Mercedes-Benz · Model Report
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter2020
Showing safety data for the 2020 model year only.
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Mercedes-Benz · Model Report
Showing safety data for the 2020 model year only.
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles. The instrument cluster illumination may not be adjustable and appear too bright in certain lighting conditions. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 101, "Controls and Displays."
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The longitudinal frame members may be missing reinforcement fasteners, reducing vehicle stability and decreasing the structural integrity of the third-row seats.
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and 2019-2021 Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The partition wall may be missing bolts, allowing the wall to detach during a crash.
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The connection between the propeller shaft bearing and crossmember may loosen, reducing vehicle control.
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2019-2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and 2019-2021 Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The instrument cluster may fail to display any information when the vehicle is started.
This vehicle with 19711 mileage was parked in the driveway. The engine started normally, but a red error message stated, "Service Required Do Not Shift Gears Visit Dealer". I contacted the local dealership and Mercedes Roadside Assistance was not able to reset the software. The driveshaft was disconnected and two tow trucks were needed to pull the vehicle out of the driveway and then tow to the dealership. The technician found "internal electrical fault in ISM causing shifter not to come out of park". The electronic shifting unit was replaced and the vehicle is functioning normally. The switching unit did not have any external damage and there was no evidence of corrosion on the electrical terminal. This vehicle has had all of the recommended service at the dealership. It was previously serviced on Nov. 5, 2025 for recall 2025070011(update controll unit software). There were no transmission error codes. In approximately February 2026, the vehicle had not been started and the battery was dead. I jumped the vehicle to start it and then used a battery charger. No one was injured. Luckily this occured in my driveway. Mercedes assistance was appreciated. However, there was absolutely no indication of a problem prior to this. There is no mechanism to shift into neutral to move the vehicle unless the drive shaft is disconnected. If this were to occur on a busy street, it is possible that many people could have been injured. I am reporting this "near miss" in case there are other similar problems that have been reported. I believe that the unit will be inspected by Mercedes as well.
No injuries · No fire · No crash
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Adaptive Cruise Control turns off and then won't reset while driving. When the Adaptive Cruise Control turns off and then won't reset while driving. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This causes the vehicle to immediately loose power. When traveling at highway speeds and vehicles are getting ready to pass us, then the cruise stops, we have been nearly rear ended multiple times on our last trip. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This has been inspected but the service center couldn’t reproduce because it happens after several hours of driving. We had this problem several times while traveling from Denver Colorado to Pittsburg Kansas. If we stopped for fuel or food, and turned the vehicle off it would be fine on restart. If we were driving when it turned off we would have to follow another vehicle at a constant distance for more than 5 minutes to get the system to reset. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. This is also a safety issue because we were having to follow fairly close to a vehicle in front of us to get the system to reset. We also tried turning the system off every hour or so, use the “cancel” button while driving, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. The system continued to randomly turn itself off. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? We took the Sprinter in to a Mercedes-Benz dealer service center and they checked everything and said it was fine. Then we took it back a second time and asked if there was some sort of calibration or computer software update needed. They inspected the vehicle again and informed us everything was up to date. I do not feel that this issue was being taken seriously as it is very nerve racking when it happens and then trying to not get in an accident when traveling
No injuries · No fire · No crash
Sudden complete engine failures occurred in my Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van during highway operation while transporting freight, creating a serious safety hazard due to immediate and total loss of engine power in active traffic conditions. The first engine failure occurred at approximately 303,000 miles. The second failure occurred at approximately 140,000 miles after engine replacement. In both cases, there were no prior warning signs, diagnostic alerts, abnormal noises, or performance issues before sudden and catastrophic engine shutdown. Both incidents occurred while I was operating the vehicle at highway speeds during commercial freight delivery. The engine failed without warning, resulting in immediate loss of propulsion while in traffic. On both occasions, I was forced to rapidly maneuver the disabled vehicle to the shoulder under reduced control and arrange emergency towing to safely remove the vehicle from the roadway and prevent a potential collision or injury. These failures created a significant highway safety risk due to the abrupt loss of power while merging, traveling in traffic flow, and operating at speed. A sudden engine shutdown in these conditions could result in a rear-end collision, loss of control, or multi-vehicle accident, particularly in high-speed or heavy traffic environments. The repeated nature of catastrophic engine failure following engine replacement raises concern about a potential underlying defect in the engine system, components, or related assemblies, or possible unresolved mechanical or installation-related issues. The recurrence of identical failure conditions under similar operating circumstances increases concern that this may not be an isolated incident. Vehicle Information: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used for commercial freight delivery First engine failure: ~303,000 miles Second engine failure: ~140,000 miles (replacement engine) Failure type: Sudden, complete engine shutdown with no warning at highway speed
No injuries · No fire · No crash
On November 28, 2025, I experienced a vehicle fire in my Mercedes 2020 Sprinter 2500 4WD van. The van engine was on and idling while heating up with the van heater blower on level 6 (out of 7). After about 45 minutes, I saw a haze first and then smelled smoke. Unsure of the source, I turned the vehicle off and exited with my dog. I opened the hood to look for smoke in the engine bay. No smoke under the hood. I contact Mercedes Roadside and open the driver side door where I see flames under the seat. I grabbed the fire extinguisher I installed and put the fire out within 20-25 seconds of seeing it. I believe the root cause of the fire was running the van blower at a high setting for a sustained 45 minutes. My dog and I were inside and definitely in danger. It scares me to think of a scenario where the van was idling with only my dog inside and something like this occurring. The incident is currently under investigation with MB USA and my insurance company, Progressive. No warning signs or dashboard messages. In general, the electrical wiring for my vehicle has been spotty and was completely rewired by the dealer service center in 2021. Currently, there is an issue blacking out the dashboard screen so there is no screen function including gps, entertainment, or vehicle info.
I had 5 recalls completed at the MB Sprinter dealership in Pleasanton CA on 11/06/2025. Had hardly driven it 100 miles or 5 times since then when I noticed it was not always going into park. One recall had to do with not going in park when you push park button while foot on brake. I was not having that problem until the MB Sprinter dealership did the recall work. Now every 5th time or so it does not go in park when I push park button while foot on brake. Dealership insists I must pay to have this fixed even though their recall work caused it. This is a severe safety hazard that could result in death!
No injuries · No fire · No crash