Model year guide

2002 Freightliner Sprinter

Recalls, most-reported problems, crash-test ratings, fuel economy and what a 2002 Freightliner Sprinter is worth — from official NHTSA and EPA data. 6 on record.

2002 Freightliner Sprinter at a glance

Safety recalls4
Owner complaints8

Included: that car's specs and build sheet, model-year recall campaigns and a fair price.

2002 Freightliner Sprinter recalls 4

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System NHTSA Campaign #11V410000 · manufacturer #2010040002 · NHTSA lists this under Sprinter 2500 · 09/08/2011

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.

Fix: 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,…

Engine And Engine Cooling:exhaust System NHTSA Campaign #09V418000 · manufacturer #2010040002 · NHTSA lists this under Sprinter 2500 · 29/10/2009

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.

Fix: 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 1-800-853-1403 OR SPRINTER AT 843-695-5031.

Steering:column NHTSA Campaign #08V339000 · manufacturer #H25 · NHTSA lists this under Sprinter 2500 · 24/07/2008

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.

Fix: 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.

Interior Lighting NHTSA Campaign #07V299000 · NHTSA lists this under Sprinter 2500 · 13/07/2007

ON CERTAIN TRUCKS EQUIPPED WITH REAR AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEM, THE INTERIOR LAMP IS EQUIPPED WITH AN 18W LAMP AND A SCATTERING LENS. IN EXTREMELY HOT AND HUMID CONDITIONS, THE COMBINATION OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY, AND THE HEAT FROM THE LAMP DUE TO EXTREME LONG TERM OPERATION, CAN DISTORT THE SCATTERING LENS.

Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THE REAR INTERIOR LAMPS FREE OF CHARGE WITH A MODIFIED VERSION WHICH IS NOT SUBJECT TO THE IMPACTS OF HEAT AND HUMIDITY. THE RECALL BEGAN ON DECEMBER 17, 2007. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL AT 1-843-695-5041.

Source: U.S. NHTSA, checked 4 Nov 2026. A campaign covers the model year; to see whether a particular car still needs the repair, check its VIN on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer.

2002 Freightliner Sprinter common problems

The most-reported problem areas across all 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — and what to check before you buy.

Engine And Engine Cooling
Check coolant level and color, look for leaks, and confirm the engine reaches normal temperature without overheating.
Power Train
Drive through every gear: watch for slipping, hard or delayed shifts, and shudder. Check for transmission/driveline leaks and noises.
Suspension
Listen for clunks over bumps, check the car sits level, and look for uneven tire wear and worn shocks or struts.
Electrical System
Test every electrical feature: windows, locks, infotainment, charging and all lights. Watch for flickering, dead accessories or warning lights.
Tires
Check tread depth, the DOT age date, and that all four tires match with even wear. Look for bulges or cracks.
Parking Brake
Have a trusted mechanic inspect this system as part of a pre-purchase inspection.

Investigations & service bulletins

NHTSA defect investigations 1

TIRE VALVE FAILURE Closed

ODI OPENED PE04-066 TO INVESTIGATE FIVE COMPLAINTS ALLEGING TIRE VALVE FAILURE IN MY 2003-04 SUBJECT VEHICLES. SOME OF THE COMPLAINTS ALLEGED MULTIPLE TIRE VALVE FAILURES FOR A SINGLE VEHICLE. ON DECEMBER 16, 2004, DAIMLERCHRYSLER MANUFACTURING INTERNATIONAL (DCMI) NOTIFIED NHTSA OF A SAFETY DEFECT IN APPROXIMATELY 23,000 MY 2002-05 SPRINTER 2500 VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH TR-600 TIRE VALVES PRODUCED BY ALLIGATOR VENTILF…

NHTSA #PE04066 · Tires · opened Sep 2004 · closed Feb 2005

An investigation means NHTSA is examining a possible defect — it is not a recall, and many close without one.

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, listed for the SPRINTER. Model-year data, not specific to one car.

About the Freightliner Sprinter

The Mercedes-Benz Sprinter is a light commercial vehicle (van) built by Mercedes-Benz Group AG of Stuttgart, Germany, as a large van, chassis cab, minibus, and pickup truck. In the past, the Sprinter had been sold under the Mercedes-Benz, Dodge, and Freightliner nameplates. In the U.S., it was built from complete knock down (CKD) kits by Freightliner. Re-badged and re-engined Sprinters were also sold by Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles as the Volkswagen LT and the Volkswagen Crafter. They are now primarily marketed by Mercedes-Benz.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Describes the model line in general, not this model year specifically.

2002 Freightliner Sprinter vehicles on record

Other Freightliner Sprinter model years

2002 Freightliner Sprinter — frequently asked questions

Does the 2002 Freightliner Sprinter have any safety recalls?

NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns for the 2002 Freightliner Sprinter. Whether an individual car still needs a recall repair depends on its VIN — check it on NHTSA.gov or ask a franchised dealer. Recall repairs are done at no charge.

What are the most common problems with the 2002 Freightliner Sprinter?

Across all 8 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the most-reported problem areas are engine and engine cooling, power train, suspension.

Sources: NHTSA (recalls, complaints, crash tests), U.S. EPA (fuel economy). Vehicle data only — CarLogs never shows owner information.