AI DamageMercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: problems, complaints, bulletins
Summary for the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 across 10 model years: 29 owner complaints and 284 NHTSA service bulletins, plus repair videos. Pick a year for details.
Model years
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 17% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 14% of all complaints
- 3 Forward collision avoidance 14% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 14% of all complaints
- 5 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
- 6 Steering 10% of all complaints
- 7 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 8 Electronic stability control 7% of all complaints
- Engine: 5 complaints (17% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 185.
- Powertrain: 4 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 94.
- Forward collision avoidance: 4 complaints (14% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Vehicle speed control: 4 complaints (14% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Electrical system: 3 complaints (10% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 158.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 29 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 185 |
| Powertrain | 4 | 1 | 94 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| Vehicle speed control | 4 | 0 | 3 |
| Electrical system | 3 | 0 | 158 |
| Steering | 3 | 0 | 26 |
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 17 |
| Electronic stability control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 83 |
| Structure | 1 | 0 | 65 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Tires | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Child seat | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 92 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
On UPWARD slope in 4WD on icy intersection ,proceeding less than 5 mph, emergency braking as a car dead stopped at intersection on green light, hit brakes hard and brake pedal and gas pedal both engaged,, van kept moving forward,, pumped once same effect, ran in to rear of stopped car at 2-3 mph..
When I was parked on a city street I accidentally bumped the gear shift lever in my 2019 sprinter after pressing the ignition button that is directly in front of the lever. This put it into neutral without me knowing, without a beep or any signal that it was not in park any longer.
The crosswind assist intervention warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who was able to duplicate the failure but was unable to provide a diagnosis. The contact was informed that the crosswind stabilization system software was rolled back to a previous version.
The Distronic Cruise Control stops working and then will start working again several times on long trips. After research it appears if the radar doesn't detect anything in front of your vehicle for an hour it thinks it is inoperable and and shuts the Distronic Cruise Control off and it cannot be reengaged.
Vehicle is unable to move apparently because of a design flaw that allows water to travel down cables into the EIS as described here [XXX] and here [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On long trips (when you need cruise control the most) the adaptive cruise control will (seemingly at random) stop working with a warning about the active distance assist and active brake assist. It has happened in all situations from heavy traffic to long distances of no other cars on the road.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Manufacturer service bulletins
Bulletin titles as filed with NHTSA.
- Unavailability of MB Apps Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection…
- Brakes may lock up when reversing at slow speeds Complaint When reversing slowly, the vehicle erroneously…
- Sprinter 907 with 725.0 (NAG3 Classic) Transmission ‑ Shudder during acceleration Complaint Shudder may be…
- Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Freightliner Sprinter vehicles, has determined that on…
- Complaint While driving through muddy / sandy/ off road terrain "4Matic Currently Unavailable" message on…
- Complaint Low Coolant warning with possible engine misfire caused by a leaking Charge Air Cooler…
- OM654 Engine Oil Consumption Complaint The customer may report repeated low engine oil level warnings in…
- Complaint The coolant warning lamp may be displayed in the instrument cluster
- Oil Leak at Crankcase Near the High-pressure Fuel Pump OM654 Complaint Visible oil leak at the crankcase…
- ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected due to vehicle operating conditions Complaint…
- Model 907 with all-wheel drive (A4M) – All-wheel drive inoperative Complaint The customer may report one…
- An authorized Mercedes-Benz eSprinter dealer will update the drivetrain control unit on the affected vehicles
Other models of this make
Read also
Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-06.