The 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter has 26 recalls, with the most serious issues including airbag wiring that can be damaged by swivel-seat movement, causing side airbags to fail in a crash or deploy without warning.
Several other high-severity concerns involve fire risk: loose fuel hose clamps can allow fuel to leak or spray, an overheating fuse connection for the blower motor can ignite nearby components, and exhaust leaks from both the EGR pipe and the turbocharger-to-particulate-filter connection can scorch surrounding parts in the engine compartment. A wiring harness that gets trapped near the brake pedal switch can keep the brake lights on and allow the vehicle to start and shift into gear without pressing the brake pedal. Separately, steering shaft screws that loosen over time can eventually detach and cause complete loss of steering control.
On the chassis and structure side, the roof may be missing welds where it attaches to the B-pillar, and the rear frame may lack reinforcements, which can compromise crash protection and cause third-row seat mounts to fail in a collision. Brake concerns include front hoses that can rub against fender liners and leak, and on vehicles with an electric parking brake, caliper leaks can introduce air into the brake system and soften pedal feel. Some vehicles can roll away from a parked position if the parking brake is not set. Certain vans were also built with incorrect rear side window glass that raises ejection risk in a rollover, and others are missing handling and stability components required under Canadian