Sprinter 4x4 has issues, true or false?

Sprinter 4x4 is reliable and the best option for remote trips?

  • love mine and wouldn't have it any other way

    Votes: 78 66.1%
  • Mine has been good, wouldn't change it, but have had issues

    Votes: 22 18.6%
  • I've had issues, might reconsider if I did it again

    Votes: 9 7.6%
  • wouldn't do it again

    Votes: 4 3.4%
  • just because of fuel I'd look elsewhere or am considering a change

    Votes: 5 4.2%

  • Total voters
    118

aksotar

2017 4x4 144 Cargo
I see plenty of late model Sprinters in SE AK (SIT, JNU) where I work...no dealer support there and costly to ship/ferry for service...is there a MB sprinter service in ANC?
TrailerCraft off C St at 92nd is the Freightliner/Sprinter Dealer in Anchorage...
 
2016 144" 4x4 low roof passenger van.

I LOVE MY VAN!

I removed seats and added shelving for tools(carpenter)/ camping and fishing gear. usually 300#s or less in the van

About 11k miles but not sure as I put 285/75 16 duratracs on it at 5k miles and never re-calibrated the computer.

Never have I had so much positive feedback from SO MANY random people.
It does amazing offroad and is a total dream on road (compared to my last truck, 92' dodge w250 cummins beast). The fuel economy is decent but again, I havent been able to trust the computer so I dont have exact numbers.

The trans is not my fav but to be fair, all autos bug me.

It took about 3 tries to dial in 4x4 the first time but now I have the hang of it and its flawless.

I have the clunk and cant afford to lose the van for even a day so I havent taken it in for the fix.

My biggest issue with the van so far..... God Dam key fob has to be against the glass to lock or unlock the van!!! :yell:
 

brianszero

Active member
I agree their key fob is the weakest key I have ever seen.

I have a 2016 4x4 and don't really have any problems.

I also have the drive clunk but it doesn't really bother me and I don't really think its a problem.

My business has a few commercial vans and large trucks and I would say that the noises coming from the sprinter is not any different than any commercial van or truck we have ever owned.
 

OffroadHamster

Well-known member
I agree their key fob is the weakest key I have ever seen.

I have a 2016 4x4 and don't really have any problems.

I also have the drive clunk but it doesn't really bother me and I don't really think its a problem.

My business has a few commercial vans and large trucks and I would say that the noises coming from the sprinter is not any different than any commercial van or truck we have ever owned.
Touche. My 2015 F150 4x4 had the worst rear axle clunk. Its a function of the C-clip rear end ford uses in the trucks. Starts making a massive clunk sound when the suspension cycles after about 2500 miles. Convenient for Ford that a brand new truck doesnt make the noise during a test drive. I think the sprinter is fairly devoid of nuisance noises compared to other light commercial vehicles.

People should drive a cabover around for an afternoon if they think the sprinter is loud and rides poorly.

I've got 10K on the clock now and no issues to report. Ill check back in at 20 (around July).
 

Ovrland

New member
Looking at a high mirlage above 90k 2016 4x4 just wondering thoughts on major issues people have have had or things to look for? Any hesitation about buying one of these things out of warranty? I know the horror stories of earlier nc3s. Appreciate the input.
 

Chrisbob

New member
2016 4x4 144", High roof DIY conversion. I only have about 6800 miles on it with maybe 3 miles of road. So its all highway miles and I'm very happy. Off road it was excellent except for the crappy suspension( I added 2500lbs with the conversion) which allowed for major swaying on uneven surfaces. That will be corrected this week with the Van Compass suspension upgrade.I had a 2005 Sportsmobile/Quadvan for 9 years and I loved it too but the Sprinter is just better from driving visibility to ride to economy....yes....my Ford was a V-10. 9mpg was standard. So far no service issues except for a failed O2 sensor at 2500 miles. Put me in the happy column.
 

TXdaveski

Member
2017 144 Hi-roof 4x4 Crew, not even 1000 miles on it and had it back for CEL. Bad sensor in the particulate filter wouldn't regen. Still ran fine. Really like the truck, i like the integration of the diesel and 4x4, unlike conversions that are a mix of parts. Every mechanical device has problems, I consider my problem so minor I wouldn't have mentioned it except for this survey.
 

wmcbride

New member
The clunk was wearing on me too. I dropped it off yesterday morning at the dealer for the fix. The repair coordinator mentioned something about one time use bolts on the transfer case, which I have never heard of, does that sound familiar to anyone here?




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

wmcbride

New member
Turns out the one time bolts were on the driveshaft. So good to drive a clunk-free van. Pride of ownership took a nice bump.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 

grantwilson

FreedomVanGo
Turns out the one time bolts were on the driveshaft. So good to drive a clunk-free van. Pride of ownership took a nice bump.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
borderline embarrassing sometimes with the amount of clunking i have. Hopefully they will fix it quickly when i drop it off!
 

radair603

Member
I wish I could comment with more experience. I have a 2016 with under 12k miles. I have put less than 5 miles on it since bringing it home. It appears the starter battery is dead and won’t take a charge. Even with jumper cables on it I get flashing dash lights and clicking noises and no start, which were the symptoms that led to the dead battery (replacements are $1100+ from M-B?!). I was hoping to troubleshoot it enough to drive it to the dealer 60 miles away. I am just starting my build and have not touched anything electrical so it’s a frustrating beginning.
 

4wheeldog

2018 144" Tall Revel
I took delivery of my'18 ('19 Winnebago Revel) on June 11th.
Have about 8k miles on it so far.
No clunk (Yet).
But the power steering hose did blow off in the middle of nowhere (About 5 miles from the paved road, no cell service).
Fortunately, I carry tools and had a quart of PS fluid, so we were on our way in about 20 minutes.
The subsequent visit to the MB dealership was well below optimal. I had an appointment, but it took them 4.5 hours to tell me that they could not find anything wrong.
I have since installed a fuel injection hose clamp in place of the spring clip. And I have a PS filter that I intend to install, since I believe part of the problem is the hose in question is too short to have any play in it.
Otherwise, it is a great vehicle. Only thing that would make it better is if it were not manufactured and sold by a corporation with such an arrogant attitude.
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
It has to do with the re-assembly here in the US. The re-assembly people don’t properly clean the metal fitting and the hose slips off. I asked our dealer here in Denver, and the mechanic installed the clamp on the spot free of charge.
 

kmfltd

New member
I'm at 65k on a 2016 high roof passenger 4x4 . I've had the EGR valve replaced twice, the steering rack replaced and now need the roof a/c seal replaced but for some unknown reason Mercedes at this point won't honor their warranty I purchased. The vehicle is fantastic... dealerships aren't .
 

Wrinkledpants

2017 144WB 4x4
I'm at 65k on a 2016 high roof passenger 4x4 . I've had the EGR valve replaced twice, the steering rack replaced and now need the roof a/c seal replaced but for some unknown reason Mercedes at this point won't honor their warranty I purchased. The vehicle is fantastic... dealerships aren't .
The A/C seal should be warrantied for like 10+ years or something due to the class action lawsuit. You may want to try a different dealer or call MB Corporate.
 

kmfltd

New member
Mercedes has refused to honor their extended warranty on the AC roof seal. Very sad to see a large company defrauding a long time customer. I will make sure Daimler MB in Germany hears about this.
 

Top Bottom