DodgeSprinter20083.0L/dodge/sprinter/2008/3-0l/
VB platform

2008 Dodge Sprinter — 3.0L

Factory specifications, fluid capacities, torque values, EPA fuel economy and the federal safety record for the 2008 Sprinter 3.0L.

Body VANEngine 3.0L

Built on the VB platform, the 2008 Dodge Sprinter 3.0L VAN is powered by a 3.0L engine requiring 13.2 qt w/ filter for engine oil. Within the 2003-2009 model complaint history, this year records the highest volume of issues with 74 total owner complaints, significantly surpassing the lowest count of 3 in 2009. Researchers should note that these 74 complaints encompass 5 recalls and list Air Bags as the top complaint area, positioning 2008 as the peak for reported problems in this span.

Model year20082007

Quick specs

Fluid capacities, tune-up values and fuel economy at a glance.

Engine oil capacity13.2 qt w/ filterOEM · verified
Engine oil type0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30OEM · verified

Fitment & sizes

Replacement part sizes and factory part numbers — battery, bulbs, filters and belts.

From the factory this vehicle uses a BCI 49 DIESEL · 850 DIESEL CCA battery, OE oil filter 05175572AA. Note the factory engine oil filter, engine air filter, fuel filter, spark plug and front wiper blades are now discontinued — plan on a superseded or quality aftermarket equivalent, which the part pages below list where known. Each part links to every other vehicle that shares it, so a part you already stock may fit more of your fleet than you'd expect.

Battery groupBCI 49 DIESEL · 850 DIESEL CCAOEM · verified
Tire sizePassangerOEM · verified
Wheel / rim6.5 inOEM · verified

OE service part numbers OEM · verified

Engine oil filter05175572AA discontinued · alt 05175573AA
Engine air filter68066165AA discontinued
Fuel filter05175429AB discontinued
Spark plug68005667AB discontinued
BatteryBBH8F001AA
Front wiper blades68055456AA discontinued
Serpentine belt04891587AB alt 68131095AA
Thermostat68014045AB alt 68013950AA
Cabin air filter68535605AA

Full specifications

Engine, drivetrain, dimensions and economy.

Dimensions & weight NHTSA vPIC

Overall length232.7 in
Overall width79.5 in
Overall height96.5 in
Wheelbase144.5 in
Curb weight4784 lb
Track (front / rear)67.7 / 68.5 in

Service quick specs OEM factory data

Capacities, torques and tune-up values from the factory service manual.

This engine holds 13.2 qt w/ filter of 0W-30 / 0W-40 / 5W-30 engine oil, DOT 3 brake fluid. The firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6. Note the cylinder-head bolts finish on a torque angle (torque-to-yield) — they stretch permanently and should be replaced, not reused, during any head service.

Lubricants & capacities

Automatic Transmission FluidATF
Automatic Transmission Fluid Capacity5.3
Brake FluidDOT 3
Differential Gear Oil Capacity4 Pints
Engine CoolantHOAT · MS9769
Engine Oil0W-30 · 0W-40 · 5W-30 · 5W-40
Engine Oil Capacity13.2 qt w/ filter
Power Steering FluidATF +4

Engine torques

Crankshaft Pulley and/or Damper Bolts70 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts16 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts18.4 ft-lbs
Intake Manifold to Engine Bolts21 ft-lbs
Exhaust Manifold to Cylinder Head Bolts17 ft-lbs

Chassis torques

Leaf Spring to Axle (U-bolts)125.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Chassis BracketSRW: 70.0 DRW: 136.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring to Rear ShackleSRW: 66.0, DRW: 136.0 ft-lbs
Leaf Spring Rear Shackle to Chassis BracketSRW: 63.0, DRW: 136.0 ft-lbs

Ignition

Cylinder Firing Order1-2-3-4-5-6
Curb Idle Speed (No Load)700 rpm
Curb Idle Speed Variance (No Load)100 rpm

Battery & A/C

RefrigerantR134a
Oil GroupPAG
Standard BCI Group Number49 DIESEL
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 DIESEL cca
Standard BCI Group Number49 DIESEL
Standard BCI Cranking Performance850 DIESEL cca

Service checks

Pressure Test15, Pressure should not exceed 20 psi.
Radiator Cap Pressure Relief18-21 psi
Injector Primary Resistance12+-0.6 @ 68 degreesF ohms
Engine Compression100

Brakes

OtherDUAL REAR WHEELS / SINGLE REAR WHEELS
Torque Caliper to Bracket8MM PIN BOLTS: 25, 10MM PIN BOLTS: 48 ft-lbs
OtherDUAL REAR WHEELS / SINGLE REAR WHEELS
Rotor Runout Limit0.0011 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness From1.102 in / 0.63 in
Rotor Nominal Thickness To1.102 in / 0.63 in
Rotor Minimum Machining0.984 in / 0.551 in

Multi-step torque procedures OEM · verified

Torque to Knuckle — tightening sequence 1 stages
140
Cylinder Head — tightening sequence 4 stages

Prep Do not reuse old bolts. Coat all bolts with clean engine oil. · M10 Bolts

110.0 ft. lbs.10 ft. lbs
244.0 ft. lbs.44 ft. lbs
390 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees90 degrees
490 degrees; M8 Bolts90 degrees
115.0 ft. lbs.15 ft. lbs

Factory maintenance schedule OEM · verified

Normal service, condensed from the factory interval matrix.

