- The problem
- Daimler buses is recalling 465 my 2004-2008 sprinter 2500 and 3500 buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These lifts fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 403, "Platform lift systems for motor vehicles." The anti-stow interlock may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user. The pressure sensing switch that detects the presence of weight on the platform was not adjusted to the necessary sensitivity level. The lift could stow even though someone or something is still on the lift.
- The risk
- A lift occupant can be injured should the lift begin to stow unintentionally.
- The fix
- Daimler buses is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts (please see 07e097). Owners may contact ricon at 1-800-322-2884 or daimler buses at 1-905-403-7807.
Vehicle safety record
2005 Sprinter 3500 Problems, complaints & recalls
Owners have filed 14 complaints about the 2005 Sprinter 3500 with NHTSA, most often about the engine & cooling (7) and the fuel system (2). It is covered by 2 recalls, the latest in August 2008 for the equipment adaptive / mobility. For comparison, the 2004 has 2 and the 2006 has 21.
NHTSA data checked
FFar more problems than a typical 3500 year, for its age
#212 most complained-about 2005 vehicle
- Complaints
- 14
- Recalls
- 2
- Crashes
- 0
- Fires
- 0
- Injuries
- 0
- Deaths
- 0
Most common 2005 Sprinter 3500 problems
Share of all 14 complaints. One complaint can name more than one area. Tap an area for its complaints and recalls.
2005 Sprinter 3500 recalls 2
Recall repairs are free. Your dealer fixes them whether or not you bought the car there - check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see if yours is done. What to do
- The problem
- Daimler buses of north carolina (dbnc) is recalling 334 my 2005-2006 sprinter 2500 and my 2003, 2005-2007 sprinter 3500 buses equipped with ricon platform style wheelchair lifts. These buses fail to comply with the requirements of federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 404, "Platform lift installation in motor vehicles." The threshold warning system may not detect the presence of a wheelchair or mobility aid user in a certain spot within the defined threshold area.
- The risk
- The user of the lift could be injured should the lift move unintentionally.
- The fix
- Dbnc is working with ricon to correct the wheelchair lifts free of charge (please see 07e095). Owners may contact ricon at 1-818-267-3000 or dbnc at 1-905-403-7807.
What owners say
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14 complaints about the 2005 Sprinter 3500
Newest first, as filed with NHTSA by owners.
Turbo resonator failure on an incline on freeway was almost rear ended by another vechicle. The dealer replaced the resonator. *Tr
Windshield wipers just stopped working in the low speed mode. They will work for a short period of time and then just stop. *Jb
I own 3 sprinters. All 3 had problems with the injectors leaking. This was a known problem with the dealership. Chrysler refused to admit there was a problem. *Ak
Tl*the contact owns a 2005 dodge sprinter 3500. The contact stated that there is a noise coming from the drive shaft of the vehicle. The dealer stated that the universal joints need to be replaced. The vehicle has not been repaired. The current and failure mileages were 105,000.
Sudden loss of power while driving 50-60 mph. No acceleration despite depressing accelerator pedal to floor. Vehicle towed 15 miles to authorized dealer where turbo resonator was replaced. *Jb
The truck lost power suddenly and the speed reduced from 62 to 35 totally out of my control. This occurred on i95 in northern virginia in heavy traffic. The problem was a failed turbo resonator. *Nm
"Turbo resonator" failed at highway speed on a major interstate causing severe loss of power and near collision. *Jb vehicle is winnebago vuw*gtb
Purchased a new '06 gulfstream rv yesterday. (Built on a '05 dodge/freightliner sprinter 3500 chassis) had 480 (delivery) miles on it. Driving home from southern california, at ~790 miles on odometer, engine suddenly cut momentarily, rpms and power fell, check engine light went on, and I was on hwy 101 for ~30 miles doing 45 as the rest of traffic moved at typical 80 mph (no other choices but the highway). Very dangerous. There is no apparent problem. I will have it serviced tomorrow. I suspect the well known turbo resonator crack which I have now read about and researched on the internet. *Jb
Leaving the town of lakeside, or made left turn onto the 101 hwy with traffic not visible due to a curve both ways, accelerated to get up to freeway speed for safety. Found the vehicle would not shift out of third gear. Drove 4-5 miles before I could turn off the freeway. I parked headed downhill, turned off the engine and opened the hood. I then went into the store to use phone; had no luck finding service. I felt I might be able to go back to my destination in third gear so gave it a try. When I put the...
