NHTSA (USA)High Risk
At a glance
The 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500 has 11 recalls, the most serious involving a hood latch screw that can work loose and allow the hood to fly open while driving, blocking the driver's view of the road.
Several recalls involve doors and occupant egress: an incorrect lever on the passenger-side door lock can make the door impossible to open from either inside or outside, and a separate issue with incorrectly built right-side door latches can prevent those doors from opening after electronic unlocking, both of which trap occupants in a crash. On the safety systems side, airbags on certain vehicles may not have been activated at the factory and will not deploy in a crash, and the electronic stability control can become disabled on vehicles upfitted as campers or recreational vehicles, reducing driving stability in demanding conditions. The hydraulic power steering return hose can detach and leak fluid, causing a sudden loss of power steering assist. Rear side windows on some vehicles use single-pane glass rather than laminated glass, which can allow rear occupants to be ejected in a side impact or rollover. Two recalls address spare tire speed limit labels that are either missing or marked in kilometers per hour only, which can lead a driver to run the spare tire faster than it can safely handle. There are also two overlapping recalls covering vehicles that left the assembly plant without a final safety inspection, leaving the condition of various fasteners and safety-related components unknown.
At a glance
Looking to upgrade?
Find accessories for your 2018 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500 at Amazon.
We may earn a commission for purchases made through these links.
What can fail
The Electronic Stability Control system may stop working on certain 2012-2018 Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter 3500 campers and recreational vehicles.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the rear-wheel speed sensor with a more durable sensor at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The hydraulic hoses that return fluid from the power steering system may come loose at their connection points during normal driving, causing steering fluid to leak out.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the power steering return line connections and tighten or repair them as needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The spare tire may be missing its label that shows the maximum safe speed for that tire.
What the fix does
A dealer will attach the speed limitation label to your spare wheel at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The spare tire label shows the maximum speed in kilometers per hour (55 kph) instead of miles per hour (34 mph), which could cause confusion about safe driving speed with the spare tire installed.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the spare tire label with one showing the correct maximum speed in miles per hour at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Vehicles missed final quality inspection at the reassembly plant, leaving safety-related parts and bolt connections unchecked. Unknown safety risks may exist.
What the fix does
Vehicle returns to reassembly plant for complete inspection and any needed repairs at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The airbag systems may not have been activated during manufacturing, so the airbags might not deploy in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will check if airbag systems are activated and activate them if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The screw holding the upper hood catch may not be tight enough, allowing the hood to open while driving due to speed, wind, or road conditions.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect and tighten the hood catch screw as needed at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Rear side windows may be single-pane safety glass instead of laminated safety glass, which provides less protection in impact or breakage.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the single-pane rear side windows with laminated safety glass at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Some 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and Metris vehicles skipped the final quality inspection at the plant, leaving safety-critical parts and bolts potentially unchecked.
What the fix does
Dealers will perform the final quality inspection of safety-relevant parts and bolt connections at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The right-side door latches may have incorrect internal components, preventing the doors from opening from inside or outside when electronically unlocked.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the right-side door locks and replace them if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger side door lock lever may be incorrect, making it impossible to open the door from inside or outside the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the passenger door lock and replace it if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
