Sprinter Engineering & Compliance Suppor: Engine and Engine Cooling › Exhaust System
Sprinter Engineering & Compliance Suppor reported this defect to federal regulators on Aug 9, 2011 and put the number of vehicles at risk at 665. The repair is free for as long as the recall stands.
The defect
MERCEDES-BENZ USA (MBUSA) IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2002- 2003 SPRINTER 2500 AND 3500 VANS SOLD AS DODGE AND FREIGHTLINER VEHICLES. THE INTAKE MANIFOLDS MAY HAVE CORRODED. A CHEMICAL REACTION INVOLVING SULFUR IN THE DIESEL FUEL THAT TAKES PLACE UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS CAN LEAD TO THE FORMATION OF SULFURIC ACID IN THE EXHAUST CHANNEL OF THE INTAKE MANIFOLD.
The risk
INTAKE MANIFOLD CORROSION MAY LEAD TO AN EXHAUST GAS LEAK, DAMAGE TO THE FUEL RETURN LINE WHICH COULD CAUSE A FUEL LEAK, AND HEAT DAMAGE TO THE INSULATION AT THE FIRE WALL. FUEL LEAKAGE, IN THE PRESENCE OF AN IGNITION SOURCE, COULD RESULT IN A FIRE.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL INSPECT AND REPLACE THE INTAKE MANIFOLD FREE OF CHARGE. CHRYSLER, LLC WILL NOTIFY OWNERS OF DODGE SPRINTERS AND MBUSA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS FREIGHTLINER SPRINTERS. THIS RECALL IS AN EXPANSION OF A PREVIOUS RECALL (PLEASE SEE RECALL CAMPAIGN 09V-418). THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 11, 2011. OWNERS MAY CONTACT CHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403 OR SPRINTER AT 1-843-695-5031.
8 model years covered
Newest first| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Fires | Crashes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2003 Dodge Sprinter 2500 | 5 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 Dodge Sprinter 3500 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 |
| 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 |
| 2002 Dodge Sprinter 2500 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 Dodge Sprinter 3500 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 Freightliner Sprinter 2500 | 0 | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| 2002 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
What this page is, and what to do next
A recall is not an opinion. It is a Part 573 report a manufacturer is required by federal law to file once it decides a defect poses an unreasonable risk to safety, and it commits them to repairing the vehicle at no cost to the owner. The three passages above are the manufacturer’s own wording as published by NHTSA.
This page describes the campaign. It cannot tell you whether one particular car has already been through the shop — that is tracked by VIN, and only the manufacturer knows it. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with a franchised dealer, quoting campaign number 11V410000.
Full record for the 2003 Dodge Sprinter 2500 → · Recalls carrying a do-not-drive advisory → · Where this data comes from →