The defect
SMART USA IS RECALLING 43 MY 2008 FORTWO 451 VEHICLES. A SINGLE BATCH OF PAINT SENT TO THE COMPANY DID NOT MEET SPECIFICATIONS. A RE-WORK WAS DONE IN THE PLANT USING DIFFERENT FORMULATIONS OF PAINTING MATERIALS. AFTER THE RE-WORK WAS COMPLETED, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COMBINATION OF MATERIALS USED TO REPAINT THE FRAME AND CHASSIS COULD LEAD TO DE LAMINATION OF THE PAINT MATERIALS FROM THE BODY AND FRAME STRUCTURES.
The risk
SUCH DE LAMINATING CAN TAKE PLACE IN THE AREA OF THE BODY WHERE THE WINDSHIELD AND ROOF HAVE BEEN AFFIXED WITH ADHESIVE, WHICH COULD AFFECT THE ADHESION OF THOSE COMPONENTS TO THE VEHICLE BODY, INCREASING THE RISK OF SEPARATION. THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH IF THE ROOF OR WINDSHIELD SEPARATED FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE IN MOTION.
The remedy
DEALERS WILL REPAINT THE AFFECTED AREAS TO MEET SPECIFICATIONS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON AUGUST 18, 2008. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SMART USA AT 1-248-648-2451.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Smart Fortwo | 2008 |
Components: STRUCTURE:FRAME AND MEMBERS
Model years in this recall
NHTSA complaints and the number of recall campaigns for each model year this recall covers.
| Model | Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smart Fortwo | 2008 | 140 | 2 |
Other structure recalls in 2008
25 of the 683 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2008 concerned the structure.
| 08V686000 19 Dec 2008 | TRIUMPH MOTORCYCLES AMERICA LTD |
| 08V664000 16 Dec 2008 | FOREST RIVER, INC. |
| 08V659000 15 Dec 2008 | HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTOR COMPANY |
| 08V609000 24 Nov 2008 | AMERICAN LAFRANCE LLC |
| 08V604000 24 Nov 2008 | REINKE MANUFACTURING COMPANY, INC. |
| 08V451000 5 Sept 2008 | SOUTHEAST TOYOTA DISTRIBUTORS, LLC |
| 08V448000 3 Sept 2008 | PREVOST CARS, INC. |
| 08V447000 3 Sept 2008 | AUTOCAR, LLC |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2008