Sprinter Service A & B - What do they mean?
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Service A
At this point, you’re likely wondering, “How often should I service my Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Van?” We have a blog post about what we think about the oil change duration.
You’ll generally bring in your Sprinter for Service A after either the first 10,000 miles or one year of ownership for those not driving much, whichever comes first as they say 🤣.
If you own a 2009 model-year or newer Sprinter Van, that changes to every 20,000 miles or 2 years after the initial visit after Benz has done these new emissions recalls. As such, Mercedes-Benz recommends your bring your Sprinter in for Service A at 10K, 30K, 50K, 70K miles, and so on.
Service A consists of the following:
Brake Component Inspection
Tire Inflation Inspection and Correction
Maintenance Minder Reset
Diesel Exhaust Fluid Replacement
Mercedes-Benz Synthetic Motor Oil Replacement***
Fluid level Inspections and Corrections
Oil Filter Replacement***
As you can see DEF top up here is a very cheap and easy.
The synthetic oil change is the big bulk of this service. Check out our blog post on this topic and how often we change our oil.
Fluid level inspection is quite simple. the check list is:
Brake fluid (check reservoir)
Power steering (check reservoir)
Transmission (check dip stick - there’s a process to this one)
Coolant (check expansion tank)
Windshield wiper fluid (Top up)
Brake inspections is a simple visual on brake pads - these all have sensors on them anyhow and an alert will come up on your dash warning you of thin pads.
Tires inspection is there for safety, but mainly to upsell you on replacement tires. The U.S. Department of Transportation recommends replacing tires when they reach 2/32” More on tread wear in our other post.
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter B Service
Your first Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Service B is recommended after the first 20,000 miles or 2 years, so right between your first and second Service A appointments. After the initial visit, it follows the 20,000-mile rule, so you’ll take your van in at 40K, 60K, 80K miles, and so on.
In addition to the maintenances listed above in Service A, the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Service B visit also includes swapping out the brake fluid and having the cabin dust/combination filter replaced.
You’ll likely get any recalls done at the same time and a flashed ECU, as all the latest emissions tweaks tend to get frequent updates.
Be sure to reset the service counter light on your Sprinter after each maintenance set has been performed! This will make sure you are aware of when your service is approaching and does a good job of reminding you to get all of the supplies to perform the maintenance if you’re doing it yourself. Conducting routine maintenance on a vehicle will ensure you don’t get stuck out there on your adventures and keeps you on the road. It will also help you avoid larger repairs if they come up.
Check out our post on resetting your Service alert on your Sprinter Van
But what about other maintenance items?
Transmission Fluid (ATF) - 30,000 miles
Our 2013 NVC3 was purchased 2nd hand from the original owner at 115,000 miles. At around 120,000 we noticed a slight hesitation or slip. Our shifts were still smooth but we felt the transmission slipping on hard start or heavy acceleration like merging on the freeway. We immediately did a transmission flush, changing the filters and fluid only to find our oil smelled burned and was brown. Hint, It should be red. We made the conclusion that this oil was either the original oil or had been changed at 30,000 miles under it’s typical 50,000 mile service and warranty period and hadn’t been changed since.
Differential Oil
Suspension - 75,000 miles
When to replace your shocks is really dependent on how you use your vehicle. We generally feel that an OEM van or a lightweight build can go 100,000 miles before needing new struts or rear shocks. If you have a heavier build or carry a lot of gear, or even tow I would say that number is down to around 75,000miles. If you are traveling and driving primarily on dirt roads in Alaska to Africa, you might find you will need to replace or service your suspension every 30,000 miles.
Generally, we recommend checking the suspension every 50,000 miles. Any leaking from the tube of the shock or strut will tell you the seal has worn out and should be replaced immediately. If you ever feel your tire hopping or vibrating at high speed, this means you have no damping and the shocks should be replaced immediately.
If you’re replacing your suspension from stock, we recommend getting shocks set up for the weight of your van. Agile Offroad and Vancompass both sell shocks that can be tuned for added weight of built up vans that carry around extra weight. (note: you will have to weigh your van - check our post on GVWR)
