2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 Body Panel Recall (23V806)

Recall 23V806 at a glance

What is wrong with the 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 in recall 23V806?

The topcoat paint formula may cause the windows and interior lashing rails to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle.

Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter and 2021 Freightliner Sprinter vehicles. The topcoat paint formula may cause the windows and interior lashing rails to be insufficiently bonded to the vehicle.

Is it safe to drive a 2021-2023 Sprinter 1500 with recall 23V806?

NHTSA has not told owners to stop driving, but the risk is real: An insufficiently bonded window can detach during a crash, and objects secured to an insufficiently bonded interior lashing rail can detach, increasing the risk of injury.

NHTSA describes the risk this way: An insufficiently bonded window can detach during a crash, and objects secured to an insufficiently bonded interior lashing rail can detach, increasing the risk of injury.

There is no do-not-drive order on this campaign. If your Sprinter 1500 shows warning lights or behaves differently in a way that involves the body, have it checked before driving further.

Which vehicles are included in recall 23V806?

Recall 23V806 covers 131 vehicles: 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500; 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500; 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500.

NHTSA lists 131 vehicles in this campaign. Not every vehicle of these models and years is included, so check your VIN.

What is the fix for the Sprinter 1500 body panel recall?

Yes. Dealers will inspect the paint adhesion and repair it as necessary, free of charge.

Dealers will inspect the paint adhesion and repair it as necessary, free of charge. Depending on the extent of any damage, DVUSA may offer to repurchase the vehicle. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed February 5, 2024. Owner notification letters were mailed November 4, 2024. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA's number for this recall is VS3LACKHA.

When was recall 23V806 announced?

Daimler Vans USA, LLC reported recall 23V806 to NHTSA on December 1, 2023. NHTSA lists the owner letter date as November 4, 2024.

This recall was filed 34 months ago. If your Sprinter 1500 was built in that window, the VIN check below is the way to confirm it is included.

How do I check if my Sprinter 1500 is part of recall 23V806?

Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. If recall 23V806 is open on your Sprinter 1500, it will be listed there.

Look up your VIN on nhtsa.gov/recalls. If 23V806000 is open on your Sprinter 1500, it will be listed there, along with Mercedes-Benz recall number VS3LACKHA. You can also ask any Mercedes-Benz dealer to run the VIN. The VIN is printed on your registration and visible through the lower driver-side windshield.

What should Sprinter 1500 owners do about recall 23V806?

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 23V806000 applies to your Sprinter 1500.
2. Book the recall appointment with any authorized Mercedes-Benz dealer. Ask up front whether parts are available and how long the vehicle will be there.
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 body 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 problem comes back after the repair, return to the dealer and contact a lemon law attorney.

What are Sprinter 1500 owners reporting to NHTSA?

Owners have filed 147 complaints with NHTSA about these vehicles since 2020, 4 of them about the body, doors and seats.

Too few NHTSA complaints about the body, doors and seats have been filed since recall 23V806 was reported (3) to say whether the fix is holding.

NHTSA’s public complaint database lists 147 owner complaints filed since 2020 for the vehicles in this recall, and 4 of them involve the body, doors and seats. 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, 3 about the body, doors and seats
• 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: 40 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
• 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: 17 complaints in total, 1 about the body, doors and seats
• 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500: 17 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: 9 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
• 2022 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: 8 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
• 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 3500: 8 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats
• 2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500: 2 complaints in total, 0 about the body, doors and seats

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

This sprinter van is a 2500 4×4 to exit or enter the vehicle you must use the step, this requires, you to twist sideways and reach down with your foot to the step.

2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500 owner, FL, NHTSA complaint 11566588, filed January 19, 2024

Can recall 23V806 make my Sprinter 1500 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 23V806000 does not automatically make your Sprinter 1500 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))?

Door latch, seat and body structure defects can affect safety in a crash and everyday use. If the recall repair does not solve the problem, the repeat visit is part of your record.

A remedy is available. Many vehicles are fixed on the first try. If the problem returns after the recall repair, or the 2021-2023 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 1500 has needed other repairs for the same defect, those visits count toward a lemon law claim.

For the first 18 months or 18,000 miles, California presumes the manufacturer had enough chances if the Sprinter 1500 went in two or more times for a defect likely to cause death or serious injury, four or more times for the same defect, or spent more than 30 days in the shop (Civ. Code 1793.22(b)). Direct notice to the manufacturer is required for some of these. The presumption is a shortcut, not the only path to 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 23V806