Head-to-head reliability
Mercedes BENZ Sprinter vs Toyota Camry
How the Mercedes BENZ Sprinter and Toyota Camry compare on NHTSA complaints, recalls and crash reports — and which is the lower-risk used buy.
Based on NHTSA owner-complaint & recall records
Mercedes BENZ Sprinter averages fewer NHTSA complaints per year. Mercedes BENZ Sprinter has 1,276 complaints and 10 recalls on record; Toyota Camry has 2,128 complaints and 31 recalls. Source: NHTSA owner complaints.
The numbers
Side-by-side NHTSA record
Lower is better in every category. The highlighted cell is the stronger result.
| Category | Mercedes BENZ Sprinter | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| Total complaintsAll model years combined | 1,276 Better | 2,128 |
| Safety recallsFederal recall campaigns | 10 Better | 31 |
| Crash reportsCrash-related complaints | 73 Better | 181 |
| Complaints per yearAveraged across model years | 127.6 Better | 212.8 |
| Reported injuriesTied to owner complaints | 32 Better | 163 |
| Reported deathsTied to owner complaints | 0 Better | 1 |
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall records.
What actually goes wrong
The problems owners report
The most-complained-about systems on each vehicle — what fails, and what owners say in their own words.
Mercedes BENZ Sprinter
- 01ELECTRICAL SYSTEM241
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER206
- 03POWER TRAIN202
- 04FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE187
- 05ENGINE177
“Following Jayco and Entegra instructions, I delivered my coach to Blue Compass RV. It has now been more than SIX MONTHS out of service. Jayco Pre-Authorization has denied the required battery replacement and referred me to the battery manufacturer, even thoug…”
“This vehicle has factory installed swivel seats. When we were parked, we swiveled the seats around to use the table and then back prior to driving again. When we tried to move the seat closer to the steering wheel, the electric seats did nothing and upon insp…”
Toyota Camry
- 01POWER TRAIN391
- 02UNKNOWN OR OTHER340
- 03ENGINE312
- 04SERVICE BRAKES290
- 05ELECTRICAL SYSTEM241
“The vehicle allows the engine to be turned off, key removed, while the vehicle is still in drive with no warning lights or sounds. I have tested and the vehicle can roll away. Complained to the toyota dealership and they said the service tech consulted with t…”
“My 2023 Toyota Camry has developed an intermittent defect where the ignition key becomes stuck and cannot be removed even though the dashboard shows the vehicle is in Park. The only way to remove the key is to disconnect the vehicle's battery, which is not a…”
Official recalls
Safety recalls on record
Federal recall campaigns — the defect, the risk, and the fix. Confirm any open recall was completed before you buy.
Mercedes BENZ Sprinter — 10 recalls
The defect: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2012-2018 Mercedes Benz Sprinter 3500 and Freightliner Sprinter 3500 vehicles upfitted into campers or recreational vehicles. The Electronic Stability Control (ESC) unit may become disabled on these vehicles.
The risk: If ESC becomes disabled, vehicle driving stability may be impacted under certain driving conditions, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will replace the rear-wheel speed sensor with a more robust sensor, free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on March 10, 2021. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762…
The defect: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Sprinter and Metris vehicles. The vehicles left the reassembly plant without the final quality inspection of safety-relevant parts or bolt connections, resulting in possible unknown safety risks.
The risk: Failure to identify loose safety related parts can increase the risk of crash and injury.
The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and vehicles will be returned to the reassembly plant for comprehensive inspection and, if necessary, corrective action, free of charge. The recall began November 15, 2019. Owners may contact DVUSA customer servic…
The defect: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The airbag systems may not have been activated after vehicle production. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbe…
The risk: An inactive airbag system can increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the vehicles to determine if the airbag systems have been activated, correcting them as necessary, free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on November 22, 2019. The rec…
The defect: Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Mercedes-Benz and Freightliner Sprinter 1500, 2500, 3500 and 4500 vehicles. The rear side windows may be single-pane safety glass instead of laminated safety glass.
The risk: In the event of a side impact crash or vehicle rollover, the fitted side windows may not adequately protect the rear occupants from being ejected, increasing their risk of injury.
The fix: DVUSA will notify owners, and Mercedes-Benz or Freightliner dealers will replace the single-pane safety glass with laminated safety glass., free of charge. DVUSA issued owners an interim notification on August 16, 2019. The recall began Ja…
Toyota Camry — 31 recalls
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The lug nuts that attach the wheels to the vehicle may be loose, which can result in wheel detachment.
The risk: A wheel that detaches from a moving vehicle can cause a loss of vehicle control, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Owners are advised not to drive their vehicles until the repair has been performed. Dealers will inspect and tighten the lug nuts, and replace any damaged components, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed on…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Camry and Camry Hybrid vehicles. The second-row center and right-side seats may have insufficiently welded head restraint brackets. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle…
The risk: A head restraint bracket that is insufficiently welded may not properly restrain an occupant during a crash, increasing the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will replace the 60% rear seat-back frame sub-assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed April 19, 2024. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 24TB0…
The defect: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Corolla, Highlander, Highlander Hybrid, RAV4, RAV4 Hybrid, Lexus ES350, Lexus RX350, Lexus RX450H, 2021 Sienna Hybrid, Lexus ES250, 2020-2022 Camry, Camry Hybrid, and ES300H vehicles. A short cir…
The risk: An air bag that does not deploy during a crash increases the risk of injury.
The fix: Dealers will inspect and replace the sensor as necessary, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed in February 2024. Some final remedy owner letters were mailed October 31, 2024. Letters will continue…
Year by year
Which model years to avoid
Complaints per model year for both vehicles — lower is better. The spikes are the years to scrutinize.
| Year | Mercedes BENZ Sprinter | Toyota Camry |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 0 | 116 |
| 2025 | 12 | 152 |
| 2024 | 79 | 47 |
| 2023 | 53 | 62 |
| 2022 | 252 | 58 |
| 2021 | 304 | 155 |
| 2020 | 267 | 268 |
| 2019 | 284 | 390 |
| 2018 | 25 | 732 |
| 2017 | 0 | 148 |
Check the actual car
Comparing models is smart. Checking the VIN is essential.
Brand averages tell you the trend. A VIN check tells you what's wrong with the specific Mercedes BENZ Sprinter or Toyota Camry in front of you — accident history, open recalls and title records.
Go deeper
Full reliability reports
- Comparison
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter vs Toyota Camry
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter total complaints
- 1,276
- Toyota Camry total complaints
- 2,128
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter total recalls
- 10
- Toyota Camry total recalls
- 31
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter avg complaints/year
- 127.6
- Toyota Camry avg complaints/year
- 212.8
- More reliable overall
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter
- Mercedes BENZ Sprinter top complaint area
- ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- Toyota Camry top complaint area
- POWER TRAIN