Laguna Hills, CA – July 29, 2019 – Maserati North America plans on recalling approximately 427 Levante model vehicles due to a headlight issue that could cause temporary blindness for oncoming drivers. The problem is believed to be linked to misalignment, in which the headlights were misadjusted beyond the maximum height permitted under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108. The vehicles subject to the recall are 2019 models.
Affected owners are urged to remove their automobiles from the road and return them to an authorized Maserati dealer so the proper fix can be implemented free of charge. Official notifications are due to be distributed starting Aug. 26, 2019.
The Defect
According to filings with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Maserati seeks to recall up