AI Damage2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 filed 9 complaints with NHTSA, most often about forward collision avoidance and powertrain. The maker issued 139 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 9
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 139
What fails most often
- 1 Forward collision avoidance 33% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 22% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 4 Vehicle speed control 22% of all complaints
- 5 Engine 11% of all complaints
- Forward collision avoidance: 3 complaints (33% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Powertrain: 2 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 13.
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Vehicle speed control: 2 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 1.
- Engine: 1 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 24.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 9 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forward collision avoidance | 3 | 1 | 1 |
| Powertrain | 2 | 0 | 13 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 29 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 15 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Seat belts | 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 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..
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.
Fuel pump recall July 5. No resolution. Vehicle deemed unsafe per recall. Please advise. Have contacted Mercedes Benz and also local dealer. No resolution at this time. What are the next steps?
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the brakes and brakes rotors were serviced; however, the failure recurred.
I was driving on rural roads about 20 mph slowing for a stop light and the back of my vehicle began bucking and making very loud banging noises. I looked under the vehicle and found both welds to the rear differential were sheared off and the axle was only held on by the rear suspension.
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 11,368 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 31% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 1500 has 3 complaints (10 years in the data). This year has 9, above average.
What to check before buying
- Forward collision avoidance. Radar and camera: calibration after bumper or windshield replacement.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- 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…
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…
- Acoustic Warning or message occurring when a closed sliding door is not recognized Complaint Customer may…
Acoustic Warning or message occurring when a closed sliding door is not recognized Complaint Customer may state the warning message or indicator accompanied by acoustic tone alerting the sliding door is ajar when the…
- Complaint ASSYST values in XENTRY actual values and workshop menu of instrument cluster are implausibly…
Complaint ASSYST values in XENTRY actual values and workshop menu of instrument cluster are implausibly excessive. Infor-mation: According to ASSYST values in XENTRY Diagnosis and the instrument cluster workshop menu…
- Fuel Level Unchanged After Refueling Complaint The customer reports that the fuel gauge shows inaccurate…
Fuel Level Unchanged After Refueling Complaint The customer reports that the fuel gauge shows inaccurate readings or remains unchanged after refueling. Cause A. The Fuel Supply Control Unit (FSCU) fails to detect a…
- 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…
- Check engine light with fault code P3005CA in MRD1 (CDI) Complaint The check engine light is on, with a…
Check engine light with fault code P3005CA in MRD1 (CDI) Complaint The check engine light is on, with a possiblility in a reduction of power and the presence of soot in the exhaust system. Fault code P3005CA: The…
- Sprinter 907 - Rear Axle Noise Diagnosis Best Practices Complaint Various noises from area of rear axle…
Sprinter 907 - Rear Axle Noise Diagnosis Best Practices Complaint Various noises from area of rear axle while driving Cause A: Howling Noises The high‑frequency howling noise is caused by the normal meshing behavior of…
- Complaint Crease formation on genuine leather seat covers in vehicles with low mileage Cause • objects…
Complaint Crease formation on genuine leather seat covers in vehicles with low mileage Cause • objects left on the seats for extended periods of time (pressure marks) • objects wedged between the seat backrest and seat…
NHTSA lists 139 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: forward collision avoidance, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 9. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: driver assists: adaptive cruise, lane keeping (11%), fuel system, fuel smell (11%), warning lights, check engine (11%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500?
NHTSA lists 139 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 2021 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 2021 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.