2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 problems & reliability
20 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500, alongside 4 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.
2 complaints report injuries (2 injured, 1 deaths reported).
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 5 | 25% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 5 | 25% |
| Air Bags | 4 | 20% |
| Unknown OR Other | 4 | 20% |
| Electrical System | 3 | 15% |
| Power Train | 3 | 15% |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 2 | 10% |
| Wheels | 2 | 10% |
| Engine | 1 | 5% |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 5% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 11 reported components →Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V042000 (Electronic Stability Control) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The manufacturer…”
Electronic Stability Control (esc) · filed Jun 28, 2021
“The contact owns a 2012 mercedes-benz sprinter 3500. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently failed to start up after multiple attempts, without warning. The contact called several unknown dealers and was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was…”
Engine · filed May 14, 2021
“When starting the vehicle it may take several times turning the ignition switch to start the vehicle.it may start each time for weeks and then you might try 30 tomes before it would start again. If one had an emergency and needed to find a doctor quick you would be hoping that it would start. I would encourage someone…”
Unknown OR Other · filed May 14, 2021
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Rear Wheel Speed Sensor Failure
Preliminary Evaluation PE20014 · opened Sep 21, 2020 · closed Mar 30, 2021 · led to recall 21V042000
Technical service bulletins
101 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500. The 10 most recent:
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
OM642 DPF Filter Cracked or Broken Complaint Vehicle will not start or exhibits noisy exhaust. Check Engine Lamp (CEL) is on. Multiple control unit communication and system faults may be present, including but not…
LI49.10-N-080528 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 3, 2026
Complaint Rattling noise from underneath the vehicle. Cause One or more of the following conditions may be present: 1. The exhaust bracket from the DPF to the transmission is cracked or broken. • See Pic. 1 for an…
LI4910-N-060969 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 18, 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
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
Clunking noise on load change or gear engagement Complaint Clunking noise can be heard on some load changes or when changing from N->R or N->D Cause Movement of transfer case splines Remedy Apply bearing retainer…
LI28.00-N-063339 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Dec 1, 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
Complaint Transmission control unit Y3/8n4 (fully integrated transmission control unit (VGS)) not listed in quick test and/or no communication possible with VGS. Cause Transmission control unit Y3/8n4 Remedy For…
LI27.19-N-079793 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 16, 2025
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 May 9, 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 has 4 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 2012 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500?
- · 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.