2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 Recalls, Complaints & Specs
4 safety recalls list the 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500, and owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA. Check your own VIN below.
4 safety recalls for the 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500
Most recent first. Recall repairs are free at any authorised dealer. Click a recall for the full defect, consequence and remedy text.
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Instrument cluster/panel (electrical system) and service brakes, hydraulic
Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Dodge and Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vans manufactured June 30, 2003, to August 31, 2006. The instrument cluster on the affected vehicles fails to illuminate the BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument cluster during the vehicle start up bulb-function check.…
Remedy: DVUSA will notify owners, and DVUSA and Dodge dealers will correct the instrument cluster software, as necessary, free of charge. An interim notification was sent to owners on January 6, 2017. A second notice will be…
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Exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)
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…
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…
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Exhaust system (engine and engine cooling)
Sprinter is recalling certain model year 2002 through 2003 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.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the intake manifold free of charge. Chrysler, llc is handling the owner notification and remedy for this campaign. The recall began on june 4, 2010. Owners may contact chrysler at…
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Column (steering)
Sprinter is recalling 10 my 2001-2006 dodge and freightliner 2500 and 3500 vehicles. The welding seam between the bracket and steering column of affected spare parts does not meet design specifications. The result of an out of specification welding seam is that the steering column may detach from its interior vehicle mounting bracket.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering columns free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on or before february 16, 2009. Owners may contact sprinter at 843-695-5057.
2 owner complaints filed with NHTSA
Owners of the 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA; 1 describe a fire. The average mileage at failure in those reports is 150,000 miles. Complaints peaked in 2015 with 1 filed that year.
Most-reported components
What owners are reporting
“The contact owns a 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 09V418000 (Engine and Engine Cooling) however, the part to do the recall repair was not”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, June 15, 2023 · Engine and engine cooling
“Tl* the contact owns a 2003 freightliner sprinter 3500. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was”
Owner complaint to NHTSA, October 30, 2015 · Electrical system
Compare Freightliner Sprinter 3500 model years
Recall and complaint counts for every Freightliner Sprinter 3500 model year in NHTSA's database.
Checking a specific 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500
How do I know if my 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500 has an open recall?
Enter your 17-character VIN above. The VIN is on the driver's side dashboard (visible through the windshield), the driver's door jamb sticker, and your registration or insurance card. The check runs against NHTSA's live database and tells you which campaigns list your vehicle. 4 campaigns currently list the 2003 Freightliner Sprinter 3500; your car may already have been repaired under some of them.
Is the recall repair free?
Yes. Under federal law, manufacturers must fix safety recalls at no charge for vehicles up to 15 years old from the date of sale to the first owner. Contact any authorised Freightliner dealer with your VIN and the NHTSA campaign number (for example 08V339000).
What is the difference between a recall and a complaint?
A recall is a safety campaign filed by the manufacturer or ordered by NHTSA, with a defined defect and remedy. A complaint is a report an owner sent to NHTSA; it is not verified, but patterns of complaints are what trigger NHTSA investigations and, eventually, recalls.
Other Freightliner models
- Cascadia253 complaints
- Freightliner135 complaints
- Columbia96 complaints
- Conventional76 complaints
- Business Class M254 complaints
- Century53 complaints
- Sprinter 250049 complaints
- FL-7037 complaints
Source: NHTSA recall and complaint databases and EPA fuel economy data, October 2026. Complaint counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects. Recall counts are safety campaigns that list this model year; whether a particular car was already repaired depends on its VIN. How this data is compiled.