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Three safety warnings at once on a Sprinter 3500: what testing found
Reviewed by Kasey, owner — NASTF-credentialed for manufacturer secure systems · repair completed June 22, 2026 · Ormond Beach, FL
The complaint
The dashboard lit up with three warnings together: anti-lock brakes, traction control, and the collision-avoidance system. On a chassis with only 17,600 miles, that combination is alarming — every one of those systems is something you want working on I-95. The owner asked us to find out what was actually wrong before anyone replaced anything.
What we tested
Full factory scan of the chassis
we read the Sprinter's control modules the way Mercedes designed them to be read, not just the generic engine codes. The stored faults all pointed to the same place: the rear wheel-speed sensors.
Which sensor, and is it really the sensor
three warnings sound like three problems. On this chassis they share one input. The ABS module compares the speed each wheel reports; when one rear sensor reads wrong, ABS, traction control and the collision system all lose the signal they depend on and each posts its own warning. Testing isolated the passenger-side rear sensor as the faulty one.
The rest of the chassis
every vehicle here gets a full inspection while it is on the lift. That is where we found a second, unrelated problem: the power-steering return hose was leaking.
What we found
One failed rear wheel-speed sensor on the passenger side was responsible for all three warnings. Nothing was wrong with the brakes, the traction control, or the collision-avoidance hardware themselves — they were reacting correctly to bad data. Separately, the power-steering return hose had started weeping fluid.
What it took
Both rear wheel-speed sensors were replaced, not just the failed one. Sensors on the same axle age together, and replacing them as a pair is the standard practice that keeps the vehicle from coming back for the other side in a few months. On a dual-rear-wheel chassis the labor is higher than on a single-rear-wheel van because of how the sensors are accessed.
The power-steering return hose was replaced and the steering system was flushed and refilled.
While it was here: fuel filter, cabin filter, and the diesel oil service with the engine cleaning additive we use on these engines.
Codes cleared, road test, all three warnings stayed off.
Outcome: the vehicle was completed and returned on June 22, 2026. As of this writing, it has not been back for this concern.
What it costs depends on which sensor has failed, whether the chassis has single or dual rear wheels (dual-rear-wheel labor is higher), and what else the inspection turns up. We will never quote this sight-unseen; we will tell you what the testing showed before any repair is authorized. We offer a written 3-year/36,000-mile warranty. Ask us for complete coverage terms.
What to watch for on your own Sprinter
Two or three safety warnings that appear together, especially ABS plus traction control, usually trace to one wheel-speed signal — not three separate failures.
A warning that comes and goes with speed or road surface points the same way.
A faint power-steering whine or a low reservoir on a Sprinter that sits between trips is worth a look before the next long haul.
If you are between trips in the Ormond Beach or Daytona Beach area and your Sprinter is showing warnings, call 386-677-1818 or book online. More on how we work on these chassis: Sprinter service and repair.
Visit us
Lonnie's Automotive · 60 N Yonge St, Ormond Beach, FL 32174 · 386-677-1818 Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM ·