The Lemon IndexAll carsMercedes-BenzSprinter2011
201020132nd generation
Complaints only. Too few sold to score: 16,577 in the U.S. in 2011 (sales source), under the 20,000 a fair per-car score needs. Owners filed 6 complaints in its first 3 years.
6 owner complaints, first 3 years — combined, EPA
When problems show up
Only 6 complaints listed a mileage: too few to say when problems show up.
Questions to ask the seller
- Were recalls 17V479000 (airbags), 16V077000 (airbags) and 14V706000 (equipment adaptive/mobility) done? It has 5 recalls in all. Ask for the dealer printout, or check the VIN.
- NHTSA has an open investigation into desiccated air bag inflator rupture. Has this car had that problem?
- Do all the lights, screens and power features work? Has the battery, alternator or any wiring been replaced?
- Any oil burning, leaks or check-engine lights? Ask for oil-change records.
- Any rust or damage underneath, or doors and hatches that don't close right?
- Mercedes-Benz sent dealers 106 repair notes for this car. Was this one done: “The engine control module (ecm) may fail from feedback signal to valve due to humidity entering”?
From this year's own recalls, top problems, top repair bills and Mercedes-Benz's repair notes. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
How serious. Out of all 6 owner complaints filed so far (every year since it was sold, not just the first 3), owners reported:
“Average car” = what the same number of complaints would include at the rate across every model year we track. Owners report these themselves; NHTSA doesn't confirm the cause.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
Check engine light on? Look up any code →
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 8K to 29K miles (13K to 47K km) on the car (6 of all 6 complaints filed so far listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
Fixes owners look up most.
From 200 YouTube videos · 19.8M views · 2007–2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter
Most-watched topics
- Oil changes & service741K views
Oil reset Mercedes sprinter 2012Paul Zhukotansky · 427K views · 3 videos - Fuel pump, filter & tank694K views
Mercedes Sprinter Fuel Filter Change 2014Mercedes Sprinter DIY · 193K views · 8 videos - Infotainment, battery & electrical535K views
2011 Mercedes Sprinter battery replacement ( under the floorboard )JMMJ Productions · 164K views · 8 videos - Intake, EGR & engine sensors260K views
2013 Mercedes Sprinter EGR valve cleaning procedure, do every 15,000-20,000 mi, stops coughingWyattsSaab · 156K views · 3 videos
Show 4 more
- No-start: theft light, key & ignition178K views
MERCEDES SPRINTER 2012 | NO START | ELECTRONIC STEERING LOCK | BYPASS EMULATOR | DIAGNOSTICSVEPROFESSIONALS · 99K views · 2 videos - Heat, A/C & blend door160K views
How to FIX Your Blower Motor (Sprinter Van 2007-2018)Drift Overland · 92K views · 4 videos - Gauges, lights & wiring100K views
2013 Mercedes Sprinter Code P2047 Adblue Metering Valve Has An Electrical Fault Or An Open CircuitKIT'S Auto and Truck Repair · 67K views · 3 videos - Windows, doors & mirrors87K views
2007 - 2017 Dodge Mercedes Sprinter door panel & Speaker removalvexas · 48K views · 2 videos
Before you buy, watch
2017 Sprinter intermittent starting problemsRobert Mailloux · 26K views
The last reliable Sprinter built by Mercedes? | A 2009 Mercedes Sprinter Camper Review and POV DriveOttoEx · 15K views
Sprinter van 2011 problems : coolant color, belt tensioner and oil leakSprinter HQ 4 Shops · 15K viewsViews show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them. The 2011 is the same generation.
Costs are the middle (median) of the dollar amounts people say out loud in these videos, so one wild number can't swing it. They aren't verified bills or sales; real prices depend on year, miles, condition and where you live. Tap Hear it to jump to the moment.
Problems Mercedes-Benz told dealers about
Mercedes-Benz sent dealers 106 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- The engine control module (ecm) may fail from feedback signal to valve due to humidity entering
- Coolant / Vacuum / Temperature fault codes - Check Engine Light with DTCs P003313, P0299FA,…
- Complaint Oil loss from engine or visible traces of oil in the engine compartment
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Recalls 5
- Airbags · recall issued 2017
These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled into the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment.
- Airbags · recall issued 2016
Upon deployment of the driver's frontal air bag, excessive internal pressure may cause the inflator to rupture.
- Equipment adaptive/mobility · recall issued 2014
The platform side plate of the affected wheelchair lifts may crack.
Show all 5 recalls
- Seat belts · recall issued 2011
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.
- Equipment · recall issued 2010
SPRINTER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010-2011 FREIGHTLINER 2500 SPRINTER AND MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AN EMERGENCY EXIT WINDOW.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Canada? See recalls at Transport Canada
Every Mercedes-Benz Sprinter recall, all years · All Mercedes-Benz recalls
Government investigations
- OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
- ClosedRear wheel speed sensor failure2020–2021
NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.
Safety
Crash test details
| Version | Overall | Front | Side | Rollover |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 VAN RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
| Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 Cargo Van VAN RWD | not rated | not rated | not rated | not rated |
Every Mercedes-Benz Sprinter year. 2011 is highlighted. Lower is better.
Show 2 older years (2007–2008, YouTube reviews only, no complaint data)
Newest year first. Red = worse than average, gray = about average, too new (2023+: a partial score, marked “partial”) or too few complaints to score. #1, #2… = that year's YouTube rank among the 11 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter years with enough videos (#1 = the year owners and reviewers talk about most positively). It is not a reliability rank.
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Put this chart on your site, blog or forum. Free, with the credit line built in; the 2011 bar is highlighted.
<iframe src="https://lemonindex.com/embed/cars/mercedes-benz-sprinter/?y=2011" title="Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reliability by model year (The Lemon Index)" width="100%" height="468" style="border:0;max-width:720px" loading="lazy"></iframe><p style="font-size:13px;margin:4px 0 0">Data: <a href="https://lemonindex.com/cars/mercedes-benz-sprinter/2011/">Lemon Index</a> (2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reliability)</p>Quick answers
Is the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter reliable?
We can't score it: only 16,577 were sold in the U.S. in 2011 (calendar-year sales), under the 20,000 we need for a fair per-car score. Owners filed 6 complaints with NHTSA in its first 3 years.
What are the most common 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (33%), engine (33%) and body structure (33%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter have?
5 safety recalls (latest: airbags). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Does the 2011 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues aren't among its top 5 complaint areas.
What Mercedes-Benz Sprinter year is better than the 2011?
Nearby, the 2013 drew fewer owner complaints per car sold (about a quarter as many complaints as the average car). Across every year, 2015 drew the fewest.
The Lemon Index counts owner complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model years (100 = average, lower is better). It measures complaints, not crash safety. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works