2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often describe a strong gasoline smell in and around the van, typically on cold starts or after sitting overnight in cool weather, and many say side mirror visibility in the passenger mirror is poor. Powertrain-related complaints (check engine light, timing chain and crankcase ventilation valve) and brief loss of power steering assist over rough pavement also appear, usually at moderate mileage.

1. 1
   Fuel system

   Gasoline smell, often cold starts and after sitting

   • 22 complaints (17%)
   • median 28,000 mi at 2.3 yrs old (18 state mileage)
   • filed 2016–2026

   Owners describe a strong raw-gasoline odor inside the cabin and around the front of the van, frequently after the vehicle has sat overnight or in cold weather, and some say it clears once the engine warms up. Several reports describe a fuel leak traced to a rubber feed line or hose near the high-pressure fuel pump, and some say the dealer replaced the hose or found seepage. Others say the dealer could not reproduce the odor and did nothing, and a few were quoted a charge for the repair. Reported from a few thousand miles up into the 60,000-mile range, most often in cool or cold weather after the van has been parked.

   Recall 18V8370002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask whether the fuel feed line to the high-pressure pump has been replaced, and check for a fuel odor around the engine bay after the van has sat overnight in cool weather. Confirm whether the fuel-system control unit software update has been applied.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Strong gas smell in the mornings after it sits overnight in my garage, especially on cold nights. It gets triggered when we open a door and the air starts circulating (before car is turned on). It started last winter and is happening still. I'm getting a little light-headed some mornings, especially when I can't open the windows (like when it's raining)”

   NHTSA complaint #11150262, filed 2018-11, 26,000 miles

   “Vehicle not running, sat outside overnight in my driveway, temperatures in the 30sf, strong smell of gasoline around the vehicle happened more than once. The date and mileage are approximations. I can't remember the precise dates. It was this past winter. It was only after reading of others with the same problem that I decided to file a report”

   NHTSA complaint #11104437, filed 2018-06, 19,000 miles
2. 2
   Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)

   Poor passenger-side mirror visibility / blind spots

   • 20 complaints (16%)
   • median 1,350 mi at 1.0 yrs old (16 state mileage)
   • filed 2016–2019

   Owners describe the passenger-side mirror as flat and small, leaving a wide blind spot when changing lanes or reversing, and several say they had close calls in traffic. Some report adding aftermarket blind-spot mirrors, and owners say dealers and the manufacturer told them the vehicle was designed that way and offered no change. A few compare it with European-market mirrors they describe as wider. Usually noted at very low mileage, often within the first few hundred to few thousand miles of ownership.

   Recall 17V148000

   What to check: Sit in the driver's seat and check the field of view in the passenger mirror, and ask whether any wider or add-on mirrors were fitted. Also confirm whether the blind spot monitoring recall work was completed.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The side mirrors on this vehicle are dangerous and two small, they almost got me into an accident while in motion on a city street with my wife and five (5) children. These side mirrors are non-convexed and offer little view of what's going on around the vehicle, leaving the driver to depend on the blind spot assist feature to change lanes or reverse for this critical visual information.”

   NHTSA complaint #10897956, filed 2016-08, 1,200 miles

   “First off, I have only had this car for approximately 1 week and spent considerable time driving in a large metropolitan area as well as on the interstate with the vehicle in this first week (1200 miles in total). I have adjusted the side mirrors as wide as they are capable of adjusting and still, an enormous blind spot remains for the driver that is both dangerous to myself and drivers around me. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11030442, filed 2017-09, 1,200 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Check engine light, rough running, timing chain

   • 14 complaints (11%)
   • median 52,000 mi at 2.9 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2018–2026

   Complaints describe a persistent check engine light, rough running and hard starting, with dealers diagnosing a damaged timing chain and in some cases recommending engine replacement. Others report fault codes for the crankcase ventilation valve, and one says the valve failed and needed replacement. Several owners say the manufacturer was notified but provided no assistance. Most reports fall between roughly 30,000 and 60,000 miles, with a few at much higher mileage.

   2 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for service records showing whether the crankcase ventilation valve and timing chain have been addressed, and scan for stored engine fault codes before buying.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Code P052E-71 Valve for crankcase ventilation has a malfunction Code P06DA-00 Actuation of the valve in the combustion engine has an electrical fault or open circuit. These codes have been reported on too many times on forums to not have these issues recalled and fixed and paid for by Mercedes. This expensive problem should not have occurred with such little mileage and have to be fixed by the consumer”

   NHTSA complaint #11595927, filed 2024-06

   “The contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the crank case ventilation valve had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The failure mileage was 52,000.”

   NHTSA complaint #11609425, filed 2024-08, 52,000 miles
4. 4
   Steering

   Brief loss of power steering assist

   • 8 complaints (6%)
   • median 55,000 mi at 7.7 yrs old (5 state mileage, few)
   • filed 2019–2025

   Owners describe the steering becoming suddenly heavy with a power steering malfunction message on the cluster, often right after driving over rough pavement, rumble strips or a speed bump. In most reports the assist returns after pulling over and restarting the van, and one owner was told a power steering wire had overheated. Some report the dealer could not find a cause or said the vehicle was not covered by the steering recall. Reported from around 40,000 to over 100,000 miles, usually while driving over rough or uneven road surfaces.

   Recall 17V595000Recall 19V290000

   What to check: Ask whether the electric power steering recall work was performed for this vehicle, and test the steering over rough pavement during a test drive while watching for a warning message.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “On 9/13/18 while driving us95 in nevada , the power steering assist failed while crossing center line rumble strips to pass. There was a warning tone and an error message appeared on instrument cluster. There was no power assist. This was in the middle of the desert, so I continued driving. After stopping for a bathroom break, the steering worked again when I started the van. Minutes later, it failed again. I continued to a gas station. After restarting the van, the steering assist worked again until I got home. I took it to mercedes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11351654, filed 2020-08, 41,000 miles

   “Loss of power steering when driving over cattle grates on two separate occasions. First time loss of power steering at 55mph on a two lane highway and second time loss of power steering at 30mph when entering a freeway on-ramp. An error message displays on the screen 'power steering malfunction see owners manual'. On both occasions we pulled off to the side of the road and turned off the engine, removed the key from the ignition, and waited a couple of minutes. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11208405, filed 2019-05, 55,000 miles

Buying note. Check for a fuel odor on a cold start and ask for records of any fuel line or pump work, then confirm which of this model year's recalls and service bulletins have actually been completed. A pre-purchase scan for engine codes and a careful look at tire wear and mirror usability will cover most of what owners report.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 60 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.