Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: control arms / ball joints

On the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter the APK inspector finds control arms / ball joints problems 18.9× as often as on cars of the same age: at 13–15 years 36.3%, against about 1.9% nationally.

Window: Oct 2025 – Sep 2026 · Updated: 16 Oct 2026

What is it?

Worn bushes or ball joints in the suspension.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Ask the seller: Have the control arms or ball joints been replaced?

By age

Share of inspected Mercedes-Benz Sprinters with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	Sprinter	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
3 – 4 years	A	5.7%	4.3 – 7.4%	0.1%	40.2×	884
3 – 4 years	C	27.0%	24.2 – 30.1%	0.4%	70.9×	884
5 – 6 years	A	6.3%	5.4 – 7.4%	0.3%	19.7×	2,332
5 – 6 years	C	32.9%	31.0 – 34.8%	0.9%	38.2×	2,332
7 – 8 years	A	7.4%	6.2 – 8.7%	0.5%	14.9×	1,605
7 – 8 years	C	31.5%	29.2 – 33.8%	0.9%	35.9×	1,605
9 – 10 years	A	6.9%	5.6 – 8.5%	0.9%	8.0×	1,219
9 – 10 years	C	34.8%	32.2 – 37.5%	1.1%	31.5×	1,219
11 – 12 years	A	5.6%	4.3 – 7.3%	1.3%	4.4×	892
11 – 12 years	C	35.5%	32.5 – 38.7%	1.3%	28.4×	892
13 – 15 years	A	3.8%	2.8 – 5.1%	2.0%	1.9×	1,091
13 – 15 years	C	36.3%	33.5 – 39.2%	1.9%	18.9×	1,091
16+ years	A	3.5%	2.4 – 5.2%	2.7%	1.3×	682
16+ years	C	34.3%	30.8 – 38.0%	4.3%	8.0×	682

A = structure, safety or costly mechanics; B = fail, usually simple; C = advisory. An age is missing when this defect is not among the most common there.

Comparable cars at 13–15 years

Model	Control arms / ball joints	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	36.3%	18.9×
Volkswagen Golf VI Variant	3.2%	1.6×
Dacia Logan	1.3%	0.7×

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz Sprinter? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Mercedes-Benz Sprinters of the same age.

All weak spots of the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter · Control arms / ball joints: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter often have control arms / ball joints problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 13–15 years the inspector found a control arms / ball joints defect on 36.3% of inspected Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, against about 1.9% of all cars of the same age (18.9×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the control arms / ball joints on a used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?

Listen for clunks or knocks over speed bumps on the test drive. The car should not wander when braking.

Repair indication: small, medium or large. An indication of the usual repair, not a quote: the real cost depends on the car, the cause and the garage.

Source: RDW Open Data (CC0), analysis CarXray.nl. 6,857,004 inspected passenger cars aged 3 years and older, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026. Each car counts once. How we know