NCV3 Identification, Miles, Months and Opinion

Sparkx

2007 Frghtlnr Sprinter
I bought my 2007 170 hightop about a year ago with 164,000 miles. I Love It. Maybe a little to much according to my wife. I'm a carpenter and standing up in back is priceless. I never did my own automotive work but with the Sprinter I'm learning to do what ever I can (the savings are more than I can make cutting wood). I have done an oil change, transmission service, air, cabin, and fuel filter replacement just because I didn't know the history. And I cleaned the egr when it went into lhm. All with the help of this forum. I don't drive highway miles and usually work within 5-6 miles from home so the egr will be cleaned regularly. Haven't been to the dealer service department yet but I get my parts there. Its all good .
 

bkhi

New member
MIne is the biggest piece of **** I have ever owned, what a mistake to buy one. Terrible reliability, every time it is towed in for service it takes a week before I get it back. Latest issue is it shuts off at 60 mph on route 80, dealer said it was turbo inlet which was replaced 4 times before. No codes thrown unlike previous 4 times.
So far- 3 EGR valves, 8 glow plugs, 2 nox sensors, 22 various light bulbs, 5 turbo inlet rings, 3 software updates, 2 def tanks, 8 gold ball sized rust areas, 1 def heater, 1 other sensor whose names escapes me. It now has 99k miles in 5 1/2 years and I don't dare drive it again.
Anything has to be better than a sprinter
 

flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
MIne is the biggest piece of **** I have ever owned, what a mistake to buy one. Terrible reliability, every time it is towed in for service it takes a week before I get it back. Latest issue is it shuts off at 60 mph on route 80, dealer said it was turbo inlet which was replaced 4 times before. No codes thrown unlike previous 4 times.
So far- 3 EGR valves, 8 glow plugs, 2 nox sensors, 22 various light bulbs, 5 turbo inlet rings, 3 software updates, 2 def tanks, 8 gold ball sized rust areas, 1 def heater, 1 other sensor whose names escapes me. It now has 99k miles in 5 1/2 years and I don't dare drive it again.
Anything has to be better than a sprinter
All the same no reliability, only my 2010 had its engine grenade at 52K, and if you search the site for engine seizure, you will find it is quite common in the V6.
 

jimmiejoe

2500 High Roof 144" WB
I now have 20k miles and completed the second service. The lifetime MPG is 18.9 with a peak of 22MPG. The Continental CrossContact Winter tires, which have never been rotated and run year round, are wearing out in the rear due to over inflation per the tire card setting of 70psi. The front tires appear to be wearing well at the tire card setting of 47, however the outside edge is wearing faster due to the chamber which is still factory set for running at a higher load. If the rear tires were operated at 47psi also, I probably could get 30-40k miles out of the tires. Not bad for a winter tire.
I rotated the tires 1 time front to back and back to front. The tires are at 30,000, and the passenger side is beyond the wear out limit in the center tread while the drivers side is approaching the wear out limit. Seems the extra weight on the drivers side is helping the tire wear longer while the passenger side has less weight. The extra weight on the drivers side is the driver and the fuel, plus the 1st row seat which is positioned more to the drivers side due to the needed clearance for the isle by the sliding door, thus any passengers add weight to the drivers side before the passenger side.
 

Electrician 2

New member
Bought new in 2008 NCV3 V6 non-DEF. 115,000 miles. Ran as my electrical contracting van from 0-105k. Now my camper/recreation vehicle.

Early in life EGR valves (x2)
Steering column lock replacement
Glow plugs x1 set
Pins that hold the rear axle to the leaf springs sheared a while back
Sliding door track front bolt pulled from body recently
Brakes x3 sets
Tires x3 sets

Running a little Stanadyne diesel fuel cleaner with every tank (this has since cleared up engine running issues and I believe has kept the emissions system happy). Very regular engine and trans service. Knock on wood she'll keep going to 500k.

I love this Van.
 
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R44KDEN

New member
We bought a new 2016 Sprinter passenger 170, 2500 with 4 cylinder donk. Vehicle went into production Dec 2016 and in 10 months, rig has done 90K miles. We run a transport business in Colorado. Only issue was DEF system needed to be replaced twice (under warranty) and pain in the butt roof leak via the AC (had to be fixed twice). Dealer fixed this despite the rig technically being out of warranty. We change oil every 5K, change air filters every 10K, have put new rotors and pads all round, and transmission flush at 70K (made a huge difference).

We run a diesel fuel additive every tank, which also makes a difference. Rig is running at altitude and quality of diesel here sucks. Rig also runs hard from early morning to late at night and is sitting on 70mph for most of the day. Does very little stop start miles, mostly highway miles.

