AI Damage2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: common problems
Owners of the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 filed 5 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and engine. The maker issued 147 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 5
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 147
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 20% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 20% of all complaints
- 3 Fuel/propulsion system 20% of all complaints
- 4 Forward collision avoidance 20% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 20% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 45.
- Engine: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 17.
- Fuel/propulsion system: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 6.
- Forward collision avoidance: 1 complaints (20% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (20% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 5 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 45 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 17 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 6 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 31 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Seats | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Visibility | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Service brakes | 0 | 0 | 4 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
on 08-03=23, I as driving MB sprinter van on highway Route 84 east toward Connecticut, when I was near Southington exit smoke was coming out of AC vent, I took exit to route 10 and stopped van right after exit on the road, and opened hood, there was active fire near lower left side engine, with help of drivers who…
The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 7,000.
On occasion the vehicle will loose almost all power. It occurs at random times. It could be deadly if merging into traffic or crossing an intersection where the other drivers donât have to stop. I have no idea why it does this. It seems to happen more in the cold and maybe at altitude.
When owners complained
NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.
Comparison
By complaint count this model year ranks 14,283 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 39% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 1500 has 3 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 5, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- Fuel/propulsion system. Fuel smell, leaks, rough running, fuel-system codes.
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
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…
Unavailability of MB Apps Complaint A popup is seen on the HU with the message "data connection temporarily not available". Cause MB Apps is officially sundowned for all vehicles with NTG5 Head Unit Variant. Remedy No…
- Brakes may lock up when reversing at slow speeds Complaint When reversing slowly, the vehicle erroneously…
Brakes may lock up when reversing at slow speeds Complaint When reversing slowly, the vehicle erroneously triggers an emergency braking event, causing the brakes to lock up. Engine may not start following a key cycle…
- Complaint While driving through muddy / sandy/ off road terrain "4Matic Currently Unavailable" message on…
Complaint While driving through muddy / sandy/ off road terrain "4Matic Currently Unavailable" message on the dash Cause This vehicle is not equipped with a fixed force distribution AWD, rather force is only applied to…
- ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected due to vehicle operating conditions Complaint…
ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected due to vehicle operating conditions Complaint The ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected. The customer or dealer may report that the…
- Model 907 with all-wheel drive (A4M) – All-wheel drive inoperative Complaint The customer may report one…
Model 907 with all-wheel drive (A4M) – All-wheel drive inoperative Complaint The customer may report one or more of the following: • All-wheel drive is unavailable or inoperative. • Rear wheel slip during acceleration…
- Complaint Complaint A
The engine is jolting/bucking between 1700 and 1900 rpm. Complaint B: One or more mechanical related fault codes for EGR Valve stored in CDI control unit, with possible Check Engine Light. Review list of mechanical…
- The check engine light is illuminated, or the AdBlue warning is active, with recorded faults related to…
The check engine light is illuminated, or the AdBlue warning is active, with recorded faults related to AdBlue quality or concentration. Complaint Customer reports an illuminated check engine light and or an AdBlue…
- Vehicles with SCR Generation 4
SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset with fault code P13DF00 or P300685 Complaint Vehicles with SCR Generation 4: SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset. Information: All fault codes in the AdBlue® (SCR)…
- Complaint Vehicles with SCR Generation 4
SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset. Information: All fault codes in the AdBlue® (SCR) control unit have been processed and corrected; however, fault codes P13DF00 and P300685 remain active and stored in the…
- EGR Valve Diagnosis & Cleaning (and EGR Cooler Cleaning) – OM642, Sprinter 906/907 Complaint A
The engine is jolting/bucking between 1700 and 1900 rpm. Complaint B: One or more mechanical related fault codes for EGR Valve stored in CDI control unit, with possible Check Engine Light. Review list of mechanical…
- The software for the communication module does not correspond to the latest series production configuration
For this reason, a remote software update to update the software for the communication module is planned for the affected vehicles. This update includes quality-enhancing optimizations for the communication module to…
- Engine Oil Level Cannot Be Checked via Instrument Cluster Service Menu Complaint Sometimes the engine oil…
Engine Oil Level Cannot Be Checked via Instrument Cluster Service Menu Complaint Sometimes the engine oil level cannot be determined using the instrument cluster's service menu. The following mes- sages may be…
NHTSA lists 147 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, engine, fuel/propulsion system. Total complaints: 5. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: A/C or heater (20%), brakes on its own (phantom braking) (20%), infotainment or screen glitches (20%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500?
NHTSA lists 147 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.
Should I buy a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 from a US auction?
Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.
Other 2020 models
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.