2006 Dodge SPRINTER 3500: complaints, problems and recalls

MY 2006 SPRINTER DIESEL HAS HAD A RESONATOR FAILURE WHICH CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER - IF THIS HAD HAPPENED AT THE WRONG TIME IT COULD HAVE BEEN DEADLY. THE FAILURE HAPPENED WITHIN A FEW THOUSAND MILES AND WAS REPAIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER UNDER WARRANTY. HOWEVER, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ANY RECALL THAT I AM AWARE OF AND AFTER A WEB SEARCH IT APPEARS THERE SHOULD BE - THE REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE NOT AN IMPROVEMENT AND AS A RESULT THE FAILURE HAS OCCURRED MORE THAN ONCE FOR MANY OWNERS. IT IS CLEARLY A SAFETY ISSUE GIVEN THE SUDDEN NATURE OF THE L…

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10217043 at NHTSA ↗

REPEATED FAILURE OF TURBO RESONATOR ON DODGE SPRINTER 3500 / WINNABAGO VIEW RESULTING IN SUDDEN LOSS OF 90% OF POWER. PART CRACKS OPEN CAUSING LOSS OF TURBO PRESSURE. ENGINE SENSOR THINKS TURBO HAS FAILED SHUTTING DOWN ENGINE INTO LIMP MODE RESULTING IN 90% LOSS OF POWER. SAME PART HAS FAILED TWICE IN 2,500 MILES. BOTH TIMES HAPPENED ON THE INTERSTATES HIGHWAYS IN TRAFFIC AND NEARLY RESULTED IN AN ACCIDENT ON I 75 SOUTH OF ATLANTA LAST YEAR AND ON I 20 WEST OF ATLANTA LAST WEEKEND. IN BOTH CASES HIGH SPEED VEHICLES PASSING ON BOTH SIDES CR…

Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10231711 at NHTSA ↗

2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500 TURBO RESONATOR FAILURES. MY WIFE AND I PURCHASED THE ABOVE UNIT IN THE FORM OF A WINNEBAGO VIEW. ON OUR FIRST TRIP WE HAD TO CROSS A SMALL MOUNTAIN PASS IN THE SHENANDHOAS. A FEW MINUTES IN TO THE CLIMB, I NOTICED THE POWER DROPPING OFF. WE WERE ALREADY ALL THE WAY IN THE RIGHT LANE, HOWEVER; THE VEHICLE LOST SO MUCH POWER THE LARGE TRUCKS ALSO IN THE RIGHT LANE HAD TO SWERVE TO AVOID HITTING THE VEHICLE. WE HAD THE VEHICLE TOWED TO A DEALER AND THEY EXPLAINED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD SUFFERED A FAILURE OF THE TURBO RESON…

Owner-reported narrative. 19,425 miles reported. Look up ODI 10232226 at NHTSA ↗

I PURCHASED A 2006 DODGE SPRINTER 3500 AS A 2007 WINNEBAGO VIEW CLASS C MOTORHOME. IN ABOUT JANUARY OF 2008 I EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER AND THE PLASTIC TURBO RESONATOR WAS REPLACED UNDER WARRANTY. ON JUNE 6, 2008 ON TRIP FROM TULSA TO FRISCO, TX AGAIN EXPERIENCED LOSS OF POWER AND ANOTHER PLASTIC TURBO RESONATOR WAS PLACED ON THE VEHICLE AT 4642 TOTAL MILES. HAVING HAD TWO FAILURES OF THIS RESONATOR WITHIN A YEAR AND UNDER 5000 MILES, I FILL THERE IS A SERIOUS DEFECT IN THE ORIGINAL RESONATOR AND THE IMPROVED ONE THAT ALSO FAILED. …

Owner-reported narrative. 4,642 miles reported. Look up ODI 10236679 at NHTSA ↗

TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE. PART HAS BEEN REPLACED TWICE AND DODGE DEALER SAYS THIS IS ALL I CAN KEEP DOING. SPRINTER WINNEBAGO ONLY HAS 10,000 MILES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 7,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10242129 at NHTSA ↗

SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE CLIMBING HILL IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. COULD PROCEED AT ONLY 5 MPH TO GET OFF ROAD INTO SHOPPING CENTER PARKING LOT. HAD TO BE TOWED TO A SAFE OVERNIGHT LOCATION. WAS A DANGEROUS SITUATION WHEN IT HAPPENED. WE WERE VERY LUCKY NOT TO BE HIT FROM BEHIND. FAILED PART WAS A PLASTIC "TURBO RESONATOR". REPLACED BY DEALER. CODE #43358. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 18,909 miles reported. Look up ODI 10245738 at NHTSA ↗

