46 of the
595 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500
are about the braking system —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2020.
2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 experienced unusually rapid brake, tire, and battery wear at low mileage. Front brakes required replacement at approximately 29,000 miles. Rear brakes were already worn low by approximately 37,000 miles. Rear tires required replacement by approximately 37,000 miles. Vehicle battery also failed and required replacement before approximately 37,000 miles. Vehicle had earlier emissions/sensor related repairs as well. This creates safety concerns because premature brake wear can reduce stopping ability and increase stopping distance. Premature tire wear can reduce traction, especially in rain, and increase risk of tire failure or blowout. Unexpected battery failure can disable the vehicle without warning in traffic or roadside conditions. Vehicle is used in normal commercial delivery service and is generally not heavily loaded. I have owned and operated multiple prior Sprinter vans over many years, and previous model years achieved substantially longer brake, tire, and battery life under similar or heavier use. A newer comparable fleet vehicle with similar mileage has not required these repairs. The issue appears abnormal compared with prior ownership experience and may indicate brake system drag, an alignment issue, defective components, battery charging issue, or another unresolved defect. Vehicle has been serviced by dealer and components were replaced, but premature wear remains the concern. In addition, rear brake wear occurring this early suggests possible imbalance or excessive brake application that should be investigated. Rapid tire wear combined with brake wear may indicate alignment or braking system issues affecting vehicle control and safety. I am submitting this complaint so the condition can be reviewed for potential defect trends affecting other similar vehicles. Defective parts may be available from prior repairs depending on service center retention.
NHTSA complaint #11733239 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
NHTSA complaint #11729522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 senansative!
NHTSA complaint #11728470 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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!
NHTSA complaint #11703605 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The van has a cross wind assist mode. When it activates it aggressively activates only one front wheel brake so dramatically that the van dives down and swerves out of the lane into the adjacent lane. The front wheel happened to be on wet pavement and it was chattering from braking so hard and not getting traction. I passed a slower motorcycle on the road and the crosswind assist almost caused me to run him off the road. The problem has not been reported to the dealer because i have read on several forums that dealers wont do anything about it. many people are complaining about this and it happens without warning. the problem started as soon as I bought the van, it now has 10,000 miles on it. This is a feature that is included with the van. When the dashboard lights do come on when the cross wind assist activates. No other warnings nor is thier any warning before the wind assist activates. Thanks for reading my concern
NHTSA complaint #11693227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
CRITICAL SAFETY CONCERN: Vehicle shifts into NEUTRAL during normal start sequence, could roll over passengers. Component of concern: Electronic "Wiper" stalk shifter is easily shifted into NEUTRAL during normal start sequence. Problem encountered several times in our 2021 Mercedes Sprinter- the stalk shifter is located directly in front of the "START/STOP" ignition button. To start the vehicle, you must: 1) Press and hold the brake 2) Reach under the shifter and press the "START/STOP" button The problem is pressing the brake is also the "safety interlock" for shifting out of PARK. The breakout force on the shifter stalk is VERY LOW, causing it to be inadvertently shifted into NEUTRAL during a normal start sequence. This is a safety concern, because often we will start the vehicle, and then exit the drivers seat to load passengers (small children and/or wheelchair users). The vehicle does not give any indication (no physical movement of the shifter) of shifting out of park- other than white letter on mid-dash indicator going from "P" to "N". The vehicle could easily be shifted into NEUTRAL and run over passengers during the loading operations.
NHTSA complaint #11683080 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The ABS front wheel sensor became inoperable after 27K. This disables several onboard systems that assist in vehicle control, including blind spot detection, and collision warning systems. Looking at the sensor - it completely separated at the connector by the wheel hub. The surrounding area showed no signs of unusual trauma or deterioration.
NHTSA complaint #11665427 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle revved but failed to respond. The contact was able to pull to the side of the emergency lane. The contact had called the dealer at that point who advised the contact to turn off the vehicle and lock the vehicle, then reopen and restart the vehicle to reset the computer system. The contact completed the instructions, and the failure did not reoccur. The contact stated that approximately 2 to 3 months later while driving approximately 60-65 MPH, the ABS suddenly activated causing the vehicle to stop unintendedly. The instrument panel displayed that the vehicle had detected an object nearby, causing the brake assist to activate and then go completely black. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal causing the vehicle to accelerate abruptly. The dealer had not been contacted. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #11605374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the vehicle stalled without warning. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator pedal however, the vehicle revved but failed to respond. The contact was able to pull to the side of the emergency lane. The contact had called the dealer at that point who advised the contact to turn off the vehicle and lock the vehicle, then reopen and restart the vehicle to reset the computer system. The contact completed the instructions, and the failure did not reoccur. The contact stated that approximately 2 to 3 months later while driving approximately 60-65 MPH, the ABS suddenly activated causing the vehicle to stop unintendedly. The instrument panel displayed that the vehicle had detected an object nearby, causing the brake assist to activate and then go completely black. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal causing the vehicle to accelerate abruptly. The dealer had not been contacted. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 5,000.
