Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The right side of the vehicle has a terrible blind spot.no matter how diligently you look in the passenger mirror and over your right shoulder there is an area that is blind to the driver. This is due to the passenger side mirror being too small and not convex. It is not written on the mirror " objects appear closer than they actually are".this is a serious design flaw, I am surprised that that this made it through all of the safety regulations. Luckily, I have not been an accident yet due to this problem. I have mounted additional blindspot mirrors to the existing mirrors but they are no substitute for a properly designed mirror. I purchased this car new from the dealership in August and have returned several times complaining about the mirror but to no avail. …
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. On two occasions this week, one (today) that was the worst yet, I was changing lanes and after checking the side mirrors and seeing absolutely nothing, I came extremely close to hitting a sedan that was driving in my blind spot. Fortunately, the other driver was paying attention and able to swerve away from my vehicle to avoid being hit. …
The passenger side mirror on this vehicle offers very little visibility and creates a huge blind spot. The mirror is flat offers a very narrow field of view. Because this is a cargo van with no window on the side door a convex mirror is necessary to offer a acceptable field of view for safe lane changing. I feel the lack of a convex mirror on the passenger side May lead to several side swipe accidents by owners of this vehicle. I have experienced several incidents of attempting to change lanesome to the right only to find that there is another vehicle in the massive blind spot. Upon researching the european version of this vehicle I discovered that they are equipped with a proper convex mirror. Failure to equip the American version of this vehicle with the same mirror seams like a lack of regard for safety
The side mirrors are flat instead of convex and this, combined with very high headrests, gives one extremely poor rear vision. I can not recall driving any vehicle made after the 1970's that has flat mirrors like this. Changing lanes, even with blind spot warning, is just guesswork and very dangerous. I have not felt so uncomfortable and unsure of what is next to me since I drove cars without any right side mirrors years and years ago. The same van in europe does have convex mirrors that are so much better than those used in us. Contacting manufacturer regarding this has proven useless. This is an issue in all situations but worse in urban driving or heavy traffic where knowing what is around one's vehicle is critically important. This is a terrible and dangerous oversight.
The side view mirrors are extremely small. They create a terrible blind spot which inhibits your ability to change lanes. In addition the mirrors appear to magnify objects which distorts your judgement of vehicle proximity. Both of these factors have caused near collisions multiple times! The mirrors only allow you to see a portion of the lane next to you. This is much worse when looking at the passenger side mirror compared to the drivers side. The website: metrisforum.com has adequate commentary from other drivers experiencing the same problem.
The side mirrors are not only very low and small but they are flat. This creates a huge blind spot particularly on the passenger side even with lane assist technology. I do not want to almost hit a car before being notified. I almost got into an accident on a highway with 4 kids in my care. This exact same van has been produced in europe with convex mirrors. In fact, mb is making these convex mirrors standard in the 2017 version, but seems to waiting until human casualty before recalling the 2016 mirrors for safe driving.
While driving approximately 45 MPH, the contact was unable to see out of the front passenger side mirror. The contact stated that the visibility on the passenger side mirror was inadequate. The failure recurred three times. The contact notified the local dealer who stated that the manufacturer was aware of the issue and that the engineers were working on it. The manufacturer stated that the vehicle was designed that way and did not offer any assistance. The failure mileage was 1,500...updated 05/09/16
Side view mirror visibility is extremely poor creating enormous blind spots in a vehicle of this size and inherent limited visibility. Have had several close calls changing lanes due to inability to adequately see peripheral areas. Only a matter of time before these issues pile up, the vehicle should never have been delivered as is. The exact european counterpart is supplied with wide view mirrors but to save a few bucks the us version gets crippled visibility.
The side mounted rear view mirrors are inadequate, leaving large blind spots. The passenger side mirror needs to be convex. My wife, who is used to driving a Chevrolet van with a convex, passenger side, rear view mirror, almost hit a car that was unseen in the blind spot of the Metris. She was driving on a multi lane road and was attempting to change lanes to the right when the near collision occurred.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris. Whether stationary or driving various speeds, the passenger side mirror was too wide and obstructed the contact's view of oncoming traffic. Mercedes-Benz of fort myers in fort myers, florida referred the contact to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue via a voicemail from the contact. The failure mileage was 30,000.
Window & Wiper complaints in other Metris years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris?
NHTSA has 22 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris, 17% of the model year's 127 complaints. The component named most often is rearview mirrors/devices › exterior (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof recall for the 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris, though it has 13 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Mercedes-Benz Metris window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 2,000 miles, and 94% before 25,000 miles.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.