AI Damage2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: common problems
Owners of the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 filed 45 complaints with NHTSA, most often about air bags and vehicle speed control. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 45
What fails most often
- 1 Air bags 42% of all complaints
- 2 Vehicle speed control 27% of all complaints
- 3 Electronic stability control 22% of all complaints
- 4 Service brakes 18% of all complaints
- 5 Tires 4% of all complaints
- 6 Wheels 4% of all complaints
- 7 Electrical system 2% of all complaints
- 8 Engine and cooling 2% of all complaints
- Air bags: 19 complaints (42% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 12 complaints (27% of all).
- Electronic stability control: 10 complaints (22% of all).
- Service brakes: 8 complaints (18% of all).
- Tires: 2 complaints (4% of all).
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 45 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 | 19 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 12 | 0 | 0 |
| Electronic stability control | 10 | 0 | 0 |
| Service brakes | 8 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Wheels | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Engine and cooling | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Other | 3 | 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 while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that she safely drove the vehicle to her residence.
The contact stated that the vehicle had lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the wheel speed sensor was replaced. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available.
The contact stated that the ABS, traction control, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not under a related recall. The failure mileage was approximately 41,000.
The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the ABS warning light and two other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he continued to drive the vehicle.
The contact stated that the vehicle was possibly in Limp Mode. The contact contacted the dealer who performed the repair however, the contact was unable to take the vehicle in for an appointment. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 33,000.
Prior to the failure, warning lights were present on the dashboard for abs, esp, and asr, with cruise control disabled. These indicator lights would clear occasionally after the vehicle was not in use for a period of time, and then reappear again after driving for about an hour or two.
The contact stated that while driving 60 mph, the passenger's side rear wheel speed sensor ceased to operate with the abs warning light, electronic stability program (esp) warning light and another unknown warning light illuminated.
2013 mercedes benz sprinter. Consumer writes seeking reimbursement for repairs to 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 5,632 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 15% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 3500 has 18 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 45, above average.
What to check before buying
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
- Vehicle speed control. Accelerator pedal, cruise control, throttle codes.
- Electronic stability control. ABS/ESC sensors, steering angle, codes after suspension repair.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Other years of this model
- Sprinter 3500 20104 sources
- Sprinter 3500 20118 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201221 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201455 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201537 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2016132 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201788 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201854 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2019183 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2020150 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2021134 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2022100 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2023122 sources
- Sprinter 3500 202494 sources
- Sprinter 3500 202539 sources
- Sprinter 3500 20267 sources
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: air bags, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control. Total complaints: 45. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (13%), loss of power / limp mode (11%), A/C or heater (2%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
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 3500 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.