2003 Dodge SPRINTER: complaints, problems and recalls
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
15 owner complaints analyzed
0 distinct recall campaigns
28,000 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2003 model year. Data snapshot: . 11 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Tires is the most frequently named component, appearing in 5 of 15 complaints (33.3%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 2 | 13.3% |
| Braking behavior | 2 | 13.3% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 1 | 6.7% |
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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Tires | 5 |
| Tires:Valve | 5 |
| Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System | 3 |
| Electrical System | 1 |
| Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission | 1 |
| Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm) | 1 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor | 1 |
Tires: 5; Tires:Valve: 5; Engine And Engine Cooling:Exhaust System: 3; Electrical System: 1; Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission: 1; Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm): 1; Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Rotor: 1
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 5 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 2 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 1 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 0 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 2 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 5; 25,000 to 49,999: 2; 50,000 to 74,999: 1; 75,000 to 99,999: 0; 100,000 to 149,999: 2; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (5). 4 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.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 4 |
| 2005 | 4 |
| 2007 | 2 |
| 2010 | 5 |
2004: 4; 2005: 4; 2007: 2; 2010: 5
Pattern summary
Tires leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 2 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 2 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues 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.
Examples from the source records
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10081729 · 2004-09-08 (September 8, 2004)
WHILE STOPPING FOR A RED LIGHT CONSUMER HEARD A LOUD NOISE. CFONSUMER GOT OUT OF VEHICLE AND NOTICED THAT TIRE FLAT. AAA WAS CALLED, WHO INDICATED THAT THE VALVE STEM BLEW OUT. THE NEXT DAY WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS SITTING IN THE DRIVEWAY THE VALVE STEM BLEW OUT AGAIN AT ANOTHER ANOTHER TIRE. *AK *TS PE04066_CAT
Owner-reported narrative. 28,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10081729 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086373 · 2004-08-07 (August 7, 2004)
THIS STUFF IS DANGEROUS. I'VE LOST THREE TIRE VALVES IN LESS THAN 1000 MILES AND THE LAST WAS SUDDEN AND VIOLENT. HONESTLY, I THOUGHT I'D DONE SOMETHING WRONG, BUT I'VE USED ONLY MR. CLEAN WASH SYSTEM AND A VERY DILUTE DEGREASER ON THE WHEELS. IT WAS DIFFICULT TO TRY TO REMOVE THE STEMS WITHOUT FURTHER DAMAGING THE VALVES AT DISCOUNT BUT WE PERFOMRED A LITTLE EXPERIMENT BEFORE DISSEMBLING THE TIRE. WE RAN THE PSI UP TO 80 OFF THE VEHICLE AND WATCHED WHERE THE AIR ESCAPED THE VALVE. THERE IS A RUBBER COLLER THAT RUNS ABOUT 1/2 UP THE METAL …
Owner-reported narrative. 8,945 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086373 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10086391 · 2004-08-08 (August 8, 2004)
TIRE VALVES SUDDENLY ALLOW AIR TO ESCAPE FROM WHEEL, A COLLISION COULD HAVE EASILY OCCURRED. FOUND THAT THE VALVE WAS FAULTY, AND FAILED DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES GENERATED BY DISC BRAKES.*AK PE04066_CAT
Owner-reported narrative. 13,955 miles reported. Look up ODI 10086391 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10088301 · 2004-08-20 (August 20, 2004)
I HAVE A 2003 FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER VAN, MADE BY MERCEDES, AND WHILE ON A TRIP I NOTICED A LOW TIRE AND WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO ADD AIR THE VALVE STEM THREADED BRASS PART SEPARATED FROM THE NEOPRENE. I TOOK IT TO A TIRE PLACE AND HAD THE VALVE STEM REPLACED. ABOUT A WEEK LATER, ON THE TRIP BACK TO FLORIDA, I WOKE UP IN THE MORNING TO FIND ANOTHER DIFFERENT TIRE FLAT WITH THE VALVE STEM DELAMINATED AND I CHANGED IT MYSELF. WHEN I GOT HOME, I CONTACTED DODGE FOR HELP GOT A COLD SHOULDER. I THEN HAD ALL 5 DISMOUNTED AND METAL STEMS INSTALLED. I HAVE T…
Owner-reported narrative. 16,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10088301 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10109152 · 2005-01-28 (January 28, 2005)
RECALL CAMPAIGN 04V600000 CONCERNING TIRE VALVE. WHILE DRIVING 60 MPH THE VEHICLE SWAYED SEVERELY ACROSS THE ROAD. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL THE VEHICLE OFF THE MAIN ROAD, AND NOTICED THE RIGHT REAR TIRE WAS FLAT. THEN, CONSUMER CHANGED THE TIRE, AND DROVE THE VEHICLE TO HIS BROTHER IN LAW'S HOME. HE INFLATED THE TIRE WITH AIR, AND NOTICED AIR LEAKING FROM THE VALVE STEM. CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO GET THE OTHER THREE TIRES REPAIRED UNDER THIS RECALL. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 19,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10109152 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10113352 · 2005-03-03 (March 3, 2005)
WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH FRONT DRIVER/REAR PASSENGER TIRE BLEW OUT. CONSUMER PULLED OVER AND CHANGED THE TIRE. MICHELIN , P275R16. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK
Owner-reported narrative. 18,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10113352 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10121827 · 2005-05-22 (May 22, 2005)
WE OPERATE 2 2003 DODGE SPRINTER PASSENGER VANS IN OUR AIRPORT SHUTTLE BUSINESS. ON THURSDAY, MAY 19TH WE HAD A VEHICLE JUST QUIT AFTER START-UP WHEN THE DRIVER STEPPED ON THE GAS. SHE RE-STARTED, DROVE A BLOCK, IT QUITS AGAIN. WE HAD 6 PASSENGERS ONBAORD TO GO TO THE AIRPORT. SHE COULD NOT MAKE THE VEHICLE RUN MORE THAN A FEW BLOCKS AND IF SHE STEPPED ON THE GAS TO ACCELERATE IT WOULD QUIT. WE TOWED IT TO THE DEALER AND THE NEXT DAY IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A WIRE BUNDLE THAT RUNS FROM THE ECU TO THE ENGINE, WHICH IS TIED WRAPPED TO 2 OTHER WI…
Owner-reported narrative. 190,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10121827 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10139252 · 2005-10-11 (October 11, 2005)
- HAD BRAKES ON 2003 DODGE SPRINTER CHECKED BY LOCAL MECHANIC. SAID THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 40% BRAKE PAD LEFT BUT THE ROTORS WHERE EXTREMELY WORN. I AM WONDERING IF ROTOR LIFE GOES PAST THE BRAKE LIFE AND COULD BE A DANGER. DEALER SAID ROTORS ARE CHANGED EVERYTIME WITH PAD CHANGE! *NM
Owner-reported narrative. 120,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10139252 at NHTSA ↗
Recall history
0 distinct campaigns affect this selection. Announcement dates below are different from vehicle model years. A campaign may cover multiple years.
No recall campaigns are recorded in this snapshot.