AI Damage2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (VS30) reliability: common problems
Owners of the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (VS30) filed 4 complaints with NHTSA, most often about engine and equipment. The maker issued 106 service bulletins for this year. Details by component below, with sources.
Key figures
- Owner complaints
- 4
- involving a crash
- 1
- Technical service bulletins (TSB)
- 106
What fails most often
- 1 Engine 25% of all complaints
- 2 Equipment 25% of all complaints
- 3 Electrical system 25% of all complaints
- 4 Powertrain 25% of all complaints
- 5 Service brakes 25% of all complaints
- Engine: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 24.
- Equipment: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 19.
- Electrical system: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 12.
- Powertrain: 1 complaints (25% of all), 1 of them with a crash reported by the owner; manufacturer bulletins for this component: 12.
- Service brakes: 1 complaints (25% of all); manufacturer bulletins for this component: 3.
Symptoms owners describe
How many of the 4 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) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Engine | 1 | 0 | 24 |
| Equipment | 1 | 0 | 19 |
| Electrical system | 1 | 0 | 12 |
| Powertrain | 1 | 1 | 12 |
| Service brakes | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Fuel/propulsion system | 0 | 0 | 11 |
| Structure | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Steering | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Backover prevention | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Engine and cooling | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Seats | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Fuel system | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Tires | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| Air bags | 0 | 0 | 1 |
What owners report
Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.
Accident on 10/15/2020, unoccupied vehicle rolled from a parked position down a hill and struck a house. The vehicle is designed to have the transmission automatically shift to park when the driver's door is open, and this system was functional at the time of the incident.
The check engine light came on. We then noticed smoke coming from the engine compartment and noxious fumes had begun to enter the cabin area. After pulling to the side of the highway by use of the emergency brake, we were able to exit the vehicle.
The contact stated that while seated in the swivel chair inside the vehicle, she turned the swivel chair around to watch the television and several unknown warning lights started flashing on and off and the vehicle would not start.
The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign numbers: 21V610000 (Trailer Hitches) and 21V753000 (Equipment). The contact called the local dealer who stated additional hours were needed to complete the repairs. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired.
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 14,162 of 32,257 model years in the NHTSA data (top 44% most complained about).
On average one model year of the Sprinter (VS30) has 4 complaints (2 years in the data). This year has 4, about average.
What to check before buying
- Engine. Cold start, unusual noises, oil leaks and engine codes.
- 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.
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…
- 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…
NHTSA lists 106 bulletins for this year; the 12 newest are shown here.
Other years of this model
Questions and answers
What are the most common problems with the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (VS30)?
Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: engine, equipment, electrical system. Total complaints: 4. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: warning lights, check engine (50%), won't start (25%), smoke, burning smell, fire (25%).
How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (VS30)?
NHTSA lists 106 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 (VS30) 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.