2020 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 Complaints

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The Adaptive Cruise Control turns off and then won't reset while driving. When the Adaptive Cruise Control turns off and then won't reset while driving. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? This causes the vehicle to immediately loose power. When traveling at highway speeds and vehicles are getting ready to pass us, then the cruise stops, we have been nearly rear ended multiple times on our last trip. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This has been inspected but the service center couldn’t reproduce because it happens after several hours of driving. We had this problem several times while traveling from Denver Colorado to Pittsburg Kansas. If we stopped for fuel or food, and turned the vehicle off it would be fine on restart. If we were driving when it turned off we would have to follow another vehicle at a constant distance for more than 5 minutes to get the system to reset. Sometimes it worked sometimes it didn't. This is also a safety issue because we were having to follow fairly close to a vehicle in front of us to get the system to reset. We also tried turning the system off every hour or so, use the “cancel” button while driving, but it didn’t seem to make a difference. The system continued to randomly turn itself off. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? We took the Sprinter in to a Mercedes-Benz dealer service center and they checked everything and said it was fine. Then we took it back a second time and asked if there was some sort of calibration or computer software update needed. They inspected the vehicle again and informed us everything was up to date. I do not feel that this issue was being taken seriously as it is very nerve racking when it happens and then trying to not get in an accident when traveling

Sudden complete engine failures occurred in my Mercedes-Benz Sprinter van during highway operation while transporting freight, creating a serious safety hazard due to immediate and total loss of engine power in active traffic conditions. The first engine failure occurred at approximately 303,000 miles. The second failure occurred at approximately 140,000 miles after engine replacement. In both cases, there were no prior warning signs, diagnostic alerts, abnormal noises, or performance issues before sudden and catastrophic engine shutdown. Both incidents occurred while I was operating the vehicle at highway speeds during commercial freight delivery. The engine failed without warning, resulting in immediate loss of propulsion while in traffic. On both occasions, I was forced to rapidly maneuver the disabled vehicle to the shoulder under reduced control and arrange emergency towing to safely remove the vehicle from the roadway and prevent a potential collision or injury. These failures created a significant highway safety risk due to the abrupt loss of power while merging, traveling in traffic flow, and operating at speed. A sudden engine shutdown in these conditions could result in a rear-end collision, loss of control, or multi-vehicle accident, particularly in high-speed or heavy traffic environments. The repeated nature of catastrophic engine failure following engine replacement raises concern about a potential underlying defect in the engine system, components, or related assemblies, or possible unresolved mechanical or installation-related issues. The recurrence of identical failure conditions under similar operating circumstances increases concern that this may not be an isolated incident. Vehicle Information: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter used for commercial freight delivery First engine failure: ~303,000 miles Second engine failure: ~140,000 miles (replacement engine) Failure type: Sudden, complete engine shutdown with no warning at highway speed

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.

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!

I’ve had two issues with my sprinter van that were transmission shift module that left me stranded with no way to shift the car into neutral. I was blocking a fuel pump and couldn’t get the car into gear. The first time I was stuck in a parking lot with the same issue. I can’t believe no one else had this issue. The screen message said “Service required do not shift gears” I purchased the van new in 2020. It only has 17000 miles on it. The dealerships Mercedes Benz in Sioux Falls and Mercedes Benz in Rochester Minnesota repaired the van.

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.

repeated EGR clogging and malfunction: bucking or stumbling behavior, inability to accelerate properly, disabled shifting affecting ability to slow or stop without excessive use of brakes, Limp Home Mode suddenly without warning including inability to maintain a safe speed on highway and speed minimums that the vehicle cannot keep up (20 mph max while climbing moderately), unable to downshift when going downhill - relying solely on braking to keep speed below safe limit or speed limits. EGR failed again after cleaning, in as little as 3 months. No repair seems possible, only repeated cleanings. Since this happened so much, we have been in several unsafe situations due to the sudden and unheralded degradation of performance and safe use of the vehicle. Once repaired, the condition can come back immediately due to the computer still guessing that it is still in failure (limp home mode returned suddenly without warning as we merged onto an interstate with no exit for 7 miles uphill… and only made 20mph). Check Engine light could come on, and did, but never during the actual degradation of performance - and went often after a few run cycles. Mercedes dealers have confirmed and performed all services on the EGR and related issues (malfunction once caused the aircleaner element to be sucked in and that caused a MAF to be destroyed by contaminants): 1) first signs of issue before 43,000 miles (when check engine light and/or LHM happened -repaired 18sep2023, 51,871 miles, MB service code: LI14.20-N-073867); 2) 26 DEC 2023 - EGR failure diagnosed and replaced by MB dealer. Cleaning had not fixed the issue or failure was final as found by driving by technician and not by codes! 3) 09/jul/2024 - MAF replaced, EGR codes noted - but functioning, fix by MB/Canada 4) 07/24/2024 - 70,547 miles - EGR Clean by MB Missoula MT - failed upon highway same day 5) 07/25/2025 - 70,600 miles - MB Missoula MT cleared computer 6) 88,340 MB cleaned EGR - runs ok again

While driving the vehicle, 4x4 and low range would engage on its own. It would cause the transfer case to grind, clunk, and lock up. This happened while the vehicle was in motion and could have easily sent the vehicle out of control. Some warning lights appeared on the dash. I took it into the dealership, they diagnosed it as a glitch in the transfer case actuator software. They updated the software and declined my warranty claim since the powertrain warranty did not cover software updates. I had to pay out of pocket for this fix. The issue is common to this model.

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.

The vehicle experiences complete loss of power (dead peddle) in 2 situation. both of which happen completely randomly. 1. From the start at zero miles per hour. In this situation you will start to move and then there is no power no matter how hard you press the peddle. This is very dangerous when turning into traffic. The vehicle has completely stopped running the risk of T bone collision. 2. There is also "dead peddle" while driving on the highway. The problem happens quite often. There have been situations where I have slowed from 60mph down to 20mph forcing me to pull off the road before the vehicle has regained power again.