The defect
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC (MBUSA) is recalling certain 2016 Smart Fortwo vehicles. The horizontal headlight adjustment mechanism on these vehicles may not have been properly sealed off to prevent future adjustment. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
The risk
If the headlight can be adjusted horizontally, the headlight may be adjusted outside of the designed specifications, reducing the driver's visibility and potentially blinding oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
MBUSA will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct sealing caps to prevent the headlights from being adjusted horizontally, free of charge. The recall began September 8, 2017. Owners may contact MBUSA customer service at 1-800-367-6372.
NHTSA's own wording · initiated by MFR
Vehicles covered
| Model | Model years |
|---|---|
| Smart Fortwo Coupe | 2016 |
Components: EXTERIOR LIGHTING:HEADLIGHTS
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 Coupe | 2016 | 1 | 1 |
Other exterior lighting recalls in 2017
27 of the 810 recall campaigns reported to NHTSA in 2017 concerned the exterior lighting; Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. filed 199 campaigns in all.
| 17V819000 18 Dec 2017 | Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC. |
| 17V797000 12 Dec 2017 | Newmar Corporation |
| 17V761000 27 Nov 2017 | Daimler Trucks North America LLC |
| 17V738000 21 Nov 2017 | Supreme Corporation |
| 17V723000 17 Nov 2017 | Newmar Corporation |
| 17V695000 3 Nov 2017 | Entegra Coach |
| 17V692000 2 Nov 2017 | Thor Motor Coach |
| 17V682000 27 Oct 2017 | Indian Motorcycle Company |
NHTSA recalls (public domain) · all recalls of 2017