NHTSA (USA)Critical
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may break apart instead of inflating normally during a crash due to propellant breaking down over time from heat and moisture exposure.
This page covers 5 recalls and 38 owner complaints for the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500.
For the 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500, the dominant complaint category by a wide margin is airbags, which accounts for roughly 40 percent of all filed complaints, though the underlying narratives don't detail specific airbag deployment failures in enough variety to synthesize recurring symptom patterns. Engine complaints are the clearest area of reported experience: owners describe the van entering a reduced-power condition while driving at highway speeds, with the vehicle failing to accelerate normally and sometimes dropping well below the intended speed on grades. The check engine light frequently accompanies these episodes, and some owners report the engine cutting out entirely before restarting. A smaller cluster of reports touches on fuel and propulsion issues that overlap with the power-loss pattern. One isolated report describes the roof-mounted air conditioning unit leaking water onto passengers inside the cabin during highway driving.
38
Total Complaints
1
Crash-Related
4
Fire-Related
By System
The 2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 has 5 recalls, the most serious involving both the driver and passenger frontal airbag inflators, which can rupture during deployment and send metal fragments into the cabin, risking serious injury or death.
Both airbag inflator recalls cover the same type of failure on opposite sides of the front seat: an explosive rupture that turns the inflator housing into shrapnel rather than cushioning occupants. There is a third airbag-related concern as well: certain vehicles were built without a reinforcement plate and protective bracket on the airbag control unit, which can prevent some airbags from deploying at all in a crash, leaving occupants without the protection the system is meant to provide.
On the interior structure side, certain vehicles built between late May and early August of 2014 may have an aluminum document holder mounted on the partition between the cab and load area. In a crash, an unbelted occupant can be thrown into that holder with enough force to cause injury. Finally, on vehicles converted into custom or camper vans by a third-party upfitter, the installed fire extinguisher may not function properly, reducing the ability to suppress a fire when it matters.
At a glance
What can fail
The passenger front air bag inflator may break apart instead of inflating normally during a crash due to propellant breaking down over time from heat and moisture exposure.
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Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the front passenger air bag module at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The fire extinguisher may clog and fail to spray, require excessive force to activate, or have a nozzle that detaches and causes injury.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the fire extinguisher with a different brand at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The air bag control unit lacks a reinforcement plate and protective bracket. After an initial impact, the unit may stop working, preventing air bags from deploying in a secondary impact.
What the fix does
Dealers will install a reinforcement plate and protective bracket around the air bag control unit at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The driver's front air bag inflator may build up excessive pressure and rupture when the air bag deploys.
What the fix does
The dealer will replace the driver's front air bag inflator at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An aluminum document holder is installed on the load area partition where an unbelted occupant could strike it during a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will relocate the document holder at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.