What breaks most · 2010 to 2019 model years
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problems by year
Owners have filed 108 safety complaints with NHTSA about the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 across model years 2010 to 2019. Three years stand out: 2014 for air bags complaints, 2013 for air bags complaints and 2016 for brakes complaints. The quietest years are 2010, 2011 and 2012.
- Years to check closely: 2014, 2013, 2016
- Fewest complaints: 2010, 2011, 2012
- Complaints on file
- 1082010 to 2019, all trims
- Worst year
- 201431 complaints
- Crashes reported
- 12 fires · 4 injuries · 0 deaths
- Typical failure mileage
- 9kMedian where owners gave mileage
- Recall campaigns
- 107Across the years shown
Complaints by model year
Raw filings with NHTSA, not adjusted for how many were sold.
| Model year | Complaints | Crashes | Recalls | Most-reported component |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 0 | 6 | Engine (2) | |
| 4 | 0 | 4 | Air bags (3) | |
| 8 | 0 | 4 | Air bags (2) | |
| 26 | 0 | 5 | Air bags (19) | |
| 31 | 0 | 7 | Air bags (19) | |
| 14 | 0 | 15 | Electrical system (3) | |
| 18 | 1 | 16 | Brakes (4) | |
| 3 | 0 | 9 | Air bags (1) | |
| 1 | 0 | 41 | Air bags (1) |
What fails on the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500
| Component | Share of complaints | Filings | Crashes | Parts for this job |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 61% |
19 | 0 | Check recalls for air bags on NHTSA.gov |
| BrakesBrake pads, rotors and calipers | 16% |
5 | 0 | Shop brakes parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 |
| Electrical systemAlternators, starters and ignition | 6% |
2 | 0 | Shop electrical system parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 |
| Unknown or other | 6% |
2 | 0 | — |
| Wheels | 3% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Tires | 3% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Seats | 3% |
1 | 0 | — |
| Latches and locksDoor latches and actuators | 3% |
1 | 0 | Shop latches and locks parts for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 |
One complaint can name more than one component, so shares add to more than 100%. "Unknown or other" is NHTSA's uncategorized bucket and is shown but never ranked.
In owners' words
Complaint narratives as filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length.
-
I have been experiencing the brakes felt very soft and made long braking distance. When i towed the small suv, i thought it was normal because i was driving with over its gvwr. But all the time i have to step more time(like pumping) to stop even on driving under 40mph. It never allow me to step one time.
-
Brake pedal is spongy and must be pumped to get a firm pedal. I have taken it to the dealer twice and complained about this issue, and they tell me everything is normal. When you have to make a sudden surprise stop the pedal goes all the way to the floorboard.
-
Had to slam on brakes to avoid hitting a car that pulled out in front of me as i approached a red light. Rear passenger brake line failed as a result of the stop. Pumping brakes resulted in fluid being pumped out of the lines.
How to read this page
Every figure comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public complaint database, which holds every safety-related defect complaint filed by owners since 1995. We refresh it monthly and count each complaint once per component it names. Data through September 30, 2026.
NHTSA only accepts safety-related complaints. Rattles, paint, infotainment bugs and other annoyances are under-reported here, so this page is a map of what fails in ways owners consider dangerous, not a full reliability score.
Counts are raw. Use the year-over-year shape and the component mix, not the absolute numbers. Where a component maps to parts we stock, the row links to that category filtered to the year you are viewing. Air bag and seat belt complaints link to the recall checker instead, because those repairs are almost always covered.
Common questions
Which Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 years have the most problems?
By NHTSA complaint volume, 2014, 2013, 2016 carry the most filings on the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The 2014 alone has 31 complaints, led by air bags.
What is the most common Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problem?
On the 2014 model year, the most-reported component is air bags with 19 complaints. The table above lists the top components for every year.
At what mileage do Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problems start?
The median mileage at failure across all Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 complaints that include mileage is about 9,000 miles. Older model years skew higher; the per-year figure is in the "at a glance" card.
Are these complaints verified?
No. NHTSA publishes complaints as submitted and does not investigate individual filings. Patterns across hundreds of complaints are meaningful; a single one is not.