Selling a dead or junk Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has 51 recall campaigns listed against it at NHTSA. No other Sprinter model year comes close, and the 2019 also has the most owner complaints, 115. It was the first model year of the third-generation van.
- Mercedes-Benz badge in the US
- From the 2010 model year
- Complaints to NHTSA
- 835
- Year with the most complaints
- 2019 (115)
- Recall campaigns
- 108
- Recall campaigns on the 2019 alone
- 51
- Also sold as
- Freightliner Sprinter (2001-2021), Dodge Sprinter (2003-2009)
Whatever year yours is, a Sprinter that no longer runs can still leave on a truck. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, vans included. Sell the whole van as it sits, with free pickup anywhere in the US.
Three names, one van
Wikipedia lists the Sprinter under three badges in North America: Freightliner Sprinter (2001-2021), Dodge Sprinter (2003-2009) and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. In NHTSA's files, the Mercedes-Benz badge starts after the Dodge ended in 2009. This page counts only Mercedes-badged vans. A Dodge or Freightliner Sprinter has its own records, though many recalls cover all three.
Sprinter owners filed the complaints totaled below with NHTSA; we pulled them October 10, 2026. The newest Sprinters are still young vans.
Problems by generation
Second generation (NCV3), through the 2018 model year
Wikipedia lists 2.1-liter four-cylinder and 3.0-liter V6 CDI diesels for this van, and a 7-speed automatic from 2014 to 2018. NHTSA holds 452 complaints on 2009-2018 Mercedes-badged vans.
Air bags top the complaint list for the 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014 and 2016. The 2014 has 34 air bag complaints out of 92. A string of recalls replaced air bag parts:
- 16V077: driver air bag inflators on 2010-2014 Mercedes vans, in a 136,361-vehicle campaign that also covers Dodge and Freightliner Sprinters.
- 17V479 and 17V480: passenger air bags on 2010-2011 and 2012 vans.
- 19V003 and 19V004: driver and passenger air bag modules on 2014-2017 vans.
Brakes and stability control come next. From 2013 to 2018, service brakes land among the three biggest complaint areas. Recall 21V042 covers 2012-2018 Sprinter 3500s upfitted as campers or RVs: the stability control unit can be affected, and dealers replace the rear wheel speed sensor with a sturdier one. Recall 20V663 deals with power steering return hoses that can detach, on 2015-2020 vans.
Third generation (VS30), 2019 model year on
Wikipedia gives this generation the VS30 platform and front-, rear- and four-wheel-drive layouts. NHTSA holds 383 complaints on 2019-2025 vans, and the 2019 and 2020 account for 218 of them.
The power train leads the 2019 (21 complaints) and the electrical system leads the 2020 (20). The recalls on these two years are where the numbers pile up:
- 19V070: a do-not-drive notice. The steering shaft on certain 2019 VS30 vans could disconnect from the steering gear without warning. 4,358 vans.
- 20V181: a front fender liner that can rub through a brake hose on 2019 vans. 48,791 vehicles, Freightliner included.
- 21V152: the washer and bolt holding the brake pedal to its bearing block can come loose on 2019-2020 vans.
- 21V972 and 22V796: park lock software, and a parking pawl guide bushing on vans with a manual parking brake and the 7-speed automatic. The second campaign counts 124,305 vehicles across 2019-2022 Mercedes and Freightliner vans.
- 23V100: the HVAC blower circuit on 2019-2020 VS30 vans. Owners are told to run the front blower in manual mode, not automatic.
- 21V411: MBUX screens that stay black or reboot, fixed by a software update.
The recent years have less: recall 23V444 puts a new fuel pump in some 2021-2023 vans, in a campaign that also takes in the Metris.
