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2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500Problems, recalls & complaints

NHTSA has logged 45 owner complaints about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 5 safety recalls, and for recall 14V-706 the manufacturer reports only 26% of affected cars repaired.

2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500
50
CarFlaw IndexSolid year1% below the Sprinter 3500 median · #4 of 9 years by complaints
Safety recalls5Lowest repair rate 26%Owner complaints450 with a crash, fire or injuryTypical failure mileage7kAir bags, median miles

Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through October 6, 2023. Updated daily. Photo: Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Complaints by system

Where the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 has problems

45 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
Air bags190
Vehicle speed control120
Electronic stability control (ESC)100
Service brakes60
Tires20
Service brakes, air20
Wheels20
Electrical system10
Steering10
3 other systems30

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

5 recalls

2013 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 →

66%repaired · 2020 Q1

Passenger side: inflator module

Recall 18V-032 · Jan 9, 2018 · 17,413 vehicles · 11,556 repaired

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Problem, fix and repair progress →

70%repaired · 2018 Q3

Air bags

Recall 17V-093 · Feb 10, 2017 · 15,338 vehicles · 10,688 repaired

Risk. If additional air bags do not deploy as intended, the occupants are at an increased risk of injury.

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 →

Show 1 more recall
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

2013 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

2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 safety ratings

2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 CARGO VAN 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 2013 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 air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTACT AN AUTHORIZED DEALER TO SCHEDULE A RECALL REPAIR APPOINTMENT WITHIN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V077000 (AIR BAGS). THE INTERIM RECALL NOTICE…
Complaint 11173112 · Jan 30, 2019
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V032000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. MERCEDES-BENZ OF STEVENS CREEK (4500 STEVENS…
Complaint 11164602 · Jan 2, 2019
TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 (M3DB170E). THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 18V032000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT CALLED VIN DEVERS AUTOHAUS OF SYLVANIA AT [PHONE] (LOCATED AT 5570 MONROE STREET, DRIVEWAY 1, SYLVANIA, OH 43560) AND WAS…
Complaint 11144898 · Nov 2, 2018

Own a 2013 Sprinter 3500?

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