Under the factory schedule, replace the engine oil and filter every 10,000 mi; spark plugs every 60,000 mi; coolant at 180,000 mi. The big-interval services (at 180,000 mi for coolant, and the transmission fluid) are the ones owners most often skip — on a lower-mileage example, assume the original fluids are still in it and check them first.

Every 10,000 miEngine Oil Filter (replace) · Fuel Filter (replace) · Tire & Wheel Assembly (rotate)
At 30,000 miBody Fasteners (torque) · Frame Fasteners (torque)
Every 30,000 miBattery (inspect) · Brake Linings (inspect) · Cabin Air Filter (replace)
Every 60,000 miAccessory Drive Belt (inspect) · Engine Air Filter Element (replace) · Spark Plugs (replace) · Transmission Fluid & Filter (replace)
Every 90,000 miDiesel Particulate Filter (inspect)
At 180,000 miDrive Axle Assembly (drain & refill) · Engine Coolant System (drain, flush & refill)

Owner how-tos

Condensed service procedures for routine maintenance. Procedures that require dealer diagnostic equipment are identified and summarized only.

Common procedures

Key fob — remote (RKE) programming programming new fob buttons Dealer tool OEM · verified
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool (dealer / locksmith)
WhyTransmitter codes are written into the receiver in the passenger door module
Anti-theft (SKIS) — module initialization after immobilizer module replacement Dealer tool OEM · verified
When neededAfter Sentry Key Immobilizer Module (SKIM) replacement
Tool requiredDRBIII scan tool
Also requiredThe vehicle's four-digit PIN code

Reliability & federal safety record

Owner-reported issues, recalls, investigations and service bulletins on record with NHTSA — an unfiltered look at what owners actually experience.

The 2008 Dodge Sprinter sits at a notable inflection point in its generation’s federal record. Complaints peaked in 2007 (71) and remained nearly as high in 2008 (74), with air bags accounting for 57 of that year’s reports—far above prior or subsequent years—while recalls dropped from 10 in 2007 to 5 in 2008. The sharp decline in complaints to just 3 in 2009 suggests that many 2007-2008 air-bag issues were addressed through recalls or running changes, yet the 2008 model still carries the highest concentration of air-bag complaints in the dataset. Electrical system and fire complaints, though low in absolute numbers, are present only in 2008, adding a layer of risk not seen in adjacent years. This pattern implies that 2008 was a transitional year where lingering problems were being identified but not yet fully resolved. Given the elevated complaint volume and the specific air-bag concerns, the 2008 Sprinter is a less favorable choice compared to the cleaner 2009 model.

5
Open recalls
NHTSA campaigns
21
Service bulletins
Manufacturer communications
0
ODI investigations
Office of Defects Investigation
74
Owner complaints
0 involved a crash · 2 a fire
NHTSA crash-test rating federal NCAP · out of 5 stars
Rollover★★★★
Owner complaints by model year NHTSA · this generation & adjacent

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, by component

All 74 complaints on record, top 8 components.

Air Bags57
Electrical System3
Engine & Engine Cooling2
Steering2
Structure2
Suspension1
Vehicle Speed Control,Electronic Stability Control (Esc),Service Brakes1
Tires1

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint database.

Recalls NHTSA · verified

No recall campaigns on record with NHTSA for this vehicle as of the last data refresh.

Technical service bulletins NHTSA · verified

Showing 5 of 21 bulletins on record with NHTSA.

BulletinDateComponentSummary
LI14.20-N-0738672025-04-25EngineEGR Valve Diagnosis and Cleaning Procedure using TUNAP 926® on 906, 907 Sprinter with…
LI82.35-N-0789302025-03-10Visibility/WiperWarning Lamp "Washer Fluid Empty" Yet Reservoir Is Not Empty Complaint: Warning lamp…
LI47.10-N-0790102025-03-10Fuel/Propulsion SystemProcedure for When Diesel Fuel Tank is Filled with Incorrect Fuel Type Complaint…
LI14.20-N-0738672025-03-10Fuel/Propulsion SystemEGR Valve Diagnosis and Cleaning Procedure Complaint A: The engine is jolting/bucking…
LI07.70-N-0788242025-02-11Fuel/Propulsion SystemComplaint Fault code P06DA00 is found current or stored in engine control unit. Check…

Common OBD-II trouble codes

The most common OBD-II codes for this vehicle's emissions system. These are standardized SAE J2012 definitions, not vehicle-specific fault reports.

P0420
Catalyst system efficiency below threshold — Bank 1
P0300
Random / multiple cylinder misfire detected
P0171
System too lean — Bank 1
P0455
Evaporative emission system leak detected — large leak
P0128
Coolant thermostat below regulating temperature
P0442
Evaporative emission system leak detected — small leak

VIN tools

Decode factory build data for a specific vehicle by VIN.

VIN
Decode a VIN to confirm the transmission and build data for a specific Sprinter. OEM
Build data
Plant, GVWR class, engine and body data for any 17-character VIN.
Recalls
Check open recall campaigns against a specific vehicle by VIN.

Vehicles with shared specs

Find every vehicle that shares this one's battery, bulbs, oil capacity, platform or parts.

Reference guides

Cross-vehicle references for the kinds of data on this page.

Frequently asked

How much oil does the 2008 Sprinter 3.0L take?

13.2 qt w/ filter of 0W-30, 0W-40, 5W-30, 5W-40 MEETING MERCEDES SPECIFICATION MB228.51, MB229.31 OR MB229.51, per the factory manual.

Does the 2008 Sprinter have open recalls?

NHTSA lists 5 recall campaign(s) for this model year. Check your specific vehicle by VIN.