Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: brakes

On the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter the APK inspector finds brakes problems 9.6× as often as on cars of the same age: at 7–8 years 11.4%, against about 1.2% nationally.

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

What is it?

Worn or rusted brake discs and pads, or uneven braking.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

Ask the seller: When were the brake discs and pads last 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	6.2%	4.8 – 8.0%	0.5%	13.6×	884
3 – 4 years	B	2.1%	1.4 – 3.3%	0.6%	3.4×	884
3 – 4 years	C	2.0%	1.3 – 3.2%	0.7%	2.8×	884
5 – 6 years	A	9.8%	8.7 – 11.1%	0.7%	13.2×	2,332
5 – 6 years	B	2.6%	2.0 – 3.3%	1.2%	2.2×	2,332
5 – 6 years	C	2.1%	1.6 – 2.8%	1.8%	1.2×	2,332
7 – 8 years	A	11.4%	9.9 – 13.0%	1.2%	9.6×	1,605
7 – 8 years	B	1.7%	1.2 – 2.5%	1.4%	1.2×	1,605
7 – 8 years	C	1.5%	1.0 – 2.2%	2.5%	0.6×	1,605
9 – 10 years	A	9.6%	8.1 – 11.4%	1.8%	5.4×	1,219
9 – 10 years	B	3.1%	2.3 – 4.2%	1.6%	1.9×	1,219
9 – 10 years	C	1.7%	1.1 – 2.6%	2.8%	0.6×	1,219
11 – 12 years	A	10.1%	8.3 – 12.2%	2.8%	3.6×	892
11 – 12 years	B	1.9%	1.2 – 3.0%	1.7%	1.1×	892
11 – 12 years	C	2.2%	1.5 – 3.4%	2.8%	0.8×	892
13 – 15 years	A	9.3%	7.7 – 11.1%	4.0%	2.3×	1,091
13 – 15 years	B	1.2%	0.7 – 2.0%	2.0%	0.6×	1,091
13 – 15 years	C	1.9%	1.3 – 2.9%	2.7%	0.7×	1,091
16+ years	A	10.1%	8.1 – 12.6%	5.9%	1.7×	682
16+ years	B	2.1%	1.2 – 3.4%	2.1%	1.0×	682
16+ years	C	1.2%	0.6 – 2.3%	3.0%	0.4×	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 7–8 years

Model	Brakes	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	11.4%	9.6×
Dacia Logan	2.2%	1.8×
BMW 1-serie F21	7.0%	2.7×
Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W213/S213	0.4%	0.3×

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 · Brakes: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter often have brakes problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 7–8 years the inspector found a brakes defect on 11.4% of inspected Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, against about 1.2% of all cars of the same age (9.6×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the brakes on a used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?

Look through the wheel at the discs: no deep grooves or thick rust edge. Brake firmly on the test drive: the car should stay straight.

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