AI Damage2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: common problems
Owners of the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 filed 8 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and suspension. The maker issued 126 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 8
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 126
What fails most often
- 1 Service brakes 38% of all complaints
- 2 Suspension 38% of all complaints
- 3 Steering 13% of all complaints
- 4 Air bags 13% of all complaints
- 5 Vehicle speed control 13% of all complaints
- Service brakes: 3 complaints (38% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Suspension: 3 complaints (38% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 2.
- Steering: 1 complaints (13% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
- Air bags: 1 complaints (13% of all).
- Vehicle speed control: 1 complaints (13% of all).
Components owners complain about
| Component | Owner complaints | involving a crash | Technical service bulletins (TSB) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Service brakes | 3 | 1 | 2 |
| Suspension | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| Steering | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Air bags | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Vehicle speed control | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Electrical system | 0 | 0 | 26 |
| Engine | 0 | 0 | 24 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| Equipment | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Powertrain | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 0 | 0 | 10 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 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.
I started my Sprinter, which was converted into a Grech RV, and while still in park a few seconds later, the vehicle started to move. Before I could hop back in the driver's seat to stop the vehicle, it crashed into my garage overhang and significantly damaged my Sprinter's back doors and back structure.
The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the wiring harness needed to be rewired. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted, and the message was displayed.
Mercedes Dealership is refusing to get the vehicle in to make this safety recall repair in a timely manner. I have been told that i will need to wait for over a month just to drop the vehicle off with no time frame given in terms of how long the vehicle will be gone while being repaired.
This vehicle, identified by VIN [XXX] , exhibited behavior that I believe constitutes a significant and potentially dangerous flaw in its integrated driver-assistance programming.
My van has periodic lack of acceleration or dead pedal. There are no warnings that this will occur. This shows itself when trying to advance from a stopped position. When I push the accelerator the van either does not move at all or barely crawls forward. This can last 15-45 seconds. There are no RPMs from the engine.
My vehicle is listed as one of the 2100+ sprinter vans affected by the incorrect assembly of the torsion bar(Manufacturer Recall Number [phone]; NHTSA Recall Number 22V131). This recall was issued on March 17, 2022. It has now been over 120 days since that recall was issued and the parts are not yet available.
The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V131000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue.
The contact received a notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V131000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue.
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 11,899 of 36,659 model years in the NHTSA data (top 32% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter 3500 has 18 complaints (19 years in the data). This year has 8, below average.
What to check before buying
- Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
- Suspension. Wheel alignment, control arms, subframe, even tire wear.
- Steering. Steering play, power assist, rack and tie rods after a wheel impact.
- Air bags. Check the SRS light, stored codes and airbag/curtain status after any impact.
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 126 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 2019183 sources
- Sprinter 3500 2020150 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 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, suspension, steering. Total complaints: 8.
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
NHTSA lists 126 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 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 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.