RoadVitals

2003 Dodge Sprinter

Recalls, owner-reported complaints, investigations and safety data

Data refreshed

Owner complaintsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
15
Latest Sep 15, 2010
Safety recallsA safety recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal motor vehicle safety standard. Recall repairs are free. Whether a specific vehicle is covered depends on its VIN — a recall listed for a model year does not necessarily apply to every vehicle of that year.
0
InvestigationsNHTSA opens an investigation to examine whether a safety defect may exist. An open investigation is not a determination that a defect exists, and many investigations close without a recall. Investigations can, however, lead to one.
1
Crash or fire reportedComplaints whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. These are the reporter's own answers on the NHTSA form, not verified findings.
0

Overview

Our database contains 15 NHTSA owner-reported complaints for the 2003 Dodge Sprinter, most frequently naming the tires & wheels, engine and electrical categories. 1 NHTSA investigation names it; and 25 manufacturer communications are on file.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

What owners report

Complaints grouped by the component NHTSA recorded

  • Tires & wheels741.2%
  • Engine317.6%
  • Electrical211.8%
  • Transmission211.8%
  • Brakes15.9%
  • Driver assistance15.9%
  • Visibility15.9%

Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.

Safety recalls

No recalls in our database for this model year

That does not guarantee a specific vehicle is unaffected — recalls are issued against VINs, and new campaigns are announced regularly. Check a VIN on NHTSA.gov.

Safety investigations

NHTSA inquiries naming this vehicle. An investigation is not a finding of a defect.

PE04066ClosedPreliminary Evaluation

TIRE VALVE FAILURE

Opened Sep 21, 2004
Closed Feb 2, 2005

ODI OPENED PE04-066 TO INVESTIGATE FIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING TIRE VALVE FAILURE IN MY 2003-04 SUBJECT VEHICLES.SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGED MULTIPLE TIRE VALVE FAILURES FOR A SINGLE VEHICLE.ON DECEMBER 16, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (DCMI) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MY 2002-05 SPRINTER 2500 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TR-600 TIRE VALVES PRODUCED BY ALLIGATOR VENTILFABRICK GMBH (RECALL 04V-600).THE NOTIFICATION IDENTIFIED THE CHEMICAL SPECIFICATION OF THE RUBBER COMPONENTS AND AN UNSTABLE SUPPLIER PRODUCTION PROCESS, WHICH RESULTED IN INADEQUATE MIXING OF THE RUBBER COMPONENTS, AS THE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THIS DEFECT.AS A RESULT OF THESE FACTORS, CRACKS CAN DEVELOP WITHIN THE RUBBER PART OR BETWEEN THE METAL AND THE RUBBER PARTS OF THE VALVE STEM, WHICH CAN LEAD TO A LOSS OF AIR PRESSURE AT THE VALVE STEM AND MAY POSE A RISK TO MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY.ALTHOUGH THE TR-600 TIRE VALVE IS USED ONLY ON THE 2500 SERIES SUBJECT VEHICLES WITH 16 INCH TIRES, DCMI WILL CONDUCT A SAFETY RECALL FOR ALL SPRINTER 2500 VEHICLES SOLD IN THE U.S. TO REPLACE THE CURRENT TIRE VALVES WITH A TR-600 VALVE, WHICH USES A SINGLE RUBBER COMPONENT FOR THE VALVES.ALL 24 COMPLAINTS AND ALL 43 WARRANTY CLAIMS IDENTIFIED IN THIS INVESTIGATION INVOLVED MY 2002-04 SPRINTER 2500 VEHICLES, WHICH COMPRISE APPROXIMATELY 84 PERCENT OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE POPULATION.

TIRESLed to recall 04V600000

Recent owner complaints

Reports submitted to NHTSA, shown in the owner's own words

Visibility
Filed Sep 15, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 EQUIPPED WITH A PGW WINDSHIELD, TINT-LAMINATED, PART NUMBER DW01488GBNN. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS REPLACED BECAUSE IT WAS DAMAGED BY A STONE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WINDSHIELD WAS DISTORTED AND DIFFICULT TO SEE THROUGH. THE CONTACT CALLED THE COMPANY WHO INSTALLED THE WINDSHIELD WHO TOLD HIM TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE FOR A FEW WEEKS AND IF HE WAS STILL NOT SATISFIED, THEY WOULD REPLACE IT. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 104,000 UPDATED 1/21/11 *CN UPDATED 03/09/11

NHTSA ID
10355711
Incident
Aug 31, 2010
Engine
Filed Aug 27, 2010

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER SPRINTER 2500. ON JULY 29, 2010, THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE, NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 09V418000 - COMPONENT: ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM. THIS RECALL WAS FOR AN ISSUE WITH CORROSION ON THE INTAKE MANIFOLD. WHEN THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICE HE CONTACTED THE DEALERSHIP IN REGARDS TO GETTING THE RECALL REMEDY PERFORMED. AT THAT TIME THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE CURRENTLY NOT IN STOCK. THE CONTACT CALLED THE DEALERSHIP TODAY, AUGUST 27, 2010 AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS FOR THE RECALL WOULD NOT BE IN STOCK UNTIL SEPTEMBER 23, 2010. THE CONTACT FEELS THAT THE DEALERSHIP IS NOT HANDLING THIS RECALL IN A PROPER MANNER. THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE IS 105,000.

