2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 recalls and problems

The 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 has 2 recalls and 9 owner complaints on file with NHTSA; the most reported problem area is vehicle speed control.

Pictured: a 2013 model; the 2012 may differ in details. Photo: 2013 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 by Elise240SX, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

How the 2012 compares

Low

Fewest complaintsMost complaints

Low complaint count among 18 Sprinter 2500 model years — 15th most.

2recalls

9complaints

0crashes

0fires

0injuries

23,000median miles

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not verified and not adjusted for sales. Ranking compares this model's own years only.

Does your car have an open recall?
Recalls apply to specific vehicles. Only a VIN lookup on NHTSA's official site shows whether yours is affected and still unrepaired.

Check your VIN →

2 recalls

Air Bags

Jul 28, 2017 · NHTSA campaign 17V480000 · 17,609 vehicles

Problem: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2012 Freightliner and Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled into 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 rupture due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk: An inflator rupture may result in metal fragments striking the vehicle occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy & notes

DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger side air bag, free of charge. The recall began on January 12, 2018. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. Note: This recall supersedes recall 17V-025.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Air Bags

Feb 10, 2016 · NHTSA campaign 16V077000 · 136,361 vehicles

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.

Remedy & notes

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.

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Recall text as published by NHTSA and the manufacturer.

What owners complain about

Vehicle Speed Control3

Unknown or other2

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA; one complaint can name several areas. Not verified by NHTSA.

Complaints by year filed

NHTSA investigations

Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure

PE20014 · opened Sep 21, 2020 · closed Mar 30, 2021 · led to recall 21V042000

Summary

The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by Daimler Vans USA, LLC (Daimler) as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers to identify incidents related to Rear Wheel Speed Sensors (RWSS) failures. ODI's analysis identified 6,710 incidents of RWSS failure (unique VINs) in MY 2012-2018 Mercedes- Benz and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles upfitted to campers or recreational vehicles (RVs) representing 81 percent of all Sprinter RWSS reports. Complaint and warranty analysis indicated that the majority of incidents (approximately 99%) were related to RWSS moisture intrusion condition in the Sprinter 3500 5-ton variant, which accounts for 98 percent of upfit campers, where moisture build-up and crystal dendrite formation develop in parked RVs and lead to sensor failures. According to the Daimler Information Request (IR) response, if the wheel speed information is detected as implausible by the Electronic Stability Program (ESP) control unit, the ESP system enters a failsafe mode where:-Driver torque requests are no longer accepted;-Cruise control, if used, would be deactivated; -The ESP/ABS system shuts off; and -Multiple warning lamps and messages advise the operator to take the vehicle to the workshop. While the majority of reports involved only ABS and/or ESP warning lights and messages on the instrument cluster due to faulty sensor signals triggering a failsafe mode, some reports cited intermittent sensor failures resulting in increased ve…

2012 vs. other Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 years

Owner complaints by model year; the darker bar is the 2012. Click a bar to switch year.

Questions

Does the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 have recalls?

Yes — NHTSA lists 2 recall campaigns covering the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500, the latest from Jul 28, 2017 (air bags). A recall applies to specific vehicles: enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours is affected and still open.

What are the most common problems with the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500?

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA most often mention vehicle speed control (3), air bags (2), engine (2). Complaints are consumer reports and are not verified by NHTSA.