AI Damage2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: common problems
Owners of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 filed 27 complaints with NHTSA, most often about electrical system and powertrain. The maker issued 156 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 27
- involving a crash
- 3
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 156
What fails most often
- 1 Electrical system 22% of all complaints
- 2 Powertrain 22% of all complaints
- 3 Service brakes 22% of all complaints
- 4 Engine 19% of all complaints
- 5 Structure 11% of all complaints
- 6 Air bags 11% of all complaints
- 7 Vehicle speed control 11% of all complaints
- 8 Seat belts 11% of all complaints
- Electrical system: 6 complaints (22% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 43.
- Powertrain: 6 complaints (22% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Service brakes: 6 complaints (22% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 4.
- Engine: 5 complaints (19% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 16.
- Structure: 3 complaints (11% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 11.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 27 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 | 6 | 0 | 43 |
| Powertrain | 6 | 2 | 16 |
| Service brakes | 6 | 1 | 4 |
| Engine | 5 | 0 | 16 |
| Structure | 3 | 0 | 11 |
| Air bags | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Vehicle speed control | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Seat belts | 3 | 0 | 1 |
| Forward collision avoidance | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 1 | 0 | 8 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 7 |
| Visibility | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Suspension | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| Electronic stability control | 1 | 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.
Vehicle rolled forward and impacted another parked vehicle. This may be related to other issues at RemarkableFoods related to transmission being in "Park" or driver intending to put it in "Park". Video is available for review.
Driver heard a pop and a grind. Turned and watched his van roll down a hill into a house. Incident was on a city street in a neighborhood. Vehicle was stationary.
Inspected by manufacturer/police/insurance: NO Warning lamps or symptoms prior: There were no warning messages. The ignition system simply went completely dead without warning.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V796000 (POWER TRAIN), and the vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where the vehicle was repaired under recall, and the contact was informed that the knock sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.
The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the passengerâs side bunk window detached and fell off. The contact stated that the window was a frameless window and was sealed with adhesive.
At high elevations, at some times soon after a cold start the throttle becomes completely unresponsive. This is not a low power issue due to altitude--even putting the throttle pedal to the floor, the RPMs remain at idle and do not move at all.
Function goes off intermittently sometimes for a week at a time Also signals brake problems on dash
The vehicle was taken to the dealer who stated that the wiring had wrapped around the seat track and fractured. The contact was informed that the failure was common. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 14,000.
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 7,189 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 20% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 3500 has 18 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 27, above average.
What to check before buying
- Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
- Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine 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…
- Sprinter 907 with 725.0 (NAG3 Classic) Transmission ‑ Shudder during acceleration Complaint Shudder may be…
Sprinter 907 with 725.0 (NAG3 Classic) Transmission ‑ Shudder during acceleration Complaint Shudder may be felt in the following situations: • accelerating from stop or up hill • during upshifts Cause Under…
- 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…
- Clunking noise on load change or gear engagement Complaint Clunking noise can be heard on some load…
Clunking noise on load change or gear engagement Complaint Clunking noise can be heard on some load changes or when changing from N->R or N->D Cause Movement of transfer case splines Remedy Apply bearing retainer…
NHTSA lists 156 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
- Sprinter 3500 20104 sources
- Sprinter 3500 20118 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201221 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201345 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201455 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201537 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2016132 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201788 sources
- Sprinter 3500 201854 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 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: electrical system, powertrain, service brakes. Total complaints: 27. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: rollaway, parking brake (15%), warning lights, check engine (11%), knocking, grinding or other noise (7%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
NHTSA lists 156 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 2019 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 2019 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.