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2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 21 owner complaints about the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500, most often about the electronic stability control (esc). It is covered by 4 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-706 the manufacturer reports only 26% of affected cars repaired.

2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500
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CarFlaw IndexNot enough dataHigher is better (0–100)
Safety recalls4Lowest repair rate 26%Owner complaints214 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage46kElectronic stability control (ESC), median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through August 31, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 has problems

21 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
Electronic stability control (ESC)50
Vehicle speed control50
Air bags41
Power train30
Electrical system30
Fuel/propulsion system20
Wheels20
Fuel system, diesel10
Seats11
2 other systems20

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

4 recalls

2012 Mercedes-Benz 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 →

26%repaired · 2016 Q2

Equipment adaptive/mobility

Recall 14V-706 · Nov 5, 2014 · 34 vehicles · 9 repaired

Risk. If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door.

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 Mercedes-Benz.

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

'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24
  • Avoid
  • Caution
  • Solid
  • Best
  • Not rated
NHTSA crash tests

2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 safety ratings

2012 Mercedes-Benz 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
1 investigation

NHTSA defect investigations

Federal investigations that included the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500, and the recalls they led to.

  1. Rear Wheel Speed Sensor FailurePE20014 · closed Mar 30, 2021
    Led to recall 21V-042
In owners' words

What Sprinter 3500 owners report

Recent electronic stability control (esc) complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet…
Complaint 11422658 · Jun 28, 2021
A THOR MOTOR COACH ON A 2012 MERCEDES BENZ SPRINTER MDB 11K 170 16 0257554 CHASSIS. ON 4/17/2019 THE DEF SENSOR FAILED ON 05/18/2020 THE LEFT FRONT WHEEL SPEED SENSOR FAILED. ON 09/14/2020 THE BATTERY FAULT PANEL BLEW OUT. ON 10/12/2020 THE EXHAUST GAS SENSOR FAILED. ON 10/22/2020 THE LEFT REAR…
Complaint 11366929 · Oct 28, 2020 · 45,692 miles
EIGHT (8) WHEEL SPEED INDICATORS HAVE FAILED AT THE FOLLOWING MILEAGES: 21,866/26 AUG 2015 (2 EACH REAR AXLE); 22,594/8 SEP 2015 ('2 EACH FRONT AXLE); 40,996/17 APR 2018 (1 EACH RIGHT REAR AXLE) AND (1 EACH LEFT FRONT AXLE); 42,319/ 9 MAY 2018 (1 EACH RIGHT FRONT AXLE); AND 48,041/ 2 OCT 2018 (1…
Complaint 11365784 · Oct 22, 2020 · 48,041 miles

Own a 2012 Sprinter 3500?

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