2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 problems & reliability
45 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500, alongside 18 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 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 vehicles.
1 complaint report injuries (1 injured).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 9 | 20% |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 9 | 20% |
| Lane Departure | 7 | 16% |
| Service Brakes | 7 | 16% |
| Unknown OR Other | 6 | 13% |
| Engine | 5 | 11% |
| Power Train | 5 | 11% |
| Structure | 4 | 9% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 3 | 7% |
| Seats | 3 | 7% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. When the right turn signal is activated and the steering wheel is turned right, the windshield wipers activate unexpectedly. Diagnostic codes B230015 and B230615 are stored, indicating windshield wiper switch and wipe/wash malfunction. Concern appears related to the steering column…”
Steering · filed Jun 17, 2026
“I am a Amazon driver and my dsp makes us drive with very bad safety hazards on the vehicle the step up platform on the vehicle is broken brakes are terrible and the airbag sensors and tire pressure sensors are not working and very bad.”
Exterior Lighting · filed Apr 6, 2026
“Got in a serious accident due to the crosswind assist malfunctioning totalled car and got tickets for bad driving when it wasnt my fault the car took control and I couldn't halo what happended - they arrested me thinking i was drunk (dont drink) it was a nighmare help!!!! I have court 4/29 - this is very time…”
Service Brakes · filed Apr 1, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
123 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The 10 most recent:
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
Fuel Level Unchanged After Refueling Complaint The customer reports that the fuel gauge shows inaccurate readings or remains unchanged after refueling. Cause A. The Fuel Supply Control Unit (FSCU) fails to detect a…
LI47_00-N-069565 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 16, 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
Acoustic Warning or message occurring when a closed sliding door is not recognized Complaint Customer may state the warning message or indicator accompanied by acoustic tone alerting the sliding door is ajar when the…
LI80.20-N-079697 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 8, 2026
Complaint ASSYST values in XENTRY actual values and workshop menu of instrument cluster are implausibly excessive. Infor-mation: According to ASSYST values in XENTRY Diagnosis and the instrument cluster workshop menu, a…
LI00.20-N-080626 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 2, 2026
Sprinter 907 - Rear Axle Noise Diagnosis Best Practices Complaint Various noises from area of rear axle while driving Cause A: Howling Noises The high‑frequency howling noise is caused by the normal meshing behavior of…
LI35.00-N-080267_1 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 26, 2026
Check engine light with fault code P3005CA in MRD1 (CDI) Complaint The check engine light is on, with a possiblility in a reduction of power and the presence of soot in the exhaust system. Fault code P3005CA: The diesel…
LI49.20-N-078466_4 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued May 8, 2026
Complaint The customer reports that the fuel gauge shows inaccurate readings or remains unchanged after refueling. Cause A. The Fuel Supply Control Unit (FSCU) fails to detect a refueling event. B. The Fuel Level Sensor…
LI4700N069565 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 29, 2026
Complaint Crease formation on genuine leather seat covers in vehicles with low mileage Cause • objects left on the seats for extended periods of time (pressure marks) • objects wedged between the seat backrest and seat…
LI91-18-N-080032 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 9, 2026
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 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 has 18 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 2021 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.