Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Electrical Problems

Electrical complaints by model year

Which parts fail

• Instrument panel › Speedometer/odometer
  2
• Instrument cluster/panel
  2
• Alternator/generator/regulator
  2
• Software
  1
• Ignition › Module
  1

Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).

Mileage when the problem started

• Under 25k
  1452%
• 25k–50k
  415%
• 50k–75k
  311%
• 75k–100k
  311%
• 100k–150k
  14%
• 150k+
  27%

What owners report

The contact owns a 2024 Winnebago Revel RV built on a 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Chassis. The contact stated while the RV was idling, the heater was activated, and the contact's wife made him aware that there was an abnormal smoke odor. Additionally, the contact stated that while the RV was idling, the contact opened the mobile app and noticed that the Winnebago house battery was not charging. The contact also noticed the failure while driving. The RV was taken to the dealer, where the alternator was replaced twice; however, the failure persisted. The RV was taken to Coastal RV Center (6075 Savannah Hwy, Ravenel, SC 29470); where it was diagnosed and determined that the alternator needed to be replaced; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the part was not available. …

The contact owns a 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds with the cruise control activated, the vehicle experienced phantom braking, with the traction control warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times while the cruise control was activated. The contact stated that the failure worsened over time. The contact stated that the failure ceased after turning off the cruise control feature. In addition, the contact stated that the Forward Collision Avoidance feature was disabled and failed to operate as needed. The dealer was notified of the failure; but the manufacturer was not yet notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 6,800.

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving at an unknown speed, the air conditioning system failed to function properly. The contact pulled over and looked underneath the vehicle and noticed that the alternator belt and serpentine belts were not properly seated and were hanging down loosely. The vehicle continued to operate normally. The contact researched and became aware that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V474000 (Electrical System) however, neither the VIN nor vehicle type was included. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was contacted and the contact was informed that the vehicle needed to be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 54,000.

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that after repositioning the swiveling driver's seat, the seat became jammed. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V410000 (Electrical System, Air Bags) but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 20,000.

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 contact owns a 2020 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH, the instrument cluster lost functionality and the screen went blank. The contact stated no warning was illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle had experienced cold start failures. The contact stated that occasionally several attempts were needed to start the vehicle. The contact stated that the failures were intermittent. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The contact researched online and related the instrument cluster failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V204000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was approximately 11,000.

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, it inadvertently rolled backward and crashed into a garage. The vehicle's rear doors were damaged. The dealer was aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment on January 25th, to replace the rear doors. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. Upon investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V972000 (Electrical System) however, the part to do the recall repair was available. The VIN was included in the recall. The failure mileage was 13,575. VIN tool confirms parts not yet available. Repair was finished by on Feb 4, 2020. Consumer never received invoice from them, as it went thought insurance company.

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the MBUX multimedia system became inoperable resulting in the rear-view camera not functioning as designed. Upon investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 21V411000 (Electrical System, Back Over Prevention). The vehicle was diagnosed and repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

Related recalls (10)