NHTSA ID
10352243
Incident
Jul 29, 2010
Engine
Filed Aug 5, 2010

CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING CHRYSLER NON-COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY RECALL J32-DODGE SPRINTER 03 MANIFOLD/EGR *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE SPENT THE PAST WEEK IN REPEATED UNSUCCESSFUL EFFORTS TO ARRANGE THE NECESSARY MODIFICATIONS WITHOUT HAVING TO INCUR UNREASONABLE EXPENSES. THE CONSUMER BELIEVED CHRYSLER WAS MAKING A DELIBERATE EFFORT TO EVADE THE RECALL BY CREATING HARDSHIPS AND OBSTACLES. *JB

NHTSA ID
10347692
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Engine
Filed May 4, 2010

2003 DODGE SPRINTER. CONSUMER STATES DEFECTIVE INTAKE MANIFOLD. CONSUMER STATES THAT A NOTICE FROM CHRYSLER REGARDING ARRANGEMENTS TO REPAIR THE DEFECT HAS NOT BEEN RECEIVED *TGW

NHTSA ID
10328549
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Driver assistance
Filed Mar 2, 2010

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 DODGE SPRINTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE THROTTLE PEDAL FAILED WHICH MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER SEVERAL TIMES AND THEY COULD NOT FIND THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED AND STATED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO REPAIR THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 100,000.

NHTSA ID
10315667
Incident
Mar 2, 2005
Mileage
50,000 mi
Tires & wheels
Filed Sep 22, 2007

I HAVE HAD 3 VALVE STEM FAILURES WHERE THE STEM GOES INTO THE RIM IN APPROX 6 WEEKS OF TIME RESULTING IN FLAT TIRES. LAST ONE WAS WHILE PARKED BUT WAS RAPID DEFLATION TOLD STEMS FROM THE FACTORY WERE NOT THE CORRECT STEMS. REPLACED BY THE DEALER FOR FREE ALL STEMS. *JB

NHTSA ID
10203695
Incident
Sep 21, 2007
Mileage
49,095 mi
ElectricalTransmission
Filed Aug 24, 2007

I PURCHASED A 2003 DODGE INTREPID IN NOVEMBER OF 2005 AND THE CAR RUNS FINE UP UNTIL ABOUT A MONTH AND A HALF AGO. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR WOULD GET STUCK IN ONE GEAR AND MY RPM WOULD GO UP INTO THE RED LINE UNLESS I PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE CAR. OTHER TIMES IT WOULD GET STUCK AND THEN JERK INTO THE NEXT GEAR. THEN ABOUT FOUR DAYS AGO I WAS ON THE FREEWAY AND THE WHOLE CAR JUST SHUT OFF. I COULD NOT MOVE IT AND TRAFFIC WAS SPEEDING PAST ME AND A FEW HAD TO SLAM ON BREAKS TO AVOID HITTING ME AND MY TEN MONTH OLD DAUGHTER. I HAD TO HAVE SOME PEOPLE HELP ME TO PUSH IT OFF THE FREEWAY SO THAT I COULD RESTART IT TO MAKE IT BACK HOME. I AM VERY FRIGHTENED TO DRIVE NOW ESPECIALLY WITH MY DAUGHTER IN THE CAR BECAUSE I AM AFRAID THIS MAY HAPPEN AGAIN. I HAD THE CODES READ ON THE CAR AND ABOUT SEVEN CAME UP ALL POINTING TO DIFFERENT THINGS. A MECHANIC SUGGESTED THE TRANSMISSION ECM. THE ESTIMATED COST OF FIXING THIS IF IT IS THE PROBLEM IS ABOUT 750.00 DOLLARS. *TR

NHTSA ID
10200657
Incident
Aug 20, 2007
Mileage
108,356 mi
Brakes
Filed Oct 11, 2005

- HAD BRAKES ON 2003 DODGE SPRINTER CHECKED BY LOCAL MECHANIC. SAID THAT THERE WAS ABOUT 40% BRAKE PAD LEFT BUT THE ROTORS WHERE EXTREMELY WORN. I AM WONDERING IF ROTOR LIFE GOES PAST THE BRAKE LIFE AND COULD BE A DANGER. DEALER SAID ROTORS ARE CHANGED EVERYTIME WITH PAD CHANGE! *NM

NHTSA ID
10139252
Incident
Sep 15, 2005
Mileage
120,000 mi

Manufacturer communications

A bulletin sent by a manufacturer to its dealers. Not a recall, and repairs are not necessarily free.

9004275

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:IMMOBILIZER/PROXIMITY:KEY/SENDER

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

9004275

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:IMMOBILIZER/PROXIMITY:KEY/SENDER

KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not program to the vehicle, use the "AC" NIC level part and submit a part warranty.

23-015-20

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19

08-049-20

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; EQUIPMENT

Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery replacements are necessary.

31-006-19

STRUCTURE

Repair Parts Used For Structural Repairs This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to structural repair parts usage.

31-005-19

EQUIPMENT; STRUCTURE

Use of Aftermarket Parts This bulletin involves discussing FCA US LLC position with regard to collision repair industry awareness regarding the use of aftermarket parts.

Manufacturers file copies of the bulletins they send to dealers with NHTSA. These often describe diagnostic or repair procedures for a known condition. They are not recalls: repairs described in a bulletin are usually only free if the vehicle is still under warranty or the manufacturer has extended coverage.

Compare model years

Complaint and recall counts across every year of this model

Dodge Sprinter by model year
YearComplaintsRecallsInvestigationsIssue Index
2007475052.9
2006070
2005020
2004390134.4
2003Viewing150131.6

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers. Older model years have had longer for reports to accumulate.