Couldnt be happier with it. About to buy another one, but a 2013 6-cylinder with very high miles.
 

hinesy

New member
2015 170E high road,4 cyl,7speed, 48000 miles reliable well yes never left me stranded! has a vibration since 2500 miles 2 dealers couldn't fix it, 1 steering shaft, 1 steering rack 2 DPFs, 3 DPF brackets, all under warranty but the aggravation sucks! not happy with paint almost 3 years old now and paint is dull. I am a carpenter and use my van as a tool box it does well at carrying tools and materials, can't beat the fuel economy, I am a big German guy and have now and previously owned 9 German cars. Mercedes is behind on the end user and small business user of their vehicle. Dissatisfied with my van have had several 144" rentals from dealer and like them, I got a lemon and Mercedes won't help!
 

Flagster

Active member
We bought a new 2016 Sprinter passenger 170, 2500 with 4 cylinder donk. Vehicle went into production Dec 2016 and in 10 months, rig has done 90K miles. We run a transport business in Colorado. Only issue was DEF system needed to be replaced twice (under warranty) and pain in the butt roof leak via the AC (had to be fixed twice). Dealer fixed this despite the rig technically being out of warranty. We change oil every 5K, change air filters every 10K, have put new rotors and pads all round, and transmission flush at 70K (made a huge difference).

We run a diesel fuel additive every tank, which also makes a difference. Rig is running at altitude and quality of diesel here sucks. Rig also runs hard from early morning to late at night and is sitting on 70mph for most of the day. Does very little stop start miles, mostly highway miles.

Couldnt be happier with it. About to buy another one, but a 2013 6-cylinder with very high miles.
What fuel additive are you running? Thanks
 

Flagster

Active member
We have a 144" 4x4 2015 we bought new in 11/2015...

33,000 miles in just under two years

No stranding issues other than a cooked battery this past summer outside SLC which required towing to Farmington MB dealer...no batteries available for 3-4 days from Germany so had to put in a NAPA branded replacement...frustrating but dealer accommodated us fairly quickly last minute and had us one our way in less than 5 hours...

Changing oil every 5-10K miles...air filter every 5-10K as we live on a very dusty road and AZ is dusty...Keeping DEF topped off with truck stop filling stations...

Remote service/towing still scares me when we are out in the middle of Utah or ID but until I get the dreaded LHM I'm not stressing too bad...

Best vehicle I've ever had for travelling/eating up highway miles without a sore back and stealth camping. We have spent hundreds of nights in downtowns Seattle, Portland, Santa Cruz, Tucson...only time we got roused by the police was in Moab last week haha...accidentally parked in front of the police station.
 

thedaveeye

New member
I have a 2010 high top 170 wb that I have converted into very nice motor home. Has 174,000 miles and my biggest problem has been the DEF systems, sensors, pumps, etc. Very nice ride and exceptional fuel mileage, 19-24 mpg. This is my fifth van or bus conversion and it is my most usable, back door and double beds make it easy to haul items, plywood, 16ft boards, bicycles, and even my big Boulevard, motorcycle. My only complaint is cost of maintenance at dealership. I now have a German mechanic and I am much happier.
good luck to all, Dave
 

Zoonhollis

New member
NCV3 2013 hosting a Winnebago Era 170A. Bought with 80K miles. CEL came on about 500 miles into first trip (from dealership in FL). Drove it the rest of the way in limp mode, which still allowed about 65mph on the flats. Took it to a Sprinter specialty shop. Initial diagnosis pointed to swirl valves, but those were fine. Ended up being a wiring harness deep in the bowels of the intake. Part had to come from Germany, so long wait. The Sprinter is still in the shop as I type this. We are going crazy and are wondering if we indeed purchased a Sprinter/RV a month ago...
 

flman

Roadrunner, Genius of Birds ALWAYS WINS! NO FAILS!
NCV3 2013 hosting a Winnebago Era 170A. Bought with 80K miles. CEL came on about 500 miles into first trip (from dealership in FL). Drove it the rest of the way in limp mode, which still allowed about 65mph on the flats. Took it to a Sprinter specialty shop. Initial diagnosis pointed to swirl valves, but those were fine. Ended up being a wiring harness deep in the bowels of the intake. Part had to come from Germany, so long wait. The Sprinter is still in the shop as I type this. We are going crazy and are wondering if we indeed purchased a Sprinter/RV a month ago...
That sucks!
 

alleno

Member
2012 2500 170 inch wheel base
120,000 mile
I was given the sprinter in fall of 2015 with 92,000 miles by a relative.

I outfitted the van as a camper. Happy with this application and we use it a bit as a daily driver since my truck died last winter and for longer getaways. Mostly highway miles on it from us.

However we have replace the DPF twice in two years, the turbo just a couple of weeks ago (which was what took out DPF #2 - #1 was due to a broken flex hose). Also had to replace the catalytic converter when the DPF went the first time. Had to replace the seals on the air conditioner. So our free van repairs are now up to about $14,000 (plus another $15,000 invested in the conversion).

