Sprinter Van Maintenance
Overwhelmed With Information About Sprinter Van Maintenance? Here's What Truckee's Experts at German Import Garage Say.
Upcoming Community Event: Sprinter Maintenance 101 is March 10th. Register here: https://www.germanimportgarage.com/community-events
If you have ever been part of a group of Mercedes Sprinter van owner groups and browsed the questions about “what’s going on with this or that,” you know that these vehicles have a lot of complicated issues and there are a lot of opinions.
Sprinter van owners can avoid a lot of guessing by coming directly to German Import Garage for answers.
“Hands-down the Mercedes Sprinter is the highest maintenance vehicle we see. Sprinters in our area live a very different life than the average city van.” Say the experts at German Import Garage, the regions only shop that specializes in Sprinter van maintenance and repair.
In Truckee and Lake Tahoe the combination of mountain weather, elevation, cold starts, and seasonal driving habits require a high level of attention to the maintenance. Let German Import Garage be your guide offering answers and solutions to the highly complicated landscape of owning a Sprinter Van.
Lesson 1: Sprinters in Truckee Need to Be Driven
With years of servicing Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans there is one thing that is crystal clear. The best maintenance you can do for your Sprinter is to put some long road miles on it regularly.
Sprinter vans are designed as commercial vehicles. They thrive on daily use, long drive cycles, and consistent operating temperatures. That’s why the Sprinters GIG sees with the fewest problems are almost always delivery vans and vehicles that are driven longer miles every single day, year-round.
However, in Truckee & Lake Tahoe many Sprinter vans are used for:
- Camping & Seasonal Adventure rigs
- Part-time vehicles used for short trips around town
- Parked for long stretches during winter or shoulder seasons
These vans that are used intermittently or for short trips around town tend to have more warning lights, emissions issues, and unexpected repairs.
Solution: It’s Important to DRIVE your Mercedes Sprinter Van More Than Just Around Town!
Diesel engines take longer to warm up in colder Truckee temperatures. When a Sprinter is only driven a few miles at a time never fully warming up all the systems, you can expect the following conditions.
- Emission systems do not run the proper cycle
- The engine never reaches proper operating temperature for proper operation of many systems
- Moisture builds up in the oil and exhaust
- Condensation doesn’t burn off
Over time, that leads to sludge, corrosion, and increased wear all issues we see constantly at German Import Garage.
Short-Tripping Your Diesel Is a Problem
Short trips are one of the biggest enemies of modern diesel vehicles. This is because your Mercedes Sprinter van relies on complex emissions systems:
- Diesel Particulate Filters (DPF)
- EGR systems
- DEF/SCR systems
These systems need heat and drive time to function correctly. The DPF, for example, must reach high exhaust temperatures and have run time in order to perform a regeneration and burn off soot. The most common issues result from the DPF not regenerating properly are
- Soot buildup
- Failed regenerations
- Check engine lights
- Limp mode
- Very expensive repairs
So, if your Sprinter only drives around Truckee town and rarely sees extended highway speeds allowing it to fully warm up, you are opening yourself up to issues. The suggestion from German Import Garage is to take it for a long drive. A trip to Reno or a scenic drive over the summit and back. Driving is maintenance for a Sprinter van.
The Suggestion is Regularly Take Your Sprinter on a Longer Drive
The healthiest Sprinter vans we service at German Import Garage:
- Are driven frequently and for a steady long drive
- Regularly reach full operating temperature
- Don’t sit unused for weeks or months at a time
Three Ways Truckee Sprinter Owners Can Keep Their Van Healthy & Get Ahead of Potential Trouble Issues
- Utilize our experts for your maintenance and repairs. We see every model and year of these vehicles on a daily basis and know more about the little intricacies than any social media page or even most dealerships.
- Take it out for a longer drive. Driving is Maintenance.
- Meet your pro team and attend Sprinter Maintenance 101 on March 10, 2025 at German Import Garage. Earn a free day on the slopes for attending.
Sprinter Maintenance 101 March 10, 2026
At German Import Garage, we’re not just here to fix your Sprinter when something goes wrong. We’re here to help you understand how to keep it healthy. Join Kevin Millard, head of the Sprinter maintenance team at German Import Garage. Kevin is a Master mechanic with decades of experience in maintenance of these vans and a Sprinter owner himself. He’s ready to share the tips, trick and insider know-how that every Sprinter owner should have. Bring your own beverage, Pizza will be provided.
A Day on The Slopes: Bonus for all Sprinter Maintenance 101 attendees:
Earn a day with our California Gold Pass: When you come to the event and join the free GIG Club you will earn one day complimentary use of our California Gold Pass valid at any local mountain for a day on the slopes. This pass can be used for you or a trustworthy guest. Requires participant to sign an agreement on pass usage.
Sprinter Maintenance 101
March 10, 2026
Time: 5:30 to 7:00 pm
Location: 11183 Trails End Rd, Truckee, CA
Cost: $10 donation. Pizza provided. Bring your own beverage
Register at: https://www.germanimportgarage.com/community-events
Kevin Millard, Master Technician and Mercedes-Benz specialist, has over a decade of hands-on experience with Sprinter vans, including deep knowledge of:
- Diesel emissions systems
- Mountain and cold-weather operation
- Preventative maintenance strategies
- Real-world Sprinter ownership, not just theory
