2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: common problems

Owners of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about vehicle speed control and air bags. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 8

What fails most often

1 Vehicle speed control 38% of all complaints
2 Air bags 25% of all complaints
3 Engine 13% of all complaints
4 Exterior lighting 13% of all complaints
5 Service brakes 13% of all complaints
6 Visibility 13% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Vehicle speed control: 3 complaints (38% of all).
Air bags: 2 complaints (25% of all).
Engine: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Exterior lighting: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Service brakes: 1 complaints (13% of all).

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 8 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

warning lights, check engine2 · 25%
A/C or heater1 · 13%
headlights and tail lights1 · 13%
stalls while driving1 · 13%
vibration1 · 13%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash	Technical service bulletins (TSB)
Vehicle speed control	3	0	0
Air bags	2	0	0
Engine	1	0	0
Exterior lighting	1	0	0
Service brakes	1	0	0
Visibility	1	0	0
Other	2	0	0

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

The contact stated that on various occasions after coming to a stop at a traffic signal, the vehicle was stalling and shaking while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the engine revved loudly before accelerating. No warning lights were illuminated.
Vehicle speed control · 2023-03-17 · NHTSA complaint #11512377
Wheel speed sensor malfunction, partially addressed in NHTSA recall ID: 21V042 Why only rear speed sensors? As of Aug. 2, 2022, I am facing the replacement of both front speed sensors one of which was replaced a year ago.
Vehicle speed control · 2022-08-03 · NHTSA complaint #11477365
Had a service call to repair recall items. Technician forgot to install bolts holding the transmission which led to multiple light alerts. Could have been dangerous for driver.
Air bags · 2021-08-12 · NHTSA complaint #11428883
Takata recall- we have been waiting 3 years for a fix for the driver side airbag recall since we were first notified of the problem with the airbag. The recall was effective 02/11/2016. We were notified of the problem nearly a year before the recall became effective.
Air bags · 2018-05-11 · NHTSA complaint #11093380
The way they design the wiper it is the most unsafe van I have ever drive specially when it is snowy.there is no heat where the wipers stops and the ice builds under the wiper so every twenty minutes the wipers need to be hand cleaned.
Visibility · 2014-02-20 · NHTSA complaint #10565211
Headlights, directional lights, parking lights, and tail lights continue to go out and have frequent replacement. Left rear fog light will not function even after replacement with new bulb.
Exterior lighting · 2014-01-09 · NHTSA complaint #10559244

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

20142
20182
20191
20211
20221
20231

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Sprinter 2500 has 23 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.

What to check before buying

Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
Exterior lighting. Headlamps, leveling, sensors and mounts after a frontal hit.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: vehicle speed control, air bags, engine. Total complaints: 8. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (25%), A/C or heater (13%), headlights and tail lights (13%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500?

NHTSA lists 0 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 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 2012 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.