Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: springs and shock absorbers

On the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter the APK inspector finds springs and shock absorbers problems 8.3× as often as on cars of the same age: at 7–8 years 3.1%, against about 0.4% nationally.

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

What is it?

Broken springs or leaking shock absorbers.

Repair indication: mediuma targeted repair at the garage.

How to check it at the viewing

Push each corner down firmly: the car should rebound once. Look for oil on the dampers and whether the car sits level.

Ask the seller: Have the shock absorbers or springs ever 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	0.9%	0.5 – 1.8%	0.0%	33.9×	884
5 – 6 years	A	0.7%	0.5 – 1.2%	0.1%	8.7×	2,332
5 – 6 years	B	0.6%	0.3 – 1.0%	0.1%	7.5×	2,332
7 – 8 years	A	3.1%	2.3 – 4.0%	0.4%	8.3×	1,605
7 – 8 years	B	1.6%	1.1 – 2.4%	0.1%	10.9×	1,605
7 – 8 years	C	0.5%	0.3 – 1.0%	0.5%	1.1×	1,605
9 – 10 years	A	1.9%	1.3 – 2.8%	0.8%	2.4×	1,219
9 – 10 years	B	2.1%	1.4 – 3.0%	0.3%	6.6×	1,219
9 – 10 years	C	1.1%	0.7 – 1.9%	0.7%	1.5×	1,219
11 – 12 years	A	0.8%	0.4 – 1.6%	1.3%	0.6×	892
11 – 12 years	B	1.6%	0.9 – 2.6%	0.5%	3.5×	892
11 – 12 years	C	1.3%	0.8 – 2.3%	1.1%	1.2×	892
13 – 15 years	A	0.5%	0.3 – 1.2%	2.5%	0.2×	1,091
13 – 15 years	B	1.5%	0.9 – 2.4%	1.0%	1.5×	1,091
13 – 15 years	C	1.2%	0.7 – 2.0%	1.5%	0.8×	1,091
16+ years	B	1.5%	0.8 – 2.7%	1.2%	1.3×	682
16+ years	C	2.6%	1.7 – 4.1%	1.5%	1.7×	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	Springs and shock absorbers	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter	3.1%	8.3×
Dacia Logan	0.9%	5.9×
Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W213/S213	0.7%	1.8×

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 · Springs and shock absorbers: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter often have springs and shock absorbers problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 7–8 years the inspector found a springs and shock absorbers defect on 3.1% of inspected Mercedes-Benz Sprinters, against about 0.4% of all cars of the same age (8.3×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the springs and shock absorbers on a used Mercedes-Benz Sprinter?

Push each corner down firmly: the car should rebound once. Look for oil on the dampers and whether the car sits level.

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