What's up and I am going to ask this question on the forum.

Thanks --allen
 

mikemastroni

New member
2011 3.0 170" with extended rear. Purchased at 193k with all highway miles (even original brake pads). Seems like if you're running all highway (and take care of it) these things will go till around 195-200k without any serious problems.

As soon as I purchased it I replaced the EGR (bucking/power dropouts between 1800-2000 RPMs) and front brake pads. Within 1000 miles the CEL was on. Dennis @lindenengineering replaced mass airflow sensor, intake temp & pressure sensors, and did a forced re-gen on the DPF. Not even 50 miles down the road the DEF and CEL lights came on (with tank full) shortly followed by a 9 starts countdown. I turned around and went right back to Dennis who's mechanic Devlin helped me reset the light and start count. $1400 later and 3 days wasted I was back on the road. CEL back at 196k, replaced downstream nox (because front had recently been replaced) and with continuous CEL problems I eventually replaced the DPF at 200k miles. Since the DPF replacement my CEL has stayed off (knock on wood) and with the exception of a torn inlet seal I haven't had any other major problems so far..but yeah all this added up to over $5,000 and a lot of stress.

Currently 245k miles and running strong with 8k interval oil, oil filter, & air filter changes. I also try to do fuel filter, EGR cleanings, and manual re-gens every 20-30k to keep the emissions system happy. Oh yeah and and always keep the DEF tank full..unless its cold.

Love this van more than anything! I'm certainly dreading the repairs to come...but even still, I honestly can't see driving anything else.

-Mike
 
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Pneumo

Member
Purchased a 2008 Dodge 2500 170"wb with 129,XXX miles from Minneapolis. One owner, maintained at the Dodge dealer, and traded in after 10 years to upgrade to a new Promaster.

On my drive back home to Northern Virginia, I experienced a leaking power steering fitting. I flushed that system with new fluid when I got home because I had used a non spec PS fluid to get me home. ($40 in fluid)

I had NO issues between 129k and 139k, but soon after started to experience issues. At that point I started smelling diesel in the cabin, and upon a start one morning heard chuffing. Diagnosed and fixed a leaking injector seal. I broke a leak off line fitting in the process. I also replaced the turbo inlet seal at this point and had a rusted through flex pipe in the exhaust replaced. (Maybe $300 for all of that?)

That's when I started experiencing a recurring CEL related to the EGR system. Cleaning the valve and sensors has always resolved these without needing to clear the code. I now clean the EGR valve and sensors at every oil change.

Driving through Aspen, CO, our passenger side brake rotor broke around the hub requiring a new caliper, set of rotors, and pads. Bled my brakes at the same time obviously. ($600-700)

I've had to replace the parking shoes, cams, springs, and other hardware as well. ($80)

We are currently at 156k and are in the process of replacing our timing chain. This is a big job and I've been having a fair amount of trouble with it. After buying tools and parts, I have spent ~$800.

I also just replaced a set of struts while working at the timing chain. ($450)

I've been able to do all of these repairs myself while traveling, which has saved us thousands.

Owned the van for 10 months and 27,000 miles. Despite our issues I'm glad I bought the van. We've driven from VA to Alaska without any major issues in that time and live out of it full time. I wouldn't buy the vehicle if I couldn't do the work myself, because as a 25 year old without a job that would make the ownership costs too high for me.
 

rray37375

Zoom Groom Mobile Pet Spa
2015 Sprinter 3500 170 high top
Mileage 36950
Purchased 06/20/2018 at 29000
Vehicle was up-fitted when new as a mobile pet grooming salon by Wag'nTails Mobile Conversions, Granger, Indiana.
Opinion: The jury is still out on this van. It has gone to the dealer for a DEF issue that set the CEL, DEF Nozzle was clogged and replaced under warranty. A nonth later the CEL illuminated again, made another dealer appointment, but the CEL went dark and is staying the way. A faint odor of diesel fuel can sometimes be detected on the cabin. No leaks found anywhere. Other than those issues the vehicle is economical to operate over our three county service area.
 
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jimmiejoe

2500 High Roof 144" WB
I had similar issues with our 2013 Sprinter. We happened to see smoke coming from under the hood when we stopping in a parking lot. There was a pin hole in one of the two hose that are on top of the engine under the assembly on top of the engine. It was spraying diesel on the back of the engine. We drove it straight to the Mercedes dealer. Once the engine was turned off and then the restart for the tech to inspect it the pin hole was no longer spraying diesel.
 

cvo

Active member
On my third Sprinter, I always order what I want. Current is a 2018 144" Low roof with lots of options. My vans are business use and they're well maintained, never had any major issues.
 

travisap

2008 Dodge Sprinter Campervan
2008 Sprinter 2500 144 WB, High Roof diesel, 30K miles. Absolutely love it. After driving the 144 in town, we are very glad to have this size.
 

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