Most common 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 problems
Share of the 39 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.
Dodge Sprinter 3500 complaints by model year
Best Sprinter 3500 years: 2002, 2003, 2004. Years to avoid: 2008, 2006. Compare all years →
2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 recalls (6)
Air bags › Frontal › Passenger side › Inflator module
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2007-2009 Freightliner and Dodge Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled into the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
Remedy: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the passenger side frontal air bag, free of charge. The recall began on September 29, 2017. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267.
Air bags › Frontal › Driver side › Inflator module
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (Daimler Vans) is recalling certain model year 2007-2009 Dodge Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2006, to July 31, 2008, 2007-2014 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles manufactured July 1, 2006, to July 1, 2014, and 2010-2014 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vehicles…
Remedy: Daimler Vans will notify the Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner owners and Fiat Chrysler will notify the Dodge owners. The respective dealers will replace the driver frontal air bag inflator, free of charge.
Equipment adaptive/mobility
Cummings Mobility Conversion & Supply (Cummings) is recalling certain model year 2006-2014 Ford E-150, E-250, E-350, Chevrolet Express, 2006-2008 Dodge Sprinter, and 2009-2014 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, and 2013 Ford Transit Connect vehicles manufactured January 1, 2006, to October 8, 2014, equipped with certain model S2005,…
Remedy: Cummings will notify owners to take buses to a Ricon dealer or service center who will install supplemental platform support bumpers. Any platform that has already started cracking will be replaced, free of charge.
Seat belts
Mercedes-Benz is recalling certain model year 2008-2011 2500 and 3500 sprinter vehicles equipped with an optional three-seat bench in the passenger compartment. The seat benches in the second seating row May have been equipped with safety belts that do not meet the minimum requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard…
Remedy: Mercedes-Benz will inspect and replace any seat belt assemblies that do not meet the requirements free of charge. The safety recall began on July 15, 2011. Owners May contact Mercedes-Benz at 843-695-5000.
Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft
Sprinter is recalling 79 my 2008 Dodge and freightliner 3500 trucks. Some of the left drive shafts on the rear axle which were labeled with the charge indicator "s," May contain cracks at the radius between the shaft and the flange.
Remedy: Dealers will check the left rear drive shaft for charge indicator "s" and replace it free of charge. The recall began on October 6, 2008. Owners May contact sprinter at 1-843-695-5000.
Service brakes, hydraulic › Foundation components › Master cylinder
Sprinter is recalling 34 my 2007-2008 Dodge and freightliner sprinter 3500 cargo vans. Some of these vans May not have had the correct brake components installed.
Remedy: Dealers will install the appropriate master brake cylinders and brake fluid reservoirs. The recall began on June 30, 2008. Owners May contact sprinter at 1-800-992-1997.
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal safety investigators have looked into a possible defect involving the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500:
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
What 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 owners say
Air bags all 33 →
Dodge was not able to replace the passenger airbag. No dealers could replace it. I had the passenger airbag replaced by a Mercedes Sprinter dealership and was reimbursed by Dodge. The problem is they can not remove the recall from NHTSA. I still get email and mail telling me to replace the passenger airbag. I've called 4 times over 2 years. Each time they say they'll fix it. It still shows the recall is not complete. How can I remedy this? Dodge has been no help.
Takata recall, I took the vehicle to goss Dodge in s. Burlington for the NHTSA#15v-354 #r49 passenger airbag module recall and the NHTSA #16v-077 #s14 driver airbag module. When the recall was completed I started the vehicle and the SRS light remained on. I told the service people about this and they attempted to find the problem. They state it is a broken wiring harness. They have now kept the vehicle for a week and tell me that the part is not available. I took a photo of the part and got the part number from them and attempted to find one. The Dodge factory parts told me that the part was discontinued in 2016. The vehicle will not pass state inspection with the SRS light on it is now sitting at the dealership with the dashboard taken apart
Frequently asked questions
Is the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 a good car?
Based on 39 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2008 Sprinter 3500 rates avoid: 7.3× as many complaints as a typical year of the Sprinter 3500 at the same age. It is one of the Sprinter 3500 years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.
What is the most common problem with the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500?
The air bags — 33 complaints, 85% of all complaints for this model year. Next are the electrical system (2) and wheels & tires (2).
How many recalls does the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 have?
There are 6 recalls for the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500, the most recent from July 28, 2017 (inflator module). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.
What are the best and worst years of the Dodge Sprinter 3500?
The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2002, 2003 and 2004. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2008 and 2006. See the full Dodge Sprinter 3500 years comparison.
At what mileage do 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3500 problems happen?
The median mileage reported in complaints is about 41,000 miles; 71% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.