DODGE SPRINTER 2500 · model year

2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500

6 NHTSA complaints, and 5 recall campaigns listed for this cohort. A VIN lookup is required to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA overall rating

Not crash-tested

New Car Assessment Program

The 2003DODGESPRINTER 2500 carries 6 consumer safety complaints in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database for this specific model-year cohort. Within that volume, owners reported 0 crashes, 1 fire, 0 injuries, and 0 fatalities. No NCAP 5-star crash-test rating is available for this model year in the federal database.

The most frequently selected component label in reports for the 2003 SPRINTER 2500 is engine and engine cooling:exhaust system with 1 filings, followed by steering:linkages:tie rod assembly (1) and latches/locks/linkages (1). Complaint categories reflect owner reports and intake categorization; they do not establish a defect pattern or cause. This cohort has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns listed below. Enter a VIN in NHTSA's official recall lookup to determine whether a specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

NHTSA currently has 20 investigation files overlapping the 2003 SPRINTER 2500, and 1 remain open. Owners comparing this cohort against neighboring years should read the complaint-by-year trend as report volume, not a causal diagnosis. Use the related-complaint feed and the official recall lookup when researching a specific vehicle.

6
Complaints
0
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Injuries
0
Deaths

Total Complaints

6 filings

Crashes Reported

0 reports

Source

NHTSA ODI

Federal complaints database

Complaints vs. fleet median (215)

At or below the fleet median complaint volume.

Complaints by Component

ComponentCount
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM1
STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY1
LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES1
ENGINE1
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM1
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC1

Recalls (5)

09V41800029/10/2009

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

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 EXHA

08V33900024/07/2008

STEERING:COLUMN

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

16V83300017/11/2016

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM: INSTRUMENT CLUSTER/PANEL

Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain model year 2003-2006 Dodge and Freightliner Sprinter 2500 and 3500 vans manufactured June 30, 2003, to August 31, 2006. The instrument cluster on the affected vehicles fails to illuminate the BRAKE warning lamp in the instrument cluster during the

07V29900013/07/2007

INTERIOR LIGHTING

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

11V41000009/08/2011

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

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 FORMA

Recent Complaints

20250701ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Sprinter 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V833000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

20250701SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2003 Dodge Sprinter 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V833000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

20190724FireENGINE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 63 MPH WITH A RV TRAILER HITCHED, THE ENGINE HESITATED AND WAS 10 DEGREES WARMER THAN NORMAL. IN ADDITION, THE ENGINE COOLANT INCREASED 30 DEGREES HOTTER THAN NORMAL. THERE WAS BLACK SMOKE COMING FROM THE EXHAUST AND THE OIL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF. FLUIDS WERE DRIPPING FROM THE VEHICLE AND ON THREE OCCASIONS THE VEHICLE ATTEMPTED TO INDEPENDENTLY POWER ON. THE HOOD WAS OPENED AND THE VEHICLE ENGULFED INTO FLAMES STARTING ON THE PASSENGER SIDE ON THE HOOD. IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES, THE VEHICLE ENGULFED IN FLAMES ALONG WITH THE RV TRAILER. ALL OCCUPANTS EXITED THE VEHICLE SAFELY AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES SUSTAINED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. A FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORT WAS FILED AS WELL AS POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A TOW LOT AND DEEM A TOTAL LOSS. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE PROPANE TANK DID

Mileage: 98,000

20140417LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES

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

Mileage: 35,000

20120310STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY

OUTER TIE ROD END CAME APART. *TR

Mileage: 73,000

20110131ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM

2003 DODGE 2500 SPRINTER. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO CHRYSLER SAFETY RECALL J32 ENGINE INTAKE MANIFOLD. THE CONSUMER RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE. HE MADE AN APPOINTMENT WITH THE DEALERSHIP TO DROP TO DROP THE VEHICLE OFF PN DECEMBER 15, 2010. THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE RECALL WAS A LITTLE DIFFICULT AND IT WOULD TAKE A COUPLE OF DAYS, EVEN THOUGH ACCORDING TO THE RECALL NOTICE IT STATED IT WOULD TAKE ABOUT 8 HOURS. THE CONSUMER STATED A COUPLE OF DAYS WENT BY, AND THEN THE EXCUSES STARTED ACCOMPANIED BY PROMISES. THE CONSUMER STATED SINCE THE WRITING OF THIS LATER, THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN AT THE DEALERSHIP FOR 3 WEEKS. THE DEALER INFORMED THE CONSUMER THE VEHICLE HAD OTHER PROBLEMS AND THEY WERE HAVING PROBLEMS STARTING IT. THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING FINE, WHEN HE DROPPED IT OFF. *JB UPDATED 02/18/11

Compare 2003DODGESPRINTER 2500 to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations 1 Open

View all investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints does the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 have?
The 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 has 6 NHTSA complaints, 0 crashes, 1 fires, 0 injuries, and 0 deaths reported.
Are there any recalls for the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500?
Yes, the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 has 5 recall(s). The most common affected component is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM. Recalls are issued by NHTSA and manufacturers must provide a free remedy.
What are the most common problems with the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500?
The most-complained component for the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 is ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM with 1 complaints. Other frequently reported areas include STEERING:LINKAGES:TIE ROD ASSEMBLY and LATCHES/LOCKS/LINKAGES.
Is the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500 safe to buy?
Review the complaint history, crash and fire reports, safety ratings, and recall status on this page to make an informed decision. No NHTSA crash test rating is available for this model year. Compare with other model years using the links above.
Where does this data come from?
All complaint, recall, and safety rating data is sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaints are filed by vehicle owners through NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation.

Vehicle Safety Guides

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. This year-specific record is rendered from NHTSA ODI, recall, and NCAP rows for the 2003 DODGE SPRINTER 2500; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.