2013 Mclaren MP4-12C

Defect. McLaren Automotive Incorporated (McLaren) is recalling certain 2013 MP4-12C vehicles ever registered in the states of Alabama, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, Texas, Puerto Rico, American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands (Saipan), and the U.S. Virgin Islands. These vehicles are equipped with certain air bag inflators assembled as part of the passenger frontal air bag modules used as original equipment or replacement equipment. In the event of a crash necessitating deployment of the passenger frontal air bag, these inflators may explode due to propellant degradation occurring after long-term exposure to absolute humidity and temperature cycling.

Risk. An inflator explosion may result in sharp metal fragments striking the driver or other occupants resulting in serious injury or death.

Remedy. McLaren will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front passenger air bag inflator, free of charge. Owners may contact McLaren customer service at 1-646-429-8916.

The contact owns a 2013 McLaren MP4-12C. The contact stated that mold was developing in the lens covering the headlights, causing the headlights to be foggy. The contact stated that the failure was affecting his vision of the roadway while driving and was causing a glare for oncoming drivers. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the headlight housings needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and covered the replacement of the headlights housing; however, the failure persisted, and the headlight housings were replaced with the same model of headlight housings. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 4,900.

THE HEADLIGHT LENSES ON BOTH SIDES ARE GROWING A MOLD AND FOGGING. THE FOGGING IS GRADUALLY WORSENING, AND, AT SOME POINT, WILL COMPROMISE THE LIGHT EMITTED AND RESULT IN GLARE. IT IS A WELL-KNOWN ISSUE IN THESE CARS, AND SHOULD BE ADDRESSED UNDER WARRANTY, BUT MCLAREN REFUSES TO REPLACE THE LENSES FOR ANYONE WHO HAS TRIED TO GET THIS DONE BY THEIR DEALERS, MYSELF INCLUDED. IT IS CLEAR THAT THIS IS IN VIOLATION OF YOUR REGULATIONS S5.1.2 (B) AND (C): HTTPS://WWW.GPO.GOV/FDSYS/PKG/CFR-2004-TITLE49-VOL5/XML/CFR-2004-TITLE49-VOL5-SEC571-108.XML IT IS ESTIMATED THAT, OF THE 3400 MP4-12C CARS IN THE US ALONE, ABOUT 40% OF THEM HAVE THE PROBLEM. I CAN NOT VOUCH FOR THIS NUMBER, BUT ON A MCLAREN FORUM, THIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN NOTED BY MANY OWNERS AND THEIR DEALERSHIPS WERE UNABLE TO GET MCLAREN TO AUTHORIZE REPLACEMENT OR REPAIR. IT IS ALSO NOTED THAT KOENIGSEGG CARS HAD A SIMILAR PROBLEM, AND THAT NHTSA DID TAKE ACTION. PHOTOS ARE ATTACHED, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO SHOW HOW BAD IT REALLY IS WITH THE PHOTOS. APPROXIMATELY 30% OF THE LENS SURFACE IS INVOLVED ON THE RIGHT, AND 20% ON THE LEFT SIDE, AND IT IS PROGRESSING. THE HEADLIGHT DESIGN FAILED TO MEET THE STANDARD THAT IT WOULD NOT HAVE SUCH ISSUES WHEN EXPOSED TO THE ENVIRONMENT. MY CAR HAS HAD NO ACCIDENTS OR ANY SPECIFIC INJURY TO THE HEADLIGHTS.