2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 recalls & complaints

1. Airbags

What's wrong, in plain English: The airbag system — the part that is supposed to protect you in a crash. The airbag systems may not have been activated after vehicle production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

What could happen: An inactive airbag system can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to determine if the airbag systems have been activated, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on November 22, 2019. The recall began February 10, 2020. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-8…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V695000 (manufacturer code VS3AIRIGEL).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

2. Unknown Or Other

What's wrong, in plain English: A vehicle part that may fail. The vehicles left the reassembly plant without the final quality inspection of safety-relevant parts or bolt connections, resulting in possible unknown safety risks.

What could happen: Failure to identify loose safety related parts can increase the risk of crash and injury.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and vehicles will be returned to the reassembly plant for comprehensive inspection and, if necessary, corrective action, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VSX566ZP25.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V693000 (manufacturer code VSX566ZP25).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

3. Visibility (wipers / glass)

What's wrong, in plain English: You may not be able to see the road clearly. The rear side windows may be single-pane safety glass instead of laminated safety glass.

What could happen: In the event of a side impact crash or vehicle rollover, the fitted side windows may not adequately protect the rear occupants from being ejected, increasing their risk of injury.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner dealers will replace the single-pane safety glass with laminated safety glass., free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on August 16, 2019. The recall began January 21, 2020. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. D…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V507000 (manufacturer code VS3VERGLAS).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

4. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. The spare tire label indicating the maximum speed may have not been affixed to the spare tire.

What could happen: Without the label, an operator may be unaware of the maximum speed limit of the spare tire and operate the vehicle at a excessive speed, increasing the risk of tire failure and a crash.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealers will attach the speed limitation label on the spare wheel, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3BEGREPP.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V156000 (manufacturer code VS3BEGREPP).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

5. Equipment

What's wrong, in plain English: A part or accessory supplied with the vehicle. The spare tire label may indicate the maximum speed at 55 kilometers per hour (kph) rather than as 34 miles per hour (mph).

What could happen: With only the metric speed listed on the spare tire label, the driver could misinterpret the kph as mph and operate the vehicle with the spare tire installed at higher speeds than the tire can withstand, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner Sprinter dealers will replace it with the label with the correct maximum speed information indicated in miles per hour, free of charge. The recall began May 15, 2020. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this reca…

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V155000 (manufacturer code VS3BEGRESS).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

6. Latches / locks

What's wrong, in plain English: Doors, hood or trunk may open unexpectedly. The screw connection on the upper hood catch may have been improperly tightened. As a result, factors such as the vehicle's speed, wind resistance and road conditions may cause the hood to open while the vehicle is being driven.

What could happen: A hood that opens while driving can reduce the driver's visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the screw connection, tightening it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 1, 2019. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3HAUBOSS.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 19V665000 (manufacturer code VS3HAUBOSS).
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

7. Steering

What's wrong, in plain English: If steering fails you can lose control of the car. The hydraulic power steering return line hoses may detach at their connection points under certain operating conditions, causing hydraulic fluid to leak.

What could happen: The sudden loss of power steering assist and hydraulic steering fluid leaking onto the roadway may increase the risk of a crash.

The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will check the return line connections of the power steering system, correcting it as needed, free of charge. The recall began December 23, 2020. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this campaign is NV3LETULPE.

What to do

1. Check whether your car is affected: enter your 17-digit VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. A recall covers specific VINs, not every 2018 SPRINTER 1500.
2. Book a repair at any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Quote NHTSA campaign 20V663000.
3. The repair is free. By US law, safety recall repairs cost the owner nothing, no matter the car's age or mileage.
4. Manufacturer hotline: 1-877-762-8267.
5. Buying this car used? Ask the seller for proof the recall was completed, or run the VIN yourself before paying.

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA

Most complained-about parts: Engine (2), Transmission / drivetrain (1), Electrical system (1), Vehicle Speed Control (1), Brakes (1).

Complaints are unverified reports from owners. A pattern (many complaints about the same part) matters more than any single one.