VEHICLE IS WINNEBAGO VIEW ON A DODGE SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS. TRAVELING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOSES ACCELERATION. WILL NOT ENGAGE THE TURBO. WHEN CLIMBING A HILL IT WILL NOT ACCELERATE BEYOND 20MPH. THIS HAPPENED THE FIRST TIME WITH ONLY 5,000 MILES AND IT HAPPENED THE SECOND AT 11,000 MILES. BOTH TIMES THE DEALER HAD TO REPLACE THE PLASTIC RESONATOR. THE MECHANIC TOLD ME THIS HAD BEEN HAPPENING QUITE OFTEN WITH OTHER OWNERS. IN REVIEWING THE ODI COMPLAINTS I HAVE FOUND THE SAME COMPLAINT REPEATED MANY TIMES. *TR

Owner-reported narrative. 11,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10287198 at NHTSA ↗

2006 DODGE SPRINTER TRUCK. CONSUMER STATES SEVERAL ISSUES WITH VEHICLE LEADING TO BREAK DOWNS *TGW THE DEALER NOTED THE VEHICLE LACKED POWER AND WOULD NOT ACCELERATE PROPERLY. THE VEHICLE WOULD ESPECIALLY LOOSE POWER WHILE DRIVING ON AN INCLINE. ONE YEAR LATER, THE RESONATOR WAS REPLACED. THE VEHICLE BROKE DOWN AGAIN ON MARCH 27, 2009. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE LOCK WASHER ON THE LUG NUT FOR THE DRIVERS SIDE FRONT TIRE HAD BEEN IMPROPERLY PUT ON THE TIRE. THE BRAKE LIGHT AND TAIL LIGHT BULBS WERE REPLACED. THE EGR VALVE WAS STICKING, T…

Owner-reported narrative. 50,760 miles reported. Look up ODI 10327422 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2008-07-24 (July 24, 2008)

SPRINTER IS RECALLING 10 MY 2001-2006 DODGE AND FREIGHTLINER 2500 AND 3500 VEHICLES. THE WELDING SEAM BETWEEN THE BRACKET AND STEERING COLUMN OF AFFECTED SPARE PARTS DOES NOT MEET DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS. THE RESULT OF AN OUT OF SPECIFICATION WELDING SEAM IS THAT THE STEERING COLUMN MAY DETACH FROM ITS INTERIOR VEHICLE MOUNTING BRACKET.

Consequence: THE OPERATOR MAY LOSE STEERING ABILITY OF THE VEHICLE INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE STEERING COLUMNS FREE OF CHARGE. THE RECALL IS EXPECTED TO BEGIN ON OR BEFORE FEBRUARY 16, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SPRINTER AT 843-695-5057.

Reported: 2014-11-05 (November 5, 2014)

Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005, S2010, S5005, S5010, S5505, and S5510 wheelchair lifts manufactured by Ricon Corporation after January 1, 2006. The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.

Consequence: If the platform side plates crack, the lift platform can separate from the lift and come to rest against the vehicle's lift door. When the doors are opened, the platform may fall out, increasing the risk of injury to the lift operator.

Remedy: Cummings will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge. The recall began January 13, 2015. Owners may contact Cumming's customer service at 1-800-639-5438 or Ricon customer service at 1-800-322-2884. Cumming's number for this recall is 14E-041.

Reported: 2016-11-17 (November 17, 2016)

Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Dodge and Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vans manufactured June 30, 2003, to August 31, 2006. The instrument cluster on the affected vehicles fails to illuminate the BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument cluster during the vehicle start up bulb-function check. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 105, "Hydraulic and Electric Brake Systems."

Consequence: Without the BRAKE lamp illuminating during the vehicle start up bulb-function check, the driver has no confirmation that the lamp is working and therefore may not know whether or not the lamp will illuminate if the brake fluid level is low. If the operator is unaware that the vehicle has low brake fluid, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy: DVUSA will notify owners, and DVUSA and Dodge dealers will correct the instrument cluster software, as necessary, free of charge. An interim notification was sent to owners on January 6, 2017. A second notice will be mailed to owners once the remedy becomes available. The recall began on July 27, 2017. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-770-705-2070.