AI Damage2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 filed 21 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and engine. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 21
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 52% of all complaints
- 2 Engine 14% of all complaints
- 3 Exterior lighting 14% of all complaints
- 4 Wheels 14% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 10% of all complaints
- 6 Vehicle speed control 10% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 5% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 5% of all complaints
- Air bags: 11 complaints (52% of all).
- Engine: 3 complaints (14% of all).
- Exterior lighting: 3 complaints (14% of all).
- Wheels: 3 complaints (14% of all).
- Service brakes: 2 complaints (10% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 21 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 11 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Exterior lighting | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Parking brake | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Structure | 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 warning lamps that came on were the engine diagnostic indicator lamp aka Malfunction indicator lamp, the Anti-lock brake system warning light, the brake assist system warning light, the electronic stability program warning light.
The contact stated that the vehicle was leaking engine oil with the oil warning light flashing on the instrument panel. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that there were no recalls on the VIN regarding the issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
The electronic steering lock "jams". The only way to get the ignition to turn is to jack up the front tires to release the pressure on the wheels and jiggle the steering wheel while trying to start the car. Even doing this isn't instantaneous.
65 mph the cruise control went off and three warning lights came on including abs and 2 other next that one looking like a swerve control or slippery road condition and another tire looking light. Not sure of other two light as this was my first drive in this vehicle which I had driven around 800 miles this day.
Yellow engine warning light and the ebt yellow warning light came on and another warning on the instrument cluster there are 5 more engine starts remaining and it will not start if driven more than 340 miles. Both the erg valve and the ebt tank and heater have been replaced.
The contact stated that there was water in both headlight assemblies, which made it difficult to drive at night. In addition, the low beam warning indicator illuminated.
When I turn on my vehicle it shows low beam right left I take it to the benz dealer in tampa the problem they came up with water intrusion in both front head light assemble. Head lamp unit found condensation forming in headlamps.
There were no warning lights indicating the vehicle needed oil. The vehicle also lacks enough power to reverse up an incline, such as a driveway. The consumer stated the vehicle's have persisted since purchasing the vehicle.
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 8,077 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 22% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 2500 has 23 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 21, about average.
What to check before buying
- 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.
- Wheels. Wheel runout, cracks, signs of a wheel strike.
Other years of this model
- Sprinter 2500 201014 sources
- Sprinter 2500 201114 sources
- Sprinter 2500 20128 sources
- Sprinter 2500 201438 sources
- Sprinter 2500 201523 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2016116 sources
- Sprinter 2500 201771 sources
- Sprinter 2500 201858 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2019215 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2020217 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2021171 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2022136 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2023123 sources
- Sprinter 2500 2024102 sources
- Sprinter 2500 202542 sources
- Sprinter 2500 20267 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, engine, exterior lighting. Total complaints: 21. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (33%), headlights and tail lights (10%), airbag warning light (5%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 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 2013 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 2013 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.