2021 Maserati Levante Seat Belt Retractor Recall (21V703)
Maserati North America, Inc. · 701 vehicles · Reported September 10, 2021
Maserati North America, Inc. is recalling 701 2021 Maserati Ghibli; 2021 Maserati Levante; 2021 Maserati Quattroporte vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection." An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash. Dealers will make the repair free of charge.
Recall 21V703 at a glance
| NHTSA campaign number | 21V703000 |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer recall number | 434 |
| Date reported to NHTSA | September 10, 2021 |
| Manufacturer | Maserati North America, Inc. |
| Vehicles | 2021 Maserati Ghibli; 2021 Maserati Levante; 2021 Maserati Quattroporte |
| Units affected | 701 |
| Component | Seat Belts > Rear / Other > Retractor |
| Safety risk | An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash. |
| Fix | Available at dealers |
What is wrong with the 2021 Maserati Levante in recall 21V703?
The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.
Maserati North America, Inc. (Maserati) is recalling certain 2021 Levante, Quattroporte, and Ghibli vehicles. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Is it safe to drive a 2021 Levante with recall 21V703?
NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
NHTSA describes the risk this way: An unsecured child restraint system can increase the risk of injury during a crash.
There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Levante shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the retractor, have it checked before driving further.
Which vehicles are included in recall 21V703?
Recall 21V703 covers 701 vehicles: 2021 Maserati Ghibli; 2021 Maserati Levante; 2021 Maserati Quattroporte.
NHTSA lists 701 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.
| Model years | Make | Model |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Maserati | Ghibli |
| 2021 | Maserati | Levante |
| 2021 | Maserati | Quattroporte |
What is the fix for the Levante seat belt retractor recall?
Yes. Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge.
Dealers will inspect and replace the seat belt assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner letters were mailed October 15, 2021. Owners may contact Maserati customer service at 1-877-696-2737. Maserati's number for this recall is 434.
When was recall 21V703 announced?
Maserati North America, Inc. reported recall 21V703 to NHTSA on September 10, 2021.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| September 10, 2021 | Maserati North America, Inc. filed the defect report with NHTSA; NHTSA assigned campaign 21V703000. |
| October 15, 2021 | Letters mailed (per NHTSA). |
This recall was filed 61 months ago. If your Levante was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.
How do I check if my Levante is part of recall 21V703?
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V703 is open on your Levante, it will be listed there.
The fastest check is NHTSA’s VIN lookup. Type in the 17 characters from your registration or insurance card. Because only some 2021 Levante vehicles are included, the VIN check is the only reliable way to know. A brand-new recall may take several days to show up.
What should Levante owners do about recall 21V703?
Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.
- Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V703000 applies to your Levante.
- Book the recall appointment with any authorized Maserati dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
- Keep a copy of every repair order. Check that each one lists your complaint, the mileage, and the dates in and out.
- Write down when symptoms involving the retractor happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
- Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
- If the recall repair does not fix it, or the vehicle keeps going back for the same issue, talk to a lemon law attorney.
What are Levante owners reporting to NHTSA?
Owners have filed 3 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 2 of them about the seat belts.
Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 21V703 was reported (0) to say whether the fix is holding.
NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 3 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 2 of them involve the seat belts. Complaints are reports from owners and have not been verified by NHTSA, but a high count for the same component is a sign the problem is widespread.
- 2021 Maserati Quattroporte: 3 complaints in total, 2 about the seat belts
- 2021 Maserati Ghibli: 0 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
- 2021 Maserati Levante: 0 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
Examples of what owners have reported to NHTSA (unverified excerpts):
The back seat – seat belt strangles the neck ( my husband tried it & it was the sane) & if in accident the seat belt will break the neck or cause death & there is no way to adjust even when var was not moving the seat belt left marks on my neck -…
2021 Maserati Quattroporte owner, NY, NHTSA complaint 11419564, filed June 3, 2021
The contact owns a 2021 Maserati Quattroporte. The contact stated that while she was sitting in the rear passenger seat with the seat belt latched it was strangling her as the seat belt was located right behind her shoulder.