Sprinter complaints and recalls by model year
Source: NHTSA, October 10, 2026. A Sprinter campaign is counted under each model year it covers.
| Model year | Complaints | Recall campaigns | Top component |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009 | 2 | 1 | Electrical / lighting |
| 2010 | 21 | 7 | Air bags |
| 2011 | 24 | 5 | Air bags |
| 2012 | 29 | 4 | Air bags |
| 2013 | 66 | 5 | Air bags |
| 2014 | 92 | 8 | Air bags |
| 2015 | 60 | 15 | Service brakes |
| 2016 | 92 | 16 | Air bags |
| 2017 | 41 | 9 | Wheels |
| 2018 | 25 | 10 | Service brakes / engine (tied) |
| 2019 | 115 | 51 | Power train |
| 2020 | 103 | 25 | Electrical system |
| 2021 | 62 | 18 | Service brakes |
| 2022 | 49 | 7 | Electrical / other (tied) |
| 2023 | 36 | 7 | Power train |
| 2024 | 16 | 4 | Other |
| 2025 | 2 | 1 | Suspension / power train |
Repair the van or sell it?
A Sprinter is often a work tool, so downtime counts too. Work through it like this:
- Run the VIN at NHTSA's recall lookup. On a 2019 or 2020, several campaigns may still be open. The Sprinter remedies on this page are each listed as free. See open recall if you'd rather sell with one outstanding.
- Camper or RV build on a 2012-2018 3500? Ask about recall 21V042 before chasing a stability control warning.
- Get the big Sprinter repair price in writing, and compare it with a running van of that year, roof and length.
- Upfit worth more than the van? Shelving, racks and camper fittings can be removed before pickup. Just tell us what will be gone.
Selling the Sprinter whole
- Note the VIN, mileage, roof height, wheelbase if you know it, and what's wrong.
- Ask for an offer online, or call (877) 421-6008.
- Say where it's parked and how much clearance there is. A high-roof van in a lot with low beams changes which truck comes. Our junk truck or SUV guide covers big-vehicle pickups.
- Keep the drivetrain in it. Missing engine or transmission parts change the offer.
- Have the title and ID ready, and check after you sell for plates and insurance.
More Mercedes-Benz pages: the ML-Class, GL-Class and E-Class, or all Mercedes-Benz models.
Questions people ask
- Why does the 2019 Sprinter have so many recalls?
- The 2019 was the first model year of the third generation, and NHTSA lists 51 recall campaigns against it, more than any other Sprinter year. They include a steering shaft that could disconnect (19V070, a do-not-drive notice), a fender liner that could chafe a brake hose (20V181) and a brake pedal bolt that could come loose (21V152).
- Do Sprinter recalls also cover Freightliner and Dodge vans?
- Many do. The vehicle counts in Sprinter recalls are whole-campaign totals, and campaigns such as 16V077 and 22V796 include Freightliner Sprinters, and in 16V077's case Dodge Sprinters too. Enter your Sprinter's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
- Will you pick up a camper or work van that doesn't run?
- Yes. We buy whole non-running and junk cars, vans included, and pickup is free anywhere in the US. Tell us about the roof height, any upfit and where the van is parked so the right truck comes.
Sources
Every fact on this page comes from one of these. Checked October 11, 2026.
- NHTSA complaints flat file (FLAT_CMPL.zip), downloaded October 10, 2026 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA: Check for recalls by VIN nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 16V077: driver air bag inflator, Dodge, Freightliner and Mercedes Sprinters nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 17V479: passenger air bag, 2010-2011 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 19V004: passenger air bag module, 2014-2017 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V042: ESC wheel speed sensor, 2012-2018 Sprinter 3500 campers nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 20V663: power steering return hoses, 2015-2020 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 19V070: steering shaft, do not drive, 2019 Sprinter VS30 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 20V181: fender liner and brake hose, 2019 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V152: brake pedal retaining washer and bolt, 2019-2020 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 21V972: park lock software, 2019-2020 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 22V796: parking pawl guide bushing, 2019-2022 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 23V100: HVAC blower circuit, 2019-2020 Sprinter VS30 nhtsa.gov
- NHTSA recall 23V444: fuel pump, 2021-2023 Sprinter nhtsa.gov
- EPA fuel economy data fueleconomy.gov
- Wikipedia: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter (generations, badges, engines, platforms) en.wikipedia.org