2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Sprinter 3500 years
- Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 18 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 5 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 45 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. That ranks 3rd out of 18 Sprinter 3500 model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is air bags (19 complaints, 42%), typically at around 7,000 miles. There are 5 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 45owner complaints
- 5safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 0complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air Bags | 19 | 42% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 12 | 27% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 22% | 32,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 6 | 13% | 21,750 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 3 | 7% | 54,945 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 2 | 4% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Tires | 2 | 4% | 503 | — | — |
| Wheels | 2 | 4% | 503 | — | — |
| Electrical System | 1 | 2% | 7,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 1 | 2% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Power Train | 1 | 2% | 33,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 1 | 2% | 61,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 recalls (5)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electronic stability control (esc):control module
Problem: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 and Freightliner Sprinter 3500 vehicles upfitted into campers or recreational vehicles. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) unit may become disabled on these vehicles.
Risk: If ESC becomes disabled, vehicle driving stability may be impacted under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-wheel speed sensor with a more robust sensor, free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on March 10, 2021. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is NC3DREZAHA.
Air bags:frontal:passenger side:inflator module
Problem: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2013 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.
Risk: An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module, free of charge. Daimler issued an interim notification to owners on March 13, 2018. The recall began December 28, 2018. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267.
Air bags
Problem: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2013-2016 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 and 3500 and Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vans. These vehicles were manufactured without a reinforcement plate and protective bracket on the air bag control unit. As a result, the air bag control unit may not remain functional after the initial impact, possibly preventing additional air bags from deploying in response to a secondary impact.
Risk: If additional air bags do not deploy as intended, the occupants are at an increased risk of injury.
Fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install a reinforcement plate and protective bracket around the air bag control unit, free of charge. The recall began on May 26, 2017. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267.
Air bags:frontal:driver side:inflator module
Problem: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (Daimler Vans) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Dodge Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2006, to July 31, 2008, 2007-2014 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2014, and 2010-2014 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2010, to July 1, 2014. Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
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 occupants potentially resulting in serious injury or death.
Fix: Daimler Vans will notify the Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner owners and Fiat Chrysler will notify the Dodge owners. The respective dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge. The recall began March 31, 2017. Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner owners may contact Daimler Van's customer service at 1-877-762-8267. Dodge owners may contact Fiat Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Problem: Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation after January 1, 2006. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.
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. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.
Fix: Cummings will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2015. Owners may contact Cumming's customer service at 1-800-639-5438 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Cumming's number for this recall is 14E-041.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure (PE20014) — opened Sep 21, 2020, closed Mar 30, 2021, led to recall 21V042000.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost power steering functionality and the vehicle became difficult to steer. The contact stated that she safely drove the vehicle to her residence. The contact stated that when…
My Sprinter van was purchased used, and I was alerted of a recall on my vehicle where I took it in for service. However, the issues were not addressed and caused further damage to my vehicle. When I addressed those issues, I contacted the manufacturer, who refused to reimburse me for the repairs…
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving, the vehicle failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated that the vehicle had lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the wheel speed sensor was replaced. The contact received…
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH and attempting to activate the cruise control, the vehicle failed to remain in cruise control mode. The contact stated that the ABS, traction control, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The…
The contact owns a 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, the ABS warning light and two other unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated he continued to drive the vehicle. The contact stated the vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed nor repaired…
Other Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 years
← 2012 Sprinter 3500 · 2014 Sprinter 3500 →
See all Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problems by year, every Mercedes-Benz model, or the Mercedes-Benz VIN decoder.
Similar Mercedes-Benz models
Embed this 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 badge on your site
Copy this code into your blog or forum post. It shows live complaint and recall counts and links back here.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
Owners most often report air bags, vehicle speed control, electronic stability control (esc) problems. The top one, air bags, accounts for 19 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
Yes, 5 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Sprinter 3500 model years, the 2013 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.