2005 Freightliner Sprinter 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 2005 Freightliner Sprinter, 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
- Engine133.3%
- Other / unspecified133.3%
- 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
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
WHEN TRAVELING IN HOT WEATHER AND RUNNING BOTH THE FRONT AND REAR AIR CONDITIONER, THE VEHICLE STALLS. THE STALLING OCCURS WITHIN MINUTES AND UP TO HOURS AFTER BEING RUN BUT ONLY OCCURS WHEN SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN (IE: CONSTRUCTION ZONES, STOPPING, TURNING). THE VEHICLE DOES NOT IMMEDIATELY RESTART BUT HAS ALWAYS RESTARTED WITHIN 3 MINUTES. SINCE WE DO NOT LIVE IN AN EXTREMELY HOT AREA THE STALLING USUALLY OCCURS WHILE VACATIONING (ARIZONA, CALIFORNIA, UTAH, FLORIDA, NEBRASKA). WE HAVE HAD THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AT TWO DIFFERENT AUTHORIZED DEALERS AND WERE TOLD THEY "WERE UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM" AND AT ONE POINT WERE TOLD THAT A RECALL PART WAS INSTALLED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM BUT WHEN WE TOOK IT TO ANOTHER DEALER, THEY KNEW OF NO RECALL PART AND THEY CONTACTED CHRYSLER ON OUR BEHALF AND WERE TOLD THE FOLLOWING: "ENGINE STALLS WHEN DRIVING. INTERMIT - ONLY HAPPENS WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE IS OVER 100 DEGREES OR AFTER VEHICLE HAS BEEN DRIVEN FOR A FEW TO SEVERAL HOURS OPERATING AS DESIGNED AT THIS TIME 704 DRBIII DIAG NO CODES IN ANY MODULE, ROAD TEST TO TIJERAS AND BACK, WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE CONCERN, VEH OPERATING AS DESIGNED, ON HOT DAYS WITH AUX A/C ON, THE EXTRA LOAD ON ENG MAY CAUSE STALLING AS AUX AIR IS STAND ALONE AND NOT INTERFACED TO PCM IN ANY WAY TO COMPENSATE IDLE. CHRYSLER HAS NO FIX FOR THIS CONCERN, OPERATING NORMAL AT THIS TIME." IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THE AUX AIR WAS PURCHASED AT THE TIME OF SALE. IT WAS A NEW VEHICLE AND WE ARE THE ONLY OWNERS. I HAVE PAPER DOCUMENTATION FOR THE AFOREMENTIONED INFORMATION. *TR
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER FOURWINDS MANDALAY (NA). WHILE DRIVING 50-65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND SHOOK. THE WHEEL SLIDES OR MOVES ON THE TIRE RIM AND SHIFTS OUT OF THE CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT DRIVES OVER A BUMP, THE RIM MOVES OR SLIDES ON THE HUB. THE HOLE IN THE RIM IS TOO LARGE FOR THE HUB. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
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
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FREIGHTLINER FOURWINDS MANDALAY (NA). WHILE DRIVING 50-65 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL VIBRATED AND SHOOK. THE WHEEL SLIDES OR MOVES ON THE TIRE RIM AND SHIFTS OUT OF THE CENTER. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES. EVERY TIME THE CONTACT DRIVES OVER A BUMP, THE RIM MOVES OR SLIDES ON THE HUB. THE HOLE IN THE RIM IS TOO LARGE FOR THE HUB. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE COULD NOT BE REPAIRED. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 19,800 AND FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 3,000.
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 .