Bolt Fasteners on Rear Step Not Properly Tightened – 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter

December 1, 2021 NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 21V934000

Bolt Fasteners on Rear Step Not Properly Tightened

Loose bolt fasteners may allow the rear step to separate from the vehicle, becoming a road hazard and increasing the risk of a crash.

 

NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V934

Manufacturer Daimler Vans USA, LLC

Components STRUCTURE

Potential Number of Units Affected 30

 

Summary

Daimler Vans USA, LLC (DVUSA) is recalling certain 2021 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles. The spring-loaded rear step bolt fasteners were not properly tightened.

 

Remedy

Dealers will tighten the bolt fasteners and replace the console and attaching hardware, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed February 11, 2022. Owners may contact DVUSA customer service at 1-877-762-8267. DVUSA’s number for this recall is VS3HECKTRI.

 

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

 

Check for Daimler Vans Recalls

 


2022010007

Tighten Spring Loaded Rear Step

This is to notify you of a Recall Campaign Launch to torque the bolts for the spring loaded rear step on approximately 30 MY21 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans.  The recall campaign will be visible on the www.safercar.gov website and may generate questions from customers.  All affected VINs will be flagged as “OPEN” in VMI and cannot be sold.

 

Issue

Mercedes-Benz AG (“MBAG”), the manufacturer of Mercedes-Benz vans, has determined that on certain Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vehicles platform 907 (VS30) with a spring-loaded rear step, certain bolt fasteners for the rear step were not tightened to the required torque. Should the affected bolt fasteners loosen during vehicle operation, the rear step could separate from the vehicle.

As a result, the step may become a road hazard, and the potential risk of a crash to following traffic could be increased.

 

What We’re Doing

MBUSA is conducting a voluntary recall. An authorized Mercedes-Benz Sprinter dealer will replace the console and attaching hardware and tighten the affected fasteners to the proper torque.

 

Parts

Parts are available

 

Given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for a dealer to sell or lease any new Sprinter vehicles in dealer inventory covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.

Loaner and demonstrator vehicles may continue to be driven, but must not be retailed until repaired.

Additionally, given this notice, it is a violation of Federal Law for rental companies to rent new Sprinter vehicles covered by this notification until the vehicle has been repaired.

 


Chronology :

In June 2021, Mercedes-Benz AG received a report from the Charleston plant stating that certain bolt fasteners for the newly introduced code option for a spring-loaded rear step were not tightened to the required torque.

MBAG initiated an investigation, and began to rework the affected bolt fasteners for the spring-loaded rear step. As a precautionary measure, MBAG immediately quarantined potentially affected in-production Platform 907 vehicles, blocking them from release.

At the end of June 2021, the investigation determined that the affected vehicle production station did not have the required torque documented for this installation of the spring-loaded rear step.

Further investigations in September 2021 determined that certain Sprinter vehicles released earlier in June 2021 may have had the rear step bolt fasteners tightened without insufficient torque.

On November 24, 2021, MBAG determined that it could not rule out that the released vehicles posed a potential safety risk, and decided to initiate a recall for the affected VS30 Sprinter vehicles.

 


4 Affected Products

Vehicles

MAKEMODELYEAR
MERCEDES-BENZSPRINTER 15002021
MERCEDES-BENZSPRINTER 25002021
MERCEDES-BENZSPRINTER 35002021
MERCEDES-BENZSPRINTER 45002021

 


9 Associated Documents

Interim Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RIONL-21V934-7743.pdf 103.367KB

 


Recall Acknowledgement

RCAK-21V934-4710.pdf 645.182KB

 


Defect Notice 573 Report

RCLRPT-21V934-5345.PDF 214.399KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21V934-6021.pdf 693.458KB

 


Manufacturer Notices(to Dealers,etc)

RCMN-21V934-8527.pdf 1424.908KB

 


ISSUED Owner Notification Letter(Part 577)

RCONL-21V934-1975.pdf 259.67KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #1, 2022-1

RCLQRT-21V934-4162.PDF 211.144KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #2, 2022-2

RCLQRT-21V934-3885.PDF 211.244KB

 


Recall Quarterly Report #3, 2022-3

RCLQRT-21V934-1460.PDF 211.327KB

 


Latest Recalls Documents

 


 

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