Known APK problem

Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447: springs and shock absorbers

On the Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447 the APK inspector finds springs and shock absorbers problems 4.7× as often as on cars of the same age: at 11–12 years 6.5%, against about 1.4% nationally.

Illustration Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447

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 V-Klasse / Vito W447s with this defect, compared with all cars of the same age.

Age	Type	V-Klasse / Vito W447	95%-CI	National	Difference	n
3 – 4 years	B	0.8%	0.3 – 1.8%	0.0%	23.6×	639
3 – 4 years	C	1.9%	1.1 – 3.3%	0.1%	22.8×	639
5 – 6 years	A	1.6%	0.9 – 3.0%	0.1%	19.7×	608
5 – 6 years	B	0.8%	0.4 – 1.9%	0.1%	11.1×	608
5 – 6 years	C	2.6%	1.6 – 4.2%	0.2%	12.3×	608
7 – 8 years	A	5.2%	3.7 – 7.1%	0.4%	14.0×	679
7 – 8 years	C	1.6%	0.9 – 2.9%	0.5%	3.4×	679
9 – 10 years	A	5.6%	4.0 – 7.8%	0.8%	7.0×	573
9 – 10 years	B	1.0%	0.5 – 2.3%	0.3%	3.4×	573
9 – 10 years	C	1.2%	0.6 – 2.5%	0.7%	1.6×	573
11 – 12 years	A	6.5%	3.9 – 10.7%	1.4%	4.7×	214

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 11–12 years

Model	Springs and shock absorbers	Vs. national
Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447	6.5%	4.7×
BMW i i3	0.8%	0.7×
Toyota Prius III	0.2%	0.5×
Mercedes-Benz E-Klasse W212/S212	1.0%	0.7×

Looking at a Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447? Check that car

Enter the plate and see the APK history, open recalls and how this car compares with other Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447s of the same age.

All weak spots of the Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447 · Springs and shock absorbers: which models more often · Checklist for this model

Frequently asked questions

Does the Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447 often have springs and shock absorbers problems?

Yes, more often than average at the APK. At 11–12 years the inspector found a springs and shock absorbers defect on 6.5% of inspected Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447s, against about 1.4% of all cars of the same age (4.7×). Source: RDW Open Data, Oct 2025 – Sep 2026.

How do you check the springs and shock absorbers on a used Mercedes-Benz V-Klasse / Vito W447?

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