2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 problems & reliability
80 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500, alongside 22 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System → | 20 | 25% |
| Power Train → | 18 | 23% |
| Engine → | 15 | 19% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance → | 14 | 18% |
| Service Brakes → | 10 | 13% |
| Unknown / Other | 9 | 11% |
| Steering | 8 | 10% |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 9% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 6% |
| Back Over Prevention | 3 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 22 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 20 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 3,200 miles (middle 50% between 2,050 and 10,250 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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…”
Forward Collision Avoidance · filed Aug 12, 2026
“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…”
Engine · filed May 14, 2026
“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…”
Electrical System · filed Dec 9, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
137 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The 10 most recent:
Complaint While driving through muddy / sandy/ off road terrain "4Matic Currently Unavailable" message on the dash Cause This vehicle is not equipped with a fixed force distribution AWD, rather force is only applied to…
LI28_00-N-079097_1_en · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 26, 2026
Model 907 with all-wheel drive (A4M) – All-wheel drive inoperative Complaint The customer may report one or more of the following: • All-wheel drive is unavailable or inoperative. • Rear wheel slip during acceleration…
LI33_30-N-080795 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 17, 2026
ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected due to vehicle operating conditions Complaint The ASSYST PLUS service reminder appears earlier than expected. The customer or dealer may report that the vehicle…
LI54_30-N-080701 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 1, 2026
Complaint Complaint A: The engine is jolting/bucking between 1700 and 1900 rpm. Complaint B: One or more mechanical related fault codes for EGR Valve stored in CDI control unit, with possible Check Engine Light. Review…
LI14.20-N-073867 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 15, 2026
The check engine light is illuminated, or the AdBlue warning is active, with recorded faults related to AdBlue quality or concentration. Complaint Customer reports an illuminated check engine light and or an AdBlue…
LI49-20-N-080376 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 23, 2026
Vehicles with SCR Generation 4: SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset with fault code P13DF00 or P300685 Complaint Vehicles with SCR Generation 4: SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset. Information: All…
LI4920N075995 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 24, 2026
EGR Valve Diagnosis & Cleaning (and EGR Cooler Cleaning) – OM642, Sprinter 906/907 Complaint A: The engine is jolting/bucking between 1700 and 1900 rpm. Complaint B: One or more mechanical related fault codes for EGR…
LI14.20-N-073867 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 16, 2026
Complaint Vehicles with SCR Generation 4: SCR/AdBlue® warning message cannot be reset. Information: All fault codes in the AdBlue® (SCR) control unit have been processed and corrected; however, fault codes P13DF00 and…
LI49.20-N-075995 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jan 15, 2026
The software for the communication module does not correspond to the latest series production configuration. For this reason, a remote software update to update the software for the communication module is planned for…
24V5497749 · Over The Air · issued Oct 6, 2025
Engine Oil Level Cannot Be Checked via Instrument Cluster Service Menu Complaint Sometimes the engine oil level cannot be determined using the instrument cluster's service menu. The following mes- sages may be…
LI54.30-N-079757 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 26, 2025
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 has 22 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 3,200 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.