2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris Seat Belt Retractor Recall (21V513)

Recall 21V513 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris in recall 21V513?

The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly.

Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Metris, and Freightliner Sprinter vehicles equipped with Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) seat belt assemblies. The seat belt automatic locking retractors may deactivate early, which can prevent the child restraint system from securing properly. As such, these assemblies fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."

Is it safe to drive a 2021 Metris with recall 21V513?

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 Metris 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 21V513?

Recall 21V513 covers 1,514 vehicles: 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris; 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500; 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500; 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500.

NHTSA lists 1,514 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Metris 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 notification letters were mailed on December 21, 2021. Owners may contact DVUSA's customer service at 1-877-762-8267.

Manufacturer recall number: VS2/VS3 KISIGUR.

When was recall 21V513 announced?

Daimler Vans USA, LLC reported recall 21V513 to NHTSA on July 7, 2021.

This recall was filed 63 months ago. If your Metris was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Metris is part of recall 21V513?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 21V513 is open on your Metris, it will be listed there.

Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA’s recall lookup. It shows any open safety recall on your vehicle, including 21V513000. Your VIN is on the registration card, the insurance card, and the driver side of the dashboard where it meets the windshield. Recent recalls can take a few days to appear in the lookup.

What should Metris owners do about recall 21V513?

Check your VIN, schedule the free recall repair, and keep a repair order for every dealer visit.

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to confirm recall 21V513000 applies to your Metris.
2. Call a Mercedes-Benz dealer and schedule the recall repair. Ask how long the repair takes and whether parts are in stock.
3. Get a repair order for every visit, even if the dealer only inspects the vehicle. Read it before you leave and make sure your complaint is written the way you described it.
4. Write down when symptoms involving the retractor happen: date, mileage, speed, weather and what you felt or heard. Photos and short videos help.
5. Count the days the vehicle is at the dealer. Days out of service add up toward California's 30-day presumption.
6. 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 Metris owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 63 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 1 of them about the seat belts.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the seat belts have been filed since recall 21V513 was reported (1) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 63 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 1 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 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: 45 complaints in total, 1 about the seat belts
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: 9 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: 8 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris: 1 complaints in total, 0 about the seat belts

Here is what some owners told NHTSA, in their own words (excerpts, unverified):

The contact owns a 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V513000 (Seat Belts) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair.

2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 owner, LA, NHTSA complaint 11437826, filed October 22, 2021

Can recall 21V513 make my Metris 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.

A recall by itself does not make a car a lemon. Under California's Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act, what matters is whether a defect covered by the warranty substantially impairs the vehicle's use, value or safety, and whether the manufacturer or its dealers fixed it within a reasonable number of attempts (Civ. Code 1793.2(d)).

A seat belt that does not latch or retract correctly on the 2021 Mercedes-Benz Metris affects safety directly, and a failed recall repair is a repair attempt under California law.

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.

Civil Code 1793.22(b) sets out a presumption that applies in the first 18 months or 18,000 miles: two or more repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury, four or more attempts for the same defect, or more than 30 total days out of service for repairs. Written notice to the manufacturer is required in some cases. Owners outside that window can still have a claim.

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.

Frequently asked questions about recall 21V513