IllustrationTURBO RESONATOR FAILURE ON AN INCLINE ON FREEWAY WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED BY ANOTHER VECHICLE. THE DEALER REPLACED THE RESONATOR. *TR
2005 Sprinter 3500
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
Limited comparison data
There is not enough comparable history to draw a useful model-year comparison.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all 3500 years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
Limited mileage data: 11 of 14 reports include usable mileage. There isn’t enough coverage to show a useful chart.
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Engine And Engine Cooling. Review the 7 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Power Train. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic. Review the 2 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
0 crash reports0 fire reports0 injury reports
What owners actually said
14 reportsWINDSHIELD WIPERS JUST STOPPED WORKING IN THE LOW SPEED MODE. THEY WILL WORK FOR A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME AND THEN JUST STOP. *JB
I OWN 3 SPRINTERS. ALL 3 HAD PROBLEMS WITH THE INJECTORS LEAKING. THIS WAS A KNOWN PROBLEM WITH THE DEALERSHIP. CHRYSLER REFUSED TO ADMIT THERE WAS A PROBLEM. *AK
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 DODGE SPRINTER 3500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE IS A NOISE COMING FROM THE DRIVE SHAFT OF THE VEHICLE. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS NEED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE HAS NOT BEEN REPAIRED. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 105,000.
SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER WHILE DRIVING 50-60 MPH. NO ACCELERATION DESPITE DEPRESSING ACCELERATOR PEDAL TO FLOOR. VEHICLE TOWED 15 MILES TO AUTHORIZED DEALER WHERE TURBO RESONATOR WAS REPLACED. *JB
THE TRUCK LOST POWER SUDDENLY AND THE SPEED REDUCED FROM 62 TO 35 TOTALLY OUT OF MY CONTROL. THIS OCCURRED ON I95 IN NORTHERN VIRGINIA IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. THE PROBLEM WAS A FAILED TURBO RESONATOR. *NM
"TURBO RESONATOR" FAILED AT HIGHWAY SPEED ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE CAUSING SEVERE LOSS OF POWER AND NEAR COLLISION. *JB VEHICLE IS WINNEBAGO VUW*GTB
PURCHASED A NEW '06 GULFSTREAM RV YESTERDAY. (BUILT ON A '05 DODGE/FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS) HAD 480 (DELIVERY) MILES ON IT. DRIVING HOME FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AT ~790 MILES ON ODOMETER, ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT MOMENTARILY, RPMS AND POWER FELL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, AND I WAS ON HWY 101 FOR ~30 MILES DOING 45 AS …
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PURCHASED A NEW '06 GULFSTREAM RV YESTERDAY. (BUILT ON A '05 DODGE/FREIGHTLINER SPRINTER 3500 CHASSIS) HAD 480 (DELIVERY) MILES ON IT. DRIVING HOME FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, AT ~790 MILES ON ODOMETER, ENGINE SUDDENLY CUT MOMENTARILY, RPMS AND POWER FELL, CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WENT ON, AND I WAS ON HWY 101 FOR ~30 MILES DOING 45 AS THE REST OF TRAFFIC MOVED AT TYPICAL 80 MPH (NO OTHER CHOICES BUT THE HIGHWAY). VERY DANGEROUS. THERE IS NO APPARENT PROBLEM. I WILL HAVE IT SERVICED TOMORROW. I SUSPECT THE WELL KNOWN TURBO RESONATOR CRACK WHICH I HAVE NOW READ ABOUT AND RESEARCHED ON THE INTERNET. *JB
LEAVING THE TOWN OF LAKESIDE, OR MADE LEFT TURN ONTO THE 101 HWY WITH TRAFFIC NOT VISIBLE DUE TO A CURVE BOTH WAYS, ACCELERATED TO GET UP TO FREEWAY SPEED FOR SAFETY. FOUND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR. DROVE 4-5 MILES BEFORE I COULD TURN OFF THE FREEWAY. I PARKED HEADED DOWNHILL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND O…
