MITSUBISHI MOTORS NORTH AMERICA, INC.’S (MMNA) IS RECALLING HEADLAMPS USED AS SERVICE PARTS FOR MODEL YEAR 2012 MITSUBISHI LANCER AND LANCER SPORTBACK VEHICLES. THE HEADLAMPS WERE INSTALLED WITHOUT THE HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM PERMANENTLY SEALED. ACCORDINGLY, THE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARD NO. 108, "LAMPS, REFLECTIVE DEVICES, AND ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT."
WITHOUT THE HORIZONTAL ADJUSTMENT MECHANISM DISABLED, THE HEADLIGHT CAN BE ADJUSTED TO EITHER REDUCE THE DRIVER'S VISIBILITY OR BLIND ONCOMING VEHICLES. BOTH CONDITIONS CAN INCREASE THE RISK OF A CRASH.
MMNA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS, AND DEALERS WILL REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MARCH 27, 2012. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MITSUBISHI CUSTOMER RELATIONS DEPARTMENT AT 1-888-648-7820.
ON JUNE 25, 2012, MMNA ADDED APPROXIMATELY 16,000 HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES FOR USE ON MODEL YEAR 2001 THROUGH 2002 MONTERO VEHICLES, TWO USED FOR MODEL YEAR 2003 THROUGH 2006 MONTERO VEHICLES, AND 87 HEADLAMP ASSEMBLIES USED FOR MODEL YEAR 2008 THROUGH 2012 LANCER AND LANCER SPORTBACK VEHICLES.MMNA WILL NOTIFY OWNERS THAT CAN BE IDENTIFIED THROUGH PARTS PURCHASED RECORDS AND REPAIR THE VEHICLES FREE OF CHARGE.MMNA HAS NOT YET PROVIDED A NOTIFICATION SCHEDULE. OWNERS MAY CONTACT MMNA AT 1-888-648-7820.OWNERS MAY ALSO CONTACT THE NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION'S VEHICLE SAFETY HOTLINE AT 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), OR GO TO HTTP://WWW.SAFERCAR.GOV.