highest blower setting.
Mercedes-Benz notes that ambient and assembly space temperatures could lead to an increase in the resistance between the fuse and fuse holder, increasing the risk of a fire.
Mercedes-Benz will notify owners of impacted models from April 14, 2023 and instruct them to return their vehicle to a dealer where the fuse and its supply line will be replaced. The fuse within the fuse box will also be relocated.
As for the second recall, it involves 350 examples of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter that were built between February 17, 2022 and May 6, 2022.
In this case, subject vehicles equipped with electrically adjustable front swivel seats may experience electrical wiring harness damage when the seat is adjusted.
A damaged wiring harness could impair the function of the side airbag.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) notes that the issue was caused by the wiring harness on the rotary seat frame not being routed with sufficient length to the seat adjustment motor.
Owners of 2022 Sprinter models involved in the recall will be notified by April 14. Mercedes-Benz dealerships will then inspect the installation of the wiring harness and attach it properly.—carscoops
