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2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 2 owner complaints about the 2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500, most often about the service brakes. It is covered by 3 safety recalls, and for recall 17V-480 the manufacturer reports only 38% of affected cars repaired.

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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls3Lowest repair rate 38%Owner complaints20 with a crash, fire or injuryTop problem2Service brakes

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through January 12, 2023. Updated daily.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 has problems

2 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.

Box size = number of complaints naming that system. Darker = larger share. One complaint can name more than one system.
Complaints by system
SystemComplaintsCrash, fire or injury
Service brakes20
Vehicle speed control20
Power train10
Wheels10

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.

3 recalls

2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 recalls and how many were fixed

Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

81%repaired · 2023 Q2

Electronic stability control (ESC): control module

Recall 21V-042 · Feb 3, 2021 · 48,667 vehicles · 39,326 repaired

Risk. If ESC becomes disabled, vehicle driving stability may be impacted under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

38%repaired · 2019 Q2

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 17V-480 · Jul 28, 2017 · 17,609 vehicles · 6,725 repaired

Risk. An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

41%repaired · 2018 Q3

Driver side: inflator module

Recall 16V-077 · Feb 10, 2016 · 136,361 vehicles · 55,549 repaired

Risk. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, the inflator could rupture with metal fragments striking the vehicle…

Problem, fix and repair progress →

Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Freightliner.

Best & worst years

2012 vs. every other Sprinter 3500 year

Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Sprinter 3500 median. How we score

'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 safety ratings

2012 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 CAB CHASSIS RWD in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.

  • Stability control: Standard
  • Forward collision warning: No
  • Lane departure warning: No
In owners' words

What Sprinter 3500 owners report

Recent service brakes complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

THE VEHICLE DASH BOARD HAD 4 {ECM, ABS, TRACTION AND SKID} LIGHTS, REDUCED SPEED TO 20MPH ON THE HIGHWAY RPM INCREASED OVER 3000 LOST ABILITY FOR ABS, STEARING CONTROL AND SPEED. CHECK ENGINE LIGHTS P003A AND P0037 POINTING TO BOTH REAR WHEEL SPEED SONSORS.
Complaint 11501505 · Jan 12, 2023
ABS SPEED SENSOR, TRACTION REAR SPEED SENSOR FAULT CODE C0037 AND C003A. SPEED REDUCES TO 20MPH HIGH ENGINE RPM REV OVER 3000 RPM
Complaint 11491472 · Oct 30, 2022

Own a 2012 Sprinter 3500?

Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.