2021 Maserati Quattroporte owner, NY, NHTSA complaint 11421977, filed June 23, 2021
Can recall 21V703 make my Levante a lemon in California?
Not by itself. A recall repair that fails, or repeat dealer visits for the same defect, can support a California lemon law claim.
Recall 21V703000 does not automatically make your Levante a lemon. California's Song-Beverly Act asks two questions: does a warranty defect substantially impair the vehicle's use, value or safety, and did the manufacturer fail to fix it in a reasonable number of tries (Civ. Code 1793.2(d))?
Seat belt defects are safety defects. If the belt, buckle or pretensioner still does not work right after the recall repair, the repeat visit belongs in your records.
The recall repair is available at dealers. If it works, great. If the same symptom comes back, the recall visit is one repair attempt and the next visit is another.
California law presumes a reasonable number of attempts has been made if, within 18 months or 18,000 miles of delivery, the same problem was repaired two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for any covered defect, or the vehicle was out of service for repairs more than 30 days in total (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Some of these require written notice to the manufacturer. A claim can still succeed outside that window.
An owner who prevails in a lemon law case can recover reasonable attorney fees and costs from the manufacturer (Civ. Code 1794(d)). You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
In our cases, a recall repair visit counts as a repair attempt, and it's strongest when the owner complained about the problem before the recall came out. A recall shows the defect is real and that enough owners reported it for the manufacturer to issue a fix.
The biggest mistake I see is waiting too long. The mileage offset starts at your first repair visit for the problem, so the sooner you take it in, the better. If the problem comes and goes, take it in when it happens. You can't go back to that date later.
If you get a recall notice, call a lemon law attorney right away. You may have taken the car in for the same problem before and forgotten, or there may be other recalls related to it.
Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320), Founder and Managing Attorney. Quotes lightly edited for clarity. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
Has your Levante been back to the dealer for this problem?
Call 877-536-6620Other Maserati Levante recalls
Frequently asked questions about recall 21V703
Is the 21V703000 recall repair free?
Yes. Safety recall repairs are done free of charge at authorized dealers.
How do I know if my Levante is part of recall 21V703000?
Enter your 17-character VIN in NHTSA's recall lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a dealer. The VIN is on your registration, insurance card and the lower corner of the windshield.
Does a recall mean my car is a lemon?
Not on its own. A lemon law claim depends on whether a covered defect keeps coming back or keeps the vehicle out of service. A recall repair that fails, or repeat visits for the same problem, can support a claim.
What should I keep for a possible lemon law claim?
Keep every repair order, the recall owner letter, your purchase or lease contract, and notes on dates, mileage and symptoms. Make sure each dealer visit is written up, even when the dealer says it cannot find a problem.
Does the recall fixing my car mean I have no case?
Not necessarily. Even if the recall repair fixed it, you may still have a case, and a car that's a year or more old can still qualify.
Do used cars qualify for California lemon law?
We take certified pre-owned, demo and dealer vehicles. Since the California Supreme Court's Rodriguez decision in 2024, ordinary used cars generally do not qualify.
How long does a recall lemon law case take?
Recall-related cases typically resolve in one to three months from your first call. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
What does a lemon law attorney cost?
You pay nothing, win or lose. We are paid only if you win, and the manufacturer pays our fees, including in settlements. If a case is lost, our firm covers the costs.
Sources
- NHTSA recall record 21V703000 (recall report and owner letters are posted there)
- NHTSA complaints and recalls data, accessed October 1, 2026
- California Civil Code 1793.2 and 1793.22
Attorney advertising. America’s Lemon Lawyer is a trade name of Wynn Law Group, APC. Responsible attorney: Jacob Shayesteh, Esq. (SBN 362320). This page is general information, not legal advice. America’s Lemon Lawyer is not affiliated with NHTSA or Maserati. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome.