U.S. public vehicle records

2014 Mercedes-Benz SPRINTER 3500 problems and owner complaints

Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.

Key facts

54 owner complaints analyzed

7 distinct recall campaigns

22,125 mi median reported failure mileage

Scope: 2014 model year. Data snapshot: 2026-09-12 (September 12, 2026). 34 complaints include usable failure mileage.

Owner-reported patterns

Most common problems

Air Bags is the most frequently named component, appearing in 19 of 54 complaints (35.2%). A complaint can name multiple components.

Recurring terms in complaint narratives
Topic	Matching reports	Share of complaints
Braking behavior	16	29.6%
Transmission and shifting	3	5.6%
Engine operation	1	1.9%
Electrical and battery issues	1	1.9%
Steering behavior	1	1.9%

Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.

Component breakdown

Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.

Air Bags

Service Brakes

Vehicle Speed Control

Electronic Stability Control (Esc)

Engine

Wheels

Electrical System

Unknown Or Other

Air Bags: 19; Service Brakes: 14; Vehicle Speed Control: 11; Electronic Stability Control (Esc): 10; Engine: 6; Wheels: 5; Electrical System: 4; Unknown Or Other: 3

Reported problems by failure mileage

Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.

Under 25,000

25,000 to 49,999

50,000 to 74,999

75,000 to 99,999

100,000 to 149,999

150,000 and above

Under 25,000: 19; 25,000 to 49,999: 14; 50,000 to 74,999: 0; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 1; 150,000 and above: 0

Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (19). 20 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.

Complaints over time

Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

2020

2021

2023

2015: 5; 2016: 3; 2017: 12; 2018: 10; 2019: 2; 2020: 15; 2021: 6; 2023: 1

Pattern summary

Air Bags leads the component reports. Braking behavior appears in 16 complaint narratives. Transmission and shifting appears in 3 complaint narratives. Engine operation appears in 1 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.

Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.

Complaint evidence

Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.

Owner report 10765196 · 2015-09-18 (September 18, 2015)

I HAVE BEEN EXPERIENCING THE BRAKES FELT VERY SOFT AND MADE LONG BRAKING DISTANCE. WHEN I TOWED THE SMALL SUV, I THOUGHT IT WAS NORMAL BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING WITH OVER ITS GVWR. BUT ALL THE TIME I HAVE TO STEP MORE TIME(LIKE PUMPING) TO STOP EVEN ON DRIVING UNDER 40MPH. IT NEVER ALLOW ME TO STEP ONE TIME.

Owner-reported narrative. 3,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10765196 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10778042 · 2015-09-28 (September 28, 2015)

BRAKES FEEL INEFFECTIVE AND SOFT ON FIRST APPLICATION OF PEDAL. REQUIRE 2ND APPLICATION OF BRAKE PEDAL TO FEEL CONFIDENT BRAKING ACTION. MANY OTHER OWNERS OF THIS 2014 CHASSIS SPRINTER 3500 REPORT SAME ISSUE. DEALERS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE OR REMEDY THE PROBLEM. INDICATES A DESIGN / ENGINEERING FLAW, RATHER THAN, A MECHANICAL FAILURE. THIS BRAKING ISSUE WAS CONSISTENT SINCE WE PURCHASED THE VEHICLE. HTTP://WWW.FORESTRIVERFORUMS.COM/FORUMS/F191/WHO-ELSE-HAS-SOFT-SPONGY-BRAKES-ON-THEIR-MB-93102.HTML

Owner-reported narrative. 8,900 miles reported. Look up ODI 10778042 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11375403 · 2020-11-19 (November 19, 2020)

I WAS DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY DURING RAIN AND 3 MESSAGES DISPLAYED ON THE DASH: 1) ESP (ELECTRONIC STABILITY PROGRAM) VISIT WORKSHOP, 2) ASR (ACCELERATION SLIP REGULATION) ICON VISIT WORKSHOP AND 3) ABS (ANTI-LOCK BRAKING SYSTEM) VISIT WORKSHOP. ALSO RECEIVED COLLISION AVOIDANCE ASSIST INOPERATIVE NOTIFICATION. I PULLED OFF THE HIGHWAY AND EXPERIENCED UNEXPECTED ACCELERATION AND ERRATIC GEAR SHIFTING RESULTING IN EXTREMELY UNSAFE OPERATION. LATER, MERCEDES SERVICE DETERMINED THE LEFT REAR WHEEL SPEED SENSOR WAS THE PROBLEM (SEE ATTACHED). DIAGNO…

Owner-reported narrative. 42,019 miles reported. Look up ODI 11375403 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11387017 · 2021-01-07 (January 7, 2021)

IT STARTED WITH TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING, DASH WARNING LIGHTS FLASHING, NO CRUISE CONTROL ALL WHILE IN MOTION

Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11387017 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11352380 · 2020-08-31 (August 31, 2020)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A FOREST RIVER SOLERA RV TRAILERED TO A 2014 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT AN UNDISCLOSED SPEED, THE ENGINE STALLED WITH THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE FAILURE RECURRED SEVERAL TIMES. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO SEVERAL UNKNOWN MERCEDES-BENZ DEALERS WHERE, THE KNOCK SENSOR WAS REPLACED. THE CONTACT ALSO STATED THAT WHENEVER ONE OF THE SPEED SENSORS ON THE WHEELS FAILED, THE GEAR SHIFTER FAILED TO OPERATE INTERMITTENTLY. THE FAILURE RECURRED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO T…

Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11352380 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 10950165 · 2017-02-07 (February 7, 2017)

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 SATURN J-TYPE (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START AND THE SERVICE ENGINE SOON WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE VEHICLE MISFIRED AND IDLED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 03V231000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 139,000.

Owner-reported narrative. 139,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10950165 at NHTSA ↗

Owner report 11360999 · 2020-09-24 (September 24, 2020)

POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND CAR CRASHED. MERCEDES BENZ WALNUT CREEK CALIFORNIA REFUSED FREE REPAIR

Owner-reported narrative. 1,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11360999 at NHTSA ↗