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hood down the support was so weak it bent and I had to hammer it out of the way to close the hood. I found something might have reset itself as it shifted normally once I restarted the engine. This happened twice more in the year 2005. The fix each time was to turn off the engine and restart. No red light . June 23, 06 before I traveled out of state went to local dealership starting fiasco with three dealerships (supposedly authorized and certified to work on this vehicle) couldn't get it fixed until mercedes benz mechanic was brought in and it was done within the morning of that day. Transmission control module was replaced three times; the gear shift was replaced and the transmission was replaced unnecessarily at less than 8k miles . The repair done is unclear to me; but, supposedly the culprit is the resonator. It was remarked in email to [redacted]@yahoo.Com by chryslerdaimler rep, it was the fault of winnebago industries installation of a sirius radio on the production line; they are discussing this between them now. While the two are attempting to place blame anywhere else but on themselves, people are in jeopardy of their lives the longer this issue is put off. Please assign someone to check out the yahoo groups forum: view-navion and view-naviontech there are 25 incidences of limp home mode (losing power) in the database. *Nm
Vehicle suddenly lost power on freeway, creating a dangerous situation. Had to be towed to dealer. Dealer traced problem to turbo resonator failure, a well-known and documented problem with dodge sprinter vans. *Nm
Turbo resonator in 2005 dodge sprinter developed a leak, prompting "limp home mode." "Limp home mode" reduced speed significantly--35 mph on highway--which is unsafe. *Jb
Dt*: the contact stated there is a crack in the fuel tank. The crack is located where the overflow and fuel tank connect. While fueling the vehicle, fuel spillage occurs. Fuel is also leaking while entering curves. The vehicle was taken to the local dealership for inspection. The dealer discovered the crack however, no parts were available for repairs.
2005 Dodge sprinter rear tire blew out after front tire blew out- dealer said faulty value stems. Damaged rear rim and had to buy two new tires and rim. Almost same occurance happen to two other sprinters in our fleet. Also, we have to replace brake pads every 12,000 miles. We have had to replace rotors on three sprinters due to rotors seperated from hub. One 04 sprinter loses power for unknown reason, after stop and restart, power returns-- dealer is clueless. *Nm
Dt: contact owned a 2005 dodge sprinter 3500. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while driving. This mostly occurs while the vehicle decelerated. Happened several times while driving at 25 mph, and it happened approximately eight times. Attempts were made to repair vehicle, but it was for different issues. Because this problem was intermittent they thought the auto service department fixed the vehicle, but problem recurred. Contact's was concerned that this vehicle transported high school...
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children and did not want to see it stall intermittently. *Ak while driving the vehicle will shut off lights on the dash, abs light and the track light on the dash stays on. Clockspring sensor and anti-lock brake module replaced. Stall outs caused by accelerator pedal position lock voltage too high. Accelerator pedal replaced. *Tt
Sprinter 3500: every year compared
All 3500 years2005 Sprinter 3500 vs rivals
| Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls | Grade | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2005 Sprinter 3500 | 14 | 2 | F | |
| 2005 Sprinter 2500 | 3 | 5 | D | Compare |
More sales usually means more complaints, so compare similar vehicles of the same year. The grade compares each vehicle with its own model's other years.
Questions about the 2005 Sprinter 3500
Does the 2005 Sprinter 3500 have any recalls?
Yes - NHTSA lists 2 recalls for the 2005 Sprinter 3500: equipment adaptive / mobility (August 2008); equipment adaptive / mobility (March 2008). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether yours has been fixed.
What are the most common problems with the 2005 Sprinter 3500?
By the complaints owners filed with NHTSA, the most common problem areas are the engine & cooling (7), fuel system (2), transmission & drivetrain (2).
How many complaints has the 2005 Sprinter 3500 had?
14 complaints have been filed with NHTSA, the first on August 19, 2005 and the latest on November 14, 2008. Of these, 0 describe a crash and 0 a fire, and together they report 0 injuries and 0 deaths.
Is the 2005 Sprinter 3500 a reliable vehicle?
Its Safety Index is 20 out of 100 (grade F: far more problems than a typical Sprinter 3500 year, for its age). The index weighs complaints, crashes, fires, injuries, deaths and recalls against how long the vehicle has been on the road, compared with the same model's other years. It is not a measure of every repair - read the complaints and owner experiences, and have any used vehicle inspected before you buy.
Which Sprinter 3500 years have the most complaints?
2006 (21), 2005 (14), 2008 (6). See every Sprinter 3500 year compared.
What should I do if my 2005 Sprinter 3500 has a problem?
If it is a safety problem, stop driving it if it is unsafe and contact your dealer. Report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem - enough reports start investigations and recalls - and share your experience here so other owners know what to look for.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints and recalls, checked . Complaints are owners' own reports and are not verified. How we use the data