66 of the
595 complaints filed about the Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500
are about the electrical system —
11% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2020.
Frequently, when I started the car, the instrument cluster's monochrome display will stay blank/black or display completely corrupted garbage - unreadable bit and pieces. I wasn't able to read essential info like level of drive gear and fuel level etc. Often when this happens, the physical speedometer pointers won't settle on accurate current speed level, but keep cycling: from 0 spin to some value and then reset back to 0 and spin to some value ... This makes driving risky as I am not able to see accurate driving speed!
NHTSA complaint #11750471 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On January 19, 2026, my neighbors / daughter noticed smoke was coming from under the van that had been parked for over 3 hours. Shortly after, he confirmed the van had caught fire. I asked him to call the fire department.
NHTSA complaint #11748198 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Almost immediately after I got my Van the Aux Balmar Alternator installed by THOR had to be replaced and was not functional. I tried to get it repaired by two warranty repair centers in Colorado and neither one could repair the Alternator or get it to charge the lithium battery that was also new. Thor told me that they would have specialist look at it when I brought it into Blue Compass of Wheatridge and they told me they had fixed the issue but it still will not charge battery even after 17 hours of driving.
NHTSA complaint #11746789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Almost immediately after I got my Van the Aux Balmar Alternator installed by THOR had to be replaced and was not functional. I tried to get it repaired by two warranty repair centers in Colorado and neither one could repair the Alternator or get it to charge the lithium battery that was also new. Thor told me that they would have specialist look at it when I brought it into Blue Compass of Wheatridge and they told me they had fixed the issue but it still will not charge battery even after 17 hours of driving.
NHTSA complaint #11746789 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
Vehicle: 2024 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter VIN: [XXX] Mileage: 148,000 The vehicle is experiencing a serious safety-related defect where the starter motor remains engaged even after the engine is turned off. This results in the starter continuing to run and stay powered, which can cause severe mechanical damage, overheating, and presents a potential fire risk. The starter has already been replaced, but the issue persists, indicating the problem is within the vehicle’s electrical control system (such as wiring harness, relay, or control module). Additionally, I was informed that this same vehicle had a prior wire harness-related issue in 2024 under the previous owner, suggesting a recurring or unresolved electrical defect. This condition can lead to unexpected vehicle behavior and poses a safety hazard due to the risk of electrical failure or fire. The vehicle is currently at a Mercedes-Benz dealership for diagnosis, and a case has been opened with Mercedes-Benz USA under case #XXX. I am submitting this complaint to report a potential safety defect and request investigation. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11725922 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact became aware of an electrical burning odor. Upon touching the steering wheel, the steering wheel was extremely hot. After the vehicle was driven, the steering wheel gradually cooled down. The owner expressed concerns that the air bag might inadvertently deploy due to the heat. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
NHTSA complaint #11719801 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Mercedes dealership refused to replace ism module and I'm driving with blank instrument panel! No rmp no mph no gas gauge no milage nothing! This vehicle is my only source of income as I'm a delivery driver! It's my only vehicle! I need this fixed now or I can't pay my bills! This part is recalled and I expect them to fix it!
NHTSA complaint #11719282 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Following Jayco and Entegra instructions, I delivered my coach to Blue Compass RV. It has now been more than SIX MONTHS out of service. Jayco Pre-Authorization has denied the required battery replacement and referred me to the battery manufacturer, even though Entegra bulletins and recall procedures identify and correct the conditions that caused the damage. Completed Recall and TSB Work Approved by Entegra and Jayco · 22-075 (TSB) A/C Electrical Connection Instructions, September 2022. Replaces WAGO connectors. · 22-076 (TSB) Firefly Terminator G4 Tap Connector, September 2022. Corrects communication errors within the lithium battery network. · 23-101 (TSB) Front Spotlight Electrical Update, April 2023, revised September 2023. Mitigates spotlight over current that can affect Firefly. Adds harness, relay, and software. · 23-120 (TSB) Renogy Inverter Settings, November 2023. Updates parameters; requires Battery Type = LF16 and custom set points. · 23-123 (TSB) Alternator Fuse Replacement, December 2023. Replaces 300 A MRBF with 200 A MRBF. Confirms alternator charging 30 to 100 A on Samkoon. · 24-015 (TSB) Renogy Battery Firmware Update, September 2024. Updates BMS to v137.4.5 to address alternator not charging the battery. Includes state-of-charge calibration. · 24V-160 / 2024-141 (Recall) Renogy Lithium Battery Firmware Update, May 2024, revised August 2024. Recall firmware to v137.4.4. Inspection identifies stuck contactors and requires battery replacement when found. Service bulletins 23-120, 23-123, and 24-015 show that the system ran with outdated inverter and alternator settings, an oversized alternator fuse, and battery firmware that interfered with proper charging. These factors accelerate cell imbalance and degradation. Only after Entegra-approved updates were applied did the full extent of battery degradation become evident. Replacing the battery earlier would have risked repeat failure.
NHTSA complaint #11709064 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy after the purchase. The vehicle was a private sale. At the time of purchase, the mileage was 41,000. It was later discovered upon diagnosis that the mileage was 95,000.
NHTSA complaint #11706703 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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 with my dog. I opened the hood to look for smoke in the engine bay. No smoke under the hood. I contact Mercedes Roadside and open the driver side door where I see flames under the seat. I grabbed the fire extinguisher I installed and put the fire out within 20-25 seconds of seeing it. I believe the root cause of the fire was running the van blower at a high setting for a sustained 45 minutes. My dog and I were inside and definitely in danger. It scares me to think of a scenario where the van was idling with only my dog inside and something like this occurring. The incident is currently under investigation with MB USA and my insurance company, Progressive. No warning signs or dashboard messages. In general, the electrical wiring for my vehicle has been spotty and was completely rewired by the dealer service center in 2021. Currently, there is an issue blacking out the dashboard screen so there is no screen function including gps, entertainment, or vehicle info.
