2018 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2018 Freightliner Sprinter 2500, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Brakes133.3%
- Driver assistance133.3%
- Steering133.3%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
Multiple Episodes of vigorous Sudden Application of Active Brake Assist, sometimes with a sudden dip, occasionally without a noticeable inciting issue. Often Occurs at Hiway speeds, on a narrow bridge with car slowing to 5 mph. At low speeds break assist may turn off and able to resume driving, sometimes requires restart of engine to clear brake assist. Drivers following behind are not happy when this unexpectedly happens, very unsafe. Atteeempts to deal with it through dealer have been unsuccessful or dis,issued.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
Multiple Episodes of vigorous Sudden Application of Active Brake Assist, sometimes with a sudden dip, occasionally without a noticeable inciting issue. Often Occurs at Hiway speeds, on a narrow bridge with car slowing to 5 mph. At low speeds break assist may turn off and able to resume driving, sometimes requires restart of engine to clear brake assist. Drivers following behind are not happy when this unexpectedly happens, very unsafe. Atteeempts to deal with it through dealer have been unsuccessful or dis,issued.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN WE BOUGHT THE VAN NEW FROM THE DEALER, I ASKED THE DEALER ABOUT THE KNOWN POWER STEERING HOSE ISSUE. THE ISSUE IS THAT ONE OF THE POWER STEERING FLUID HOSES IS TOO SHORT & IT WORKS ITS WAY OUT OF POSITION UNTIL IT POPS OFF & FLUID SPRAYS OUT, RESULTING IN A LOSS OF STEERING CONTROL. I KNEW ABOUT IT BECAUSE THERE ARE MANY REPORTS ON THE INTERNET OF THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM. THE DEALER DENIED ANY KNOWLEDGE OF THIS ISSUE. I WENT BACK FOR SERVICE A YEAR LATER & SHOWED THEM THE HOSE SLIPPING OFF, THEY DID NOT CARE & DID NOTHING ABOUT IT. DESPITE ME DILIGENTLY CHECKING & REPOSITIONING THE HOSE WHENEVER IT STARTED TO SLIP OUT OF PLACE, WHICH WAS VERY FREQUENTLY, IT FINALLY POPPED OFF ON US WHILE WE WERE DRIVING ON A NARROW TWISTY HIGHWAY & WE LOST STEERING CONTROL. THIS IS A VERY DANGEROUS ISSUE. IN THE ATTACHED PHOTO, TAKEN AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, YOU CAN SEE THE LOWER HOSE OUT OF POSITION, IT SHOULD BE WHERE THE UPPER HOSE IS RELATIVE TO THE METAL PIPE.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
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.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .