The contact owned a 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle hesitated upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact then heard a hose burst, followed by white steam emitting from the engine. The contact then heard a second burst, and upon inspection of the vehicle, the contact discovered a fire in the engine compartment. The contact called 911, and the fire was extinguished by a local fire department. No injuries were reported, and a police report was not filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent tow yard, where it was deemed a total loss. Neither the dealer nor the manufacturer had yet been notified of the failure. The vehicle was destroyed. The failure mileage was approximately 5,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11726284 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov

The contact owns a 2024 Winnebago Rebel Motorhome built on a 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Chassis. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the secondary alternator was making an abnormal whining sound. While depressing the accelerator pedal, the sound increased. The RPM decreased. The battery was at 5 amps. While driving, the whining noise continued. The charge rate decreased. The charging battery was at negative 110 AMPS. There was smoke detected from the battery. The wires were melted on the alternator. The contact turned off the battery. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, who replaced the battery and alternator. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was contacted, but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

Source: NHTSA complaint ODI #11639628 · view all complaints for this vehicle at nhtsa.gov