— Mercedes-Benz is recalling more than 9,100 cars because owners could change the horizontal adjustment of the headlights. It may sound bizarre that a recall is needed just because owners could change the aim of the headlights, but Mercedes says the problem violates U.S. safety standards.
The law was created to keep consumers from altering the aim of the low-beam headlights once the cars have left the factory because a headlight aimed incorrectly can blind oncoming drivers.
According to U.S. regulations, headlights with low beams must not have horizontal adjustment mechanisms accessible by consumers, so the adjustment screws must be sealed with non-removable sealing caps after initial adjustments in the plant.
Recalled are the 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 and C400 cars that are missing special caps to prevent owners from altering the horizontal adjustment of the headlights.
Mercedes first discovered the issue in 2014 at a plant in Alabama when someone noticed the sealing caps were missing. The automaker traced the problem to incorrect assembly instructions used at the plant.
Tests were conducted without the sealing caps to analyze the illumination levels with different horizontal adjustment positions of the low beams. The results of these tests were analyzed and compared to the illumination levels as required by federal law and the automaker decided to order the recall.
The recalled 2015 Mercedes-Benz C300 and C400 cars were built June 18, 2014, through September 5, 2014.
Mercedes-Benz will contact owners and dealers will replace the horizontal adjustment mechanisms with sealing caps. Until then, owners with questions should call the automaker at 800-367-6372.
CarComplaints.com has complaints about the Mercedes-Benz C300, Mercedes-Benz C400 and many other Mercedes-Benz cars.