2014 Mercedes-Benz SPRINTER 3500

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Average

Quick Summary

The 2014 Mercedes-Benz SPRINTER 3500 has 83 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 1.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is air bags problems (23% of all complaints), specifically: takata recall - this recall was identified in january 2016 - almost one year ago. having seen the potential damage to a passenger, it is imperative to resolve this quickly. i do not want to be filing a complaint after the air bag blows up! *tr. ⚠️ 1 fire report filed.

1 fire report 4 crash reports

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

1.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

AIR BAGS

19 complaints

23%

• TAKATA RECALL - THIS RECALL WAS IDENTIFIED IN JANUARY 2016 - ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO. HAVING SEEN THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO A PASSENGER, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO RESOLVE THIS QUICKLY. I DO NOT WANT TO BE FILING A COMPLAINT AFTER THE AIR BAG BLOWS UP! *TR
• TAKATA RECALL I WAS NOTIFIED ABOUT A YEAR AGO OF THE RECALL OF MY SPRINTER. CAMPAIGN 2016020010 . RECALL STATUS: RECALL INCOMPLETE. REMEDY NOT YET AVAILABLE WE TRAVEL ALL OVER THE COUNTRY FROM ALASKA TO FLA AND LIVE IN ARIZONA. THIS MAKES THE INFLATOR SUBJECT TO ALL THE EXTREMES OF WEATHER. W
• TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ M3CC170 (NA). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V077000 (AIR BAGS); HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL RE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500

“TAKATA RECALL - THIS RECALL WAS IDENTIFIED IN JANUARY 2016 - ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO. HAVING SEEN THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO A PASSENGER, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO RESOLVE THIS QUICKLY. I DO NOT WANT TO BE FILING A COMPLAINT AFTER THE AIR BAG BLOWS UP! *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

15 complaints

18%

• 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
• BRAKES FEEL INEFFECTIVE AND SOFT ON FIRST APPLICATION OF PEDAL. REQUIRE 2ND APPLICATION OF BRAKE PEDAL TO FEEL CONFIDENT BRAKING ACTION. MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS 2014 CHASSIS SPRINTER 3500 REPORT SAME ISSUE. DEALERS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REMEDY THE PROBLEM. INDICATES A DESIGN / ENGINEERING FLA
• BREAKS ARE SOFT AND SPONGY AND THE PEDAL GOES WITHIN 1-INCH FROM THE FLOOR. THIS IS VERY NERVE RACKING AND UNSAFE. I HAVE TO START APPLYING THE BREAKS FAR AHEAD FROM WHERE IS NORMAL AND HOPE I STOP IN TIME. THIS RIG IS HEAVY AND THE BREAKS SHOULD WORK JUST THE OPPOSITE TO GIVE MORE TIME TO STOP.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“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 ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

SPEED CONTROL

12 complaints

14%

• PROBLEM WITH SPEED SENSORS . I HAVE REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR ON MY VEHICLE ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. MERCEDES BENZ SEEMS TO BE DOING NOTHINGS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BE CONCERNED THAT
• ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS OBVIOUSLY DISABLED ALL OF THE ABOVE FUNCTIONS. CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS VERIFIED TO BE A FAULTY LH WHEEL SPEED SENSOR BY THE REPAIR SHOP. *TR
• VEHICLE HAS HAD TWO SPEED SENSORS REPLACED, FIRST ONE IS THE LEFT REAR AT ONLY 10,385 MILES MAY 29TH 2020. THE SECOND ONE ON THE RIGHT REAR AT 10,615 MILES JULY 8TH 2020. DEALERS ARE AWARE OF THE SPRINTERS HAVING THIS ISSUE YET THERE HAVE BEEN NO RECALLS ON THIS. AS OF THIS DATE TOTAL COST TO GET IT

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“PROBLEM WITH SPEED SENSORS . I HAVE REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR ON MY VEHICLE ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. MERCEDES BENZ SEEMS TO BE DOING NOTHINGS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BE CONCERNED THAT”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS

10 complaints

12%

• ON: CITY STREET, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON PULLING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING, THEN ACCELERATING UNCONTROLLABLY. I COULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. IF I HAD NOT MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO NEUTRAL, I WOULD HAVE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ABS, ANTI-SKID, AND TRACTIO
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 MERCEDS-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE ABS, ESP, AND BAS WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO MERCEDES-BENZ OF SAN JOSE (3000 E CAPITOL EXPY, SAN JOSE, CA 95148, (408) 214-3009) WHERE THE FRONT PASSENGER WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED
• ABS, TRACTION CONTROL AND STABILITY CONTROL LIGHTS CAME ON WHILE GOING DOWN THE ROAD. THIS OBVIOUSLY DISABLED ALL OF THE ABOVE FUNCTIONS. CAUSE OF FAILURE WAS VERIFIED TO BE A FAULTY LH WHEEL SPEED SENSOR BY THE REPAIR SHOP. *TR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“ON: CITY STREET, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON PULLING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING, THEN ACCELERATING UNCONTROLLABLY. I COULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. IF I HAD NOT MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO NEUTRAL, I WOULD HAVE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ABS, ANTI-SKID, AND TRACTIO”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

6 complaints

• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN J-TYPE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND IDLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03
• TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A FOREST RIVER SOLERA RV TRAILERED TO A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL UNKNO
• AT APPROXIMATELY 11,600 VEHICLE MILES THE DEF WARNING MESSAGE CAME ON STATING THAT THERE WERE ONLY 10 REMAINING STARTS LEFT ON THE VEHICLE. PREVIOUS MESSAGE PRIOR TO THIS WAS TO CHECK THE DEF SYSTEM LEVEL. DEF HAD BEEN ADDED FOR THE PREVIOUS 2500 MILES EVERY 500 MILES TO MAINTAIN A FULL TANK. SINCE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500💥 1 crashes

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN J-TYPE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND IDLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

AIR BAGS(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

SPEED CONTROL(~50K mi)

$500

ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 83 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
AIR BAGS: TAKATA RECALL - THIS RECALL WAS IDENTIFIED IN JANUARY 2016 - ALMOST ONE YEAR AGO. HAVING SEEN THE POTENTIAL DAMAGE TO A PASSENGER, IT IS IMPERATIVE TO RESOLVE THIS QUICKLY. I DO NOT WANT TO BE FILING A COMPLAINT AFTER THE AIR BAG BLOWS UP! *TR
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: 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
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
SPEED CONTROL: PROBLEM WITH SPEED SENSORS . I HAVE REPLACED THE SPEED SENSOR ON MY VEHICLE ON FOUR DIFFERENT OCCASIONS. THIS SEEMS TO BE A REOCCURRING PROBLEM THAT NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. MERCEDES BENZ SEEMS TO BE DOING NOTHINGS TO RECTIFY THIS PROBLEM. PLEASE BE CONCERNED THAT
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS: ON: CITY STREET, IN STOP AND GO TRAFFIC. UPON PULLING OFF FROM A DEAD STOP, THE VEHICLE BEGAN JERKING, THEN ACCELERATING UNCONTROLLABLY. I COULD NOT SLOW THE VEHICLE WITH THE BRAKES. IF I HAD NOT MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR TO NEUTRAL, I WOULD HAVE HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ABS, ANTI-SKID, AND TRACTIO
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)