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LEAVING THE TOWN OF LAKESIDE, OR MADE LEFT TURN ONTO THE 101 HWY WITH TRAFFIC NOT VISIBLE DUE TO A CURVE BOTH WAYS, ACCELERATED TO GET UP TO FREEWAY SPEED FOR SAFETY. FOUND THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT SHIFT OUT OF THIRD GEAR. DROVE 4-5 MILES BEFORE I COULD TURN OFF THE FREEWAY. I PARKED HEADED DOWNHILL, TURNED OFF THE ENGINE AND OPENED THE HOOD. I THEN WENT INTO THE STORE TO USE PHONE; HAD NO LUCK FINDING SERVICE. I FELT I MIGHT BE ABLE TO GO BACK TO MY DESTINATION IN THIRD GEAR SO GAVE IT A TRY. WHEN I PUT THE HOOD DOWN THE SUPPORT WAS SO WEAK IT BENT AND I HAD TO HAMMER IT OUT OF THE WAY TO CLOSE THE HOOD. I FOUND SOMETHING MIGHT HAVE RESET ITSELF AS IT SHIFTED NORMALLY ONCE I RESTARTED THE ENGINE. THIS HAPPENED TWICE MORE IN THE YEAR 2005. THE FIX EACH TIME WAS TO TURN OFF THE ENGINE AND RESTART. NO RED LIGHT . JUNE 23, 06 BEFORE I TRAVELED OUT OF STATE WENT TO LOCAL DEALERSHIP STARTING FIASCO WITH THREE DEALERSHIPS (SUPPOSEDLY AUTHORIZED AND CERTIFIED TO WORK ON THIS VEHICLE) COULDN'T GET IT FIXED UNTIL MERCEDES BENZ MECHANIC WAS BROUGHT IN AND IT WAS DONE WITHIN THE MORNING OF THAT DAY. TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE WAS REPLACED THREE TIMES; THE GEAR SHIFT WAS REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED UNNECESSARILY AT LESS THAN 8K MILES . THE REPAIR DONE IS UNCLEAR TO ME; BUT, SUPPOSEDLY THE CULPRIT IS THE RESONATOR. IT WAS REMARKED IN EMAIL TO XXXXX@YAHOO.COM BY CHRYSLERDAIMLER REP, IT WAS THE FAULT OF WINNEBAGO INDUSTRIES INSTALLATION OF A SIRIUS RADIO ON THE PRODUCTION LINE; THEY ARE DISCUSSING THIS BETWEEN THEM NOW. WHILE THE TWO ARE ATTEMPTING TO PLACE BLAME ANYWHERE ELSE BUT ON THEMSELVES, PEOPLE ARE IN JEOPARDY OF THEIR LIVES THE LONGER THIS ISSUE IS PUT OFF. PLEASE ASSIGN SOMEONE TO CHECK OUT THE YAHOO GROUPS FORUM: VIEW-NAVION AND VIEW-NAVIONTECH THERE ARE 25 INCIDENCES OF LIMP HOME MODE (LOSING POWER) IN THE DATABASE. *NM
VEHICLE SUDDENLY LOST POWER ON FREEWAY, CREATING A DANGEROUS SITUATION. HAD TO BE TOWED TO DEALER. DEALER TRACED PROBLEM TO TURBO RESONATOR FAILURE, A WELL-KNOWN AND DOCUMENTED PROBLEM WITH DODGE SPRINTER VANS. *NM
Official recalls
208V387000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility
Aug 6, 2008
DAIMLER BUSES IS RECALLING 465 MY 2004-2008 SPRINTER 2500 AND 3500 BUSES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE LIFTS FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 403, "PLATFORM LIFT SYSTEMS FOR MOTOR VEHICLES." THE ANTI-STOW INTERLOCK MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER. THE PRESSURE SENSING SWITCH THAT DETECTS THE PRESENCE OF WEIGHT ON THE PLATFORM WAS NOT ADJUSTED TO THE NECESSARY SENSITIVITY LEVEL. THE LIFT COULD STOW EVEN THOUGH SOMEONE OR SOMETHING IS STILL ON THE LIFT.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A LIFT OCCUPANT CAN BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT BEGIN TO STOW UNINTENTIONALLY.
Remedy: DAIMLER BUSES IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS (PLEASE SEE 07E097). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-800-322-2884 OR DAIMLER BUSES AT 1-905-403-7807.
08V134000 · Equipment Adaptive/mobility
Mar 24, 2008
DAIMLER BUSES OF NORTH CAROLINA (DBNC) IS RECALLING 334 MY 2005-2006 SPRINTER 2500 AND MY 2003, 2005-2007 SPRINTER 3500 BUSES EQUIPPED WITH RICON PLATFORM STYLE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS. THESE BUSES FAIL TO COMPLY WITH THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 404, "PLATFORM LIFT INSTALLATION IN MOTOR VEHICLES." THE THRESHOLD WARNING SYSTEM MAY NOT DETECT THE PRESENCE OF A WHEELCHAIR OR MOBILITY AID USER IN A CERTAIN SPOT WITHIN THE DEFINED THRESHOLD AREA.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: THE USER OF THE LIFT COULD BE INJURED SHOULD THE LIFT MOVE UNINTENTIONALLY.
Remedy: DBNC IS WORKING WITH RICON TO CORRECT THE WHEELCHAIR LIFTS FREE OF CHARGE (PLEASE SEE 07E095). OWNERS MAY CONTACT RICON AT 1-818-267-3000 OR DBNC AT 1-905-403-7807.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.