2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: Problems & Reliability
TOO FEW REPORTS2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: TOO FEW REPORTS — 14 owner complaints; top issue: speed control / throttle (4 complaints).
The verdict engine has only 13 complaints for the 2018 — under the 15-complaint floor — so it is not rated yet rather than called clean by silence.
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints (ODI), recall campaigns and manufacturer service bulletins, CarWhere verified buyer prices · Model years 2014–2025 compared · Updated 2026-11-07 · By CarWhere Research · Methodology
14
NHTSA complaints
12
Model years compared
51
Service bulletins
9
Recall campaigns
Most-reported 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 problems
Speed control / throttle leads a spread-out record, named in 29% of complaints.
| Component | Complaints | Share of 2018 complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Speed control / throttle | 4 | 29% |
| Steering | 3 | 21% |
| Powertrain / transmission | 3 | 21% |
| Engine | 2 | 14% |
| Electrical system | 2 | 14% |
A complaint can name more than one component, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 recalls
9 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2018, reported between Oct 24, 2018 and Oct 28, 2020.
| NHTSA campaign | Reported | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 20V663000 | Oct 28, 2020 | Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Hose, piping, and connections |
| 20V155000 | Mar 18, 2020 | Equipment › Other › Labels |
| 20V156000 | Mar 18, 2020 | Equipment › Other › Labels |
| 19V695000 | Oct 2, 2019 | Air bags › Air bag/restraint control module |
| 19V693000 | Oct 2, 2019 | Unknown or other |
| 19V665000 | Sep 18, 2019 | Latches, locks & linkages › Hood › Latch |
| 19V507000 | Jul 2, 2019 | Visibility › Glass, side/rear |
| 19V222000 | Mar 20, 2019 | Unknown or other |
| 18V743000 | Oct 24, 2018 | Latches, locks & linkages › Doors › Latch |
2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 service bulletins
The manufacturer has filed 51 technical service bulletins with NHTSA for the 2018 — fewer than the 102 of the median Sprinter 2500 year from 2014 to 2025. Coded bulletins most often cover engine & cooling (6), engine (6), electrical system (5). Bulletins are repair instructions for dealer technicians, not recalls.
The 2018 vs. the year before and after
From the 2017 to the 2018, owner complaints held roughly level (13 → 14). The 2019 that followed jumped 4.8× (14 → 67), so the 2018 is the cleaner of the two by count.
| Model year | Verdict | Complaints | Bulletins | Recalls | Avg. buyer-paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 Sprinter 2500 | TOO FEW REPORTS | 13 | 93 | 7 | — |
| 2018 (this page) | TOO FEW REPORTS | 14 | 51 | 9 | — |
| 2019 Sprinter 2500 | AVOID | 67 | 169 | 42 | — |
Prices are averages of CarWhere verified buyer transactions (shown when 3+ deals exist for the year). Full year-by-year table: Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 years to avoid.
What to check on a used 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500
Speed control / throttle (4 complaints on the 2018): check for surging, hesitation or a reduced-power warning, and test cruise control.
Steering (3 complaints on the 2018): check for a steering warning light, heavy or notchy steering at parking speed, and clunks over bumps.
Powertrain / transmission (3 complaints on the 2018): test-drive from cold through every gear and feel for slipping, harsh or delayed shifts and shudder; ask whether the transmission fluid has been serviced.
Engine (2 complaints on the 2018): cold-start it yourself and listen for ticking or knocking; check for oil leaks, low coolant and a lit check-engine light, and ask for oil-change records.
Electrical system (2 complaints on the 2018): test every light, window, lock, the infotainment screen and the charging system, and have the car scanned for stored fault codes.
Recalls: confirm all 9 campaigns above were completed on this VIN.
Know what to pay for the right 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 — then negotiate it
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FAQ
Is the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 reliable?
2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: TOO FEW REPORTS — 14 owner complaints; top issue: speed control / throttle (4 complaints). The verdict engine has only 13 complaints for the 2018 — under the 15-complaint floor — so it is not rated yet rather than called clean by silence.
What are the most common 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 problems?
By NHTSA owner complaints, the most-reported areas on the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 are speed control / throttle (4, 29%), steering (3, 21%), powertrain / transmission (3, 21%). The manufacturer has 51 service bulletins on file for this model year.
How many recalls does the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 have?
9 recall campaigns on federal record for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500, most recently 20V663000 (Oct 28, 2020, steering); 20V155000 (Mar 18, 2020, equipment); 20V156000 (Mar 18, 2020, equipment). Recall completion is VIN-specific, so check the exact car.
How do I check a specific 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report for the exact VIN — recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for this model year, the original window sticker where the manufacturer publishes one, and a market price check from verified buyers. One-time purchase, no subscription.
Sources & method
Complaint, recall and service-bulletin counts for the 2018 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 come from NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation; the verdict is CarWhere’s severity-weighted, time-on-road-adjusted score compared with the model’s own median year. Complaints are owner allegations, not verified defects. Full methodology.