The Smart Fortwo is Mercedes-Benz's city car. Developed for Europe and first imported to Canada in 2006, it's a clever rear-engine design with seats for two and a little bit of cargo space. Nothing can match the Fortwo's maneuverability. Early cars use a diesel engine, and switched to gasoline in later years; either way, fuel economy is a big plus. A convertible model is one of the cheapest routes to open-air motoring.
On certain vehicles, the rear insulation mat within the engine compartment might deform, deteriorate and loosen, allowing it to contact hot exhaust system components. This could lead to ignition of the insulation mat and increase the risk of an engine compartment fire causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the rear insulation mat.
On certain vehicles equipped with a double clutch transmission, the actuation lock inside the gearshift lever module may not function as designed. As a result, the gearshift lever might be able to be moved from "PARK" without the application of the brake pedal and the ignition being in the "ON" position. If the parking brake is not applied, unintended vehicle movement could occur if the unlock button is depressed and the transmission is shifted out of "PARK", which would increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will update the software of the transmission control unit.
On certain vehicles, the left front axle steering knuckle may have some casting imperfections that could reduce the strength of the knuckle. This could potentially cause the left front steering knuckle to fracture under load, which would increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will inspect the front left steering knuckle for the affected batch number and replace it as necessary.
On certain vehicles, the lock nut that secures the bowden cable to the parking brake lever might loosen over time, which may result in increased parking brake lever travel. Should the parking brake lever travel increase, the parking brake could have less holding force than intended, which could result in unintended vehicle movement, increasing the risk of injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace the lock nut.
Certain vehicles may not comply with the requirements of Canada Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (CMVSS) 108 - Lighting System and Retroreflective Devices. Vehicles may have been assembled with headlamps that allow for horizontal adjustment, which is contrary to the requirements of the standard. This could reduce vehicle visibility, or could adversely affect the vision of oncoming drivers during low light and night time conditions, which could increase the risk of a crash causing injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will install sealing caps on the headlamps to seal the adjustment screws.
On certain vehicles, bolts which connect the steering gear to the front cross member may break, which could affect vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash resulting in injury and/or damage to property. Correction: Dealers will replace defective bolts.
On certain vehicles, corrosion and/or dust accumulation may impair the function of the driver and passenger door latches and cause the latch pawl to stick. If this occurs, the door will not latch when shut and will remain unsecured. A vehicle operated in this condition would present a higher risk of personal injury and/or property damage. Correction: Dealers will replace the door latches with a modified version.
On certain vehicles, the driver and passenger seat fastening bolts attaching the backrest and seat shell to the seat rails and the fastening bolts of the seat belt buckle may not have received adequate tightening torque during vehicle assembly. Seats and seat belt buckles which have not been properly bolted may not be able to withstand the deceleration forces occurring during a vehicle crash. Correction: Dealers will torque bolts to specs.
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