2012-2018 3500 Speed Sensor Recall

[stevehar]

The NTSB put out a speed sensor recall the other day. Here is the link:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V042

The recall is to replace the rear wheel speed sensors.
The dealerships are being notified 2/15 and owners should be notified around 2/22.

 

[TooMuchHair]

This has a few more details...

 

[Driveveryfast]

We had some issues with our 2016 View (3500 V6 3L Diesel) with the starter battery during our last roadtrip. The ESP/ABS and check engine light came on, I assumed due to too low voltage from the starter battery. Replaced it with a new AGM yesterday and I assumed I just had to reset the fault codes. However, when I read them out, my right rear wheel RMP sensor shows 65K km/h and is faulty. I was almost ready to press 'order' to by a Bosch replacement part on Ebay and checked this forum real quick if there was anything else I needed to do and to my surprise I see this notice. Saves me some money and some dirty hands, hopefully a regular dealer can fix those. I will call them tomorrow ahead of their notice and see what they say. @ Stevehar and @ TooMuchHair, thanks for the heads up!!

 

[stevehar]

Just got my extended warranty for the wheel speed sensors today....I wonder why the front sensors aren't included in the recall. Seems like the original sensors weren't quite up to par

 

[Driveveryfast]

Since my rear sensor has failed I need to replace it. My local MB dealer, per yesterday, knew nothing about the recall and wants me to pay for replacement. Even when I showed the NTSB document to him, no change. I was really put off by their stubborn almost arrogant behavior. Assuming 'the mail' is a couple days behind, I am going back in tomorrow and will ask the same. We are planning to leave next week so I need to get this fixed. I will ask about the front sensors at the same time, I assume they are exactly the same.

 

[stevehar]

I just went to the MB Recall Site and it says the recall is pending, but if you show the dealer the MB recall you might be able to get it fixed for free.
But it should still be covered under the extended warranty...

 

[WinnieView1]

I just went to the MB Recall Site and it says the recall is pending, but if you show the dealer the MB recall you might be able to get it fixed for free.
But it should still be covered under the extended warranty...

Dealer called today and said based on VIN recall is still Pending and until it goes Active in their system they cannot replace the sensors.

 

[TooMuchHair]

Staying consistent with my policy of avoiding dealer shops if at all possible, I decided to order both rear wheel speed sensors from my Freighliner parts department that treats me well. I used the part #s mentioned in the pdf I posted last week. I plan to just carry them with me and replace them myself if and when a problem happens. At that point I will seek reimbursement from MB based on the recall.

 

[Driveveryfast]

My warning lights are on and the cruisecontol does not work, I have to fix it. So with the new extended 10y rear sensor warranty I am going in next week and get it fixed for free and when the recall is activated, will go in again and have both of them repaclaced. My dealer literally stated ‘there is nothing we can do until it is activated’, he forgot or did not know about the extended warranty yet. And he creates more work/cost for himself. So much for optimizing your own cost while increasing customer service. That is all I am ever going to do there.

 

[curtjepson]

I paid almost $1000 to replace both rear speed sensors on my 2013 Navion, one in 2018, the other in 2020. Both were replaced by the same MB dealership in Des Moines. Just happened to be the closest dealer to me on both trips. At their request I mailed my paid receipts to them. Two weeks later I received a check for the full amount from the dealership. They also topped off all of my fluids (including DEF which I was about to refill). Great service.

 

[Driveveryfast]

I got my right rear wheel speed sensor replaced on Friday under the new 10yr extended warranty. When I asked about the pending recall for those, the dealers reply was that they need to get the new (I assume better, but they did not know) sensors to come in, all paid by MB and not the dealer. They will than mail all known customers twice: once from HQ and once from the dealer. So I will have to go back in in a couple months. My fluids were not topped off, but I am happy with the temporary replacement sofar.

 

[Driveveryfast]

Dealer called today and said based on VIN recall is still Pending and until it goes Active in their system they cannot replace the sensors.

They send out a mailing earlier this year to extend the warranty on those sensors to 10 years. You should be able to get that work done for free at any official MB Sprinter workshop. If you did not get that letter, let me know and I can email you a copy of mine. Good luck!

 

[WinnieView1]

They send out a mailing earlier this year to extend the warranty on those sensors to 10 years. You should be able to get that work done for free at any official MB Sprinter workshop. If you did not get that letter, let me know and I can email you a copy of mine. Good luck!

We got that letter but don't currently have any failures and are waiting for the recall letter to replace them before we do.

 

[WinnieView1]

Got this in the mail today;

 

[Driveveryfast]

Progress!! I live in CA so the mail from GA takes a couple days longer. But good to know it is slowly coming!

 

[WinnieView1]

The online status for ours is still Pending so this probably explains why the dealer can't perform the work yet--although the updated WSS is available they either aren't ready or don't have enough of them in stock.
We are still hoping this recall work gets done before the onslaught of the Bluetec recall!

 

[Rock Doc]

I'd been traveling and just got home last week. In going through my mail I discovered I have TWO letters from MBUSA--one of an Extended Warranty for the rear speed sensors, and one of the NHTSA Safety Recall. In the letter on the Extended Warranty there is a section stating that one may be reimbursed for failed sensors that a customer had paid to have replaced. Of the 5 WSS's I've had replaced so far, three were covered under the 5-year 100,000 mile emissions warranty, the fourth which had not (yet) failed which I chose to pre-emptively replace before driving into Nevada (I literally had TWO of them fail within 50 miles on consecutive days, and didn't want to end up in LHM somewhere like, say, Ely, NV...). Then last summer the 5th one failed, and I had to pay $407.08 out of pocket for that one as it was beyond the 5-year limitation of the emissions warranty.

I just phoned my local MB Sprinter dealership, and no muss, no fuss--my service rep at MB of Lynnwood, WA told me it will probably take a couple of weeks for the check to be sent to me. He also told me that he doesn't yet have information on whether I'll need to have my current rear WSS's replaced with a yet-to-be-finalized newer design, but assured me I'll be notified if that's the case. (I do have to say I've never had anything less than exemplary customer service from this MB dealership.)

At least it sounds like MBUSA is doing the "right thing" regarding these WSS failures, so I'll give them credit for that. Now, we'll just have to see what happens with the impending Bluetec recall WinnieView1 is predicting!!

Rock Doc
2014 Pleasureway Plateau TS in 2013 Sprinter 3500

 

[rab01]

I wonder if MB will reimburse you for WSS sensor replacements performed at a non-MB dealer AFTER the recall and warranty extension was announced? They were great in reimbursing me for failures I paid for before the February announcements.

 

[Jdpartin49]

The NTSB put out a speed sensor recall the other day. Here is the link:
https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls?nhtsaId=21V042

The recall is to replace the rear wheel speed sensors.
The dealerships are being notified 2/15 and owners should be notified around 2/22.

Just read this again even though I received the mailing back in February and noticed the recall applies to the rear wheel sensors only but the warranty does not limit it to those wheels. I have replaced the front WSSs twice over the last 5 years and am having the rears replaced next week. Keep the warranty handy even after you have replaced the rear sensors under the recall because you will probably need the front ones replaced again and again.

 

[DeeRay]

Dealer called today and said based on VIN recall is still Pending and until it goes Active in their system they cannot replace the sensors.

The dealer I use stated the warranty is being extended, when the wheel sensor fails then they will replace them. That's a croc its a NHTSA safety recall. The NHSTA and MB recall campaign letter no. 2021020026 state to replace the wheel sensors.