NHTSA complaint #11703896 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I had the same issues as identified in a current recall entitled: Model 907 Sprinter. Model Year 2019-2022 Update Instrument Cluster Software. In my case the instrument cluster remained non-functional upon vehicle start-up exactly like the recall with an added problem of the ignition push button would not shut off the vehicle. I was left with a vehicle I could not shut off without an operational instrument cluster. While my model year and model number match this recall, for some reason my VIN number was not included in the recall so the dealer will not upgrade the software and fix this problem. The scope of this recall must be corrected to include my VIN number.
NHTSA complaint #11691714 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while in reverse, the rearview camera failed to display a rearview image. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to provide a cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V411000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention); but the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 51,000.
NHTSA complaint #11682962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2024 Winnebago Revel RV built on a 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Chassis. The contact stated while the RV was idling, the heater was activated, and the contact's wife made him aware that there was an abnormal smoke odor. Additionally, the contact stated that while the RV was idling, the contact opened the mobile app and noticed that the Winnebago house battery was not charging. The contact also noticed the failure while driving. The RV was taken to the dealer, where the alternator was replaced twice; however, the failure persisted. The RV was taken to Coastal RV Center (6075 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470); where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was not available. The failure mileage was approximately 600.
NHTSA complaint #11662299 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Charging issue with house battery side of class B camping van. It became somewhat apparent the system was not charging properly and quickly escalated to a high overcharge situation, followed by evidence of electrical short in smells and possible smoke in engine bay. The car was in for service for a month and a half. I am not sure the issue is completely resolved and Winnebago has been fairly unresponsive when asked questions afterwards. This issue could cause a fire. There are multiple units with similar issues. Ultimately the secondary alternator was replaced, and a recall kit applied. I am not sure what the specific kit entailed. The repair was done at Johnson RV in Sandy Oregon
NHTSA complaint #11639645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
When driving on a cold rainy day, I turned on defrost heat to clear my windscreen. No heat came out. AC, fans and zone select worked fine, but no heat. So I had to stop repeatedly on a narrow road to wipe windshield. After reviewing user forums, some pointed to a known problem with these Sprinter vans. Apparently the actuator servo motor that controls the heater flap can get stuck at limit positions and fail. This explains why my heater is stuck on cold. Also mentioned in forum, there is also a manufacturer software update that prevents this issue by keeping the actuator servo motor from moving to the very last position (cold or hot). This simple preventive fix was never offered to us during our warranty period. Some forum users went further with a modification to servo motor shaft - apparently this fixed the undesirable flexing on heater flap. Now that the servo motor has failed and I no longer have any heat, I do recognize that there were warning signs. I now recall there were occasional instances where my temperature select did not have any effect until I drove the temperature all the way up or down. I believe this was the servo motor getting stuck briefly but it became unstuck before it completely failed. I feel this can be a grave safety issue because of individual circumstance. Most times it may be an annoyance. But in certain conditions (as I experienced) it will be a significant impediment to driver visibility. It also exposed me to roadside risk when I stopped to wipe inside of windshield.
NHTSA complaint #11633974 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Since date of purchase, May 2022, the electrical components have not worked properly. The solar panels have never worked, the second alternator used to only charge while driving intermittently now it doesn't work at all, and plugging into shore power sometimes melts the cord. The chassis battery frequently drains requiring constant starting or a jump. It has been replaced four times. The cabin lights continue to flicker when turned on. I sought help from the dealer just weeks after purchasing the van. Due to parts and labor shortages, it wouldn't be for 5 months that they could work on the vehicle. Which they did on and off for five months before sending me from Oregon to Alabama to have the manufacturer work on it. They sent me 2300 miles to fix a brand new vehicle that they sold me. After having been to over 15 Mercedes dealers, towed to many, and to the Tiffin manufacturer (and when it turned out not to be fixed. I took it right back but then when it still wasn't fixed. I sought help from Mercedes.), the van is still not fixed and I am often without power.
NHTSA complaint #11632275 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On [XXX], I purchased a new 2022 Mercedes Benz Winnebago Adventure Wagon (“RV”) from La Mesa RV located in Phoenix, AZ. Prior to purchase, while doing research online, it came to my attention that there was an NHTSA Safety Recall for this particular year/model that affected wires under the seat and potential Airbag deployment. (NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall Report #24V-318). Once I learned of the safety recall, I contacted the dealer on September 21 to determine if this particular vehicle was part of the recall and/or if it has been repaired. On September 23, a representative from La Mesa RV contacted me and assured me this specific vehicle was not part of the recall and does not require a repair. After purchasing the RV, I contacted Winnebago directly to inquire about the warranty and any pending recalls, specifically NHTSA #24V-318. The representative from Winnebago confirmed that this specific RV (verified by VIN) was in fact part of the recall and should have been repaired by the dealer prior to sale. On November 6, 2024, I emailed the manager at La Mesa RV to report the misinformation provided by them and requesting immediate remedy. The manager nor any representative from La Mesa RV responded to address this issue. La Mesa RV appeared to ignore the safety recall and sold a new vehicle to me without repairing a known issue. They have not offered any remedy or correction. Dealer contact info: La Mesa RV, 7525 W. McDowell Rd, Phoenix, AZ 85035. Thank you for your attention to this matter. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11627346 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated when the vehicle started, the instrument panel failed to display properly, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact was concerned that the vehicle was hazardous to drive and could be severely injured if the instrument panel failed to display warning features as needed. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 91,000.
NHTSA complaint #11588751 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.