NHTSA complaint #11605374 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds with the stability crosswinds feature engaged in windy weather, the brakes independently activated without driver input, and the vehicle swerved and was uncontrollable. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
NHTSA complaint #11581121 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55-65 MPH, the Crosswind Assist inadvertently activated, causing the front and rear driver's side brakes to activate. The vehicle started swerving. The Crosswind Assist warning light was illuminated. The failure occurred on four separate occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no error codes were retrieved. The dealer determined that the vehicle had recalibrated while driving. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 2,100.
NHTSA complaint #11556272 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The crosswind assist on my vehicle causes me to momentarily loose control of my Sprinter. When passing a tractor-trailer or when I experience any crosswind, the result is a forceful jerking of the vehicle so severe that I almost crashed into the tractor-trailer. I have researched this and found no way to turn this off or any way to make this less reactive. I have also found online others who are experiencing this same problem. Mercedes does not respond to my inquiries, saying that this is standard and no way to regulate the severity of the response. Please help me to get this resolved BEFORE I become a statistic. Thank you!
NHTSA complaint #11548698 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car is in a warranty. I was to The Mercedes (Rockin California)service and they said Break front pads needs to replace 16,000 miles.I did service replace the front pads,and after that I had a lot a pulsing on the break pedal.I was back to Mercedes service(Rockin California ) to explain what happened with my brakes,and they said ‘’you need to replace the rotors disk and the new pads.I refused that.I was at second opinion to another mechanic and he said is issue about hydraulic problem,And safety.Another thing they did tire rotation (I do Not approval to do tires rotation ). I m scare about my safety driving. I need help to fix my car because I m using this car for my business in construction. Thank you .
NHTSA complaint #11545318 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I drove on the freeway with Cruise Control engaged. Suddenly, the control kicked off, and the meter board displayed the following warnings: "Active Brake Assist Functions Limited. See Operator's Manual" and "Active Distance Assist Inoperative." I immediately contacted Mercedes-Benz road assistance, and it took them 13 hours to tow my vehicle to the Mercedes-Benz dealer in Las Vegas. It is closed on Sunday. They just drop us on the driveway. The temperature was scorching at 105 degrees Fahrenheit. I drove very cautiously to a nearby parking lot, parked my vehicle under the shade of a tree, engaged park position, activated the emergency brake, and kept the engine idling with the air conditioning on for approximately 10 minutes. Unexpectedly, the vehicle suddenly started moving forward and accelerated, ultimately colliding with a tree about 5 feet in front. The front end of my vehicle sustained severe damage, but Mercedes-Benz has refused to take responsibility for this incident.
NHTSA complaint #11532522 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Driving at speed (70-75 mph) in the HOV lane of the I-5 Freeway south of Los Angeles, a warning signal would occasionally light up and sound when the van passed under HOV signage indicating HOV exits. Then, with a completely clear lane ahead – no vehicles, no obstacles – the van's braking system activated just before the van reached one of these overhead signs. The brakes fully locked, the van skidded briefly before the brakes released. The driver of the car following behind slammed on his/her brakes to avoid rear-ending the van. A very dangerous situation and major accident was only avoided because the traffic was relatively light in that particular section of the freeway at that time of day.
NHTSA complaint #11532181 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:FOUNDATION COMPONENTS:DISC:CALIPER
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was at the dealer for routine maintenance, the dealer determined that the rear driver's side brake caliper was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was opened. The failure mileage was approximately 47,000. The VIN was unavailable.
NHTSA complaint #11512185 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 10-27-22 the van was parked in my home driveway where it had been parked overnight. The engine was running for approximately 10 minutes while loading things into the vehicle. The vehicle was in park and the hand parking brake was not engaged. Prior to leaving I noticed the dash icon showing the rear door was not fully shut and went back to close it. Once I closed the rear door it then appeared that the transmission shifted itself into neutral and the van rolled back into the garage while I was standing outside of it. I have home surveillance camera footage showing the incident as it happened. I have tried to convey this information to Mercedes Benz but interactions with them have been less than helpful.
NHTSA complaint #11498070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact stated their company owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that the gear shifter was shifted into park(P) and the parking brake erroneously activated; however, the vehicle rolled forward as if the gear shifter was in drive(D). The contact depressed the brake pedal and made several attempts to put the vehicle in park(P). There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was not sure if the vehicle had been taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
NHTSA complaint #11493899 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Adaptive Cruise Control as well as Forward Collison warning fail to work properly when in use. Both unexpectedly malfunction for no apparent reason and vehicle will not cruise control will not function at all. The vehicle was taken back to the dealership where it was supposedly addressed and fixed, however, the issue has not been fixed. The vehicle presents the same issues as prior to the inspection and "repair" from the dealership. While driving with Adaptive Cruise Control/Forward Collison Warning, the system will malfunction. A light on the dash will indicate that it has been disabled, simultaneously, the vehicle will lose cruise control, foward collision warning immediately. Vehicle will not regain any form of cruise control or forward collison warning for an unspecified amount of time. Could be minutes, hours, or even days. Dash warnings also include cleaning sensors and cameras. Doing so does not correct the problem.
NHTSA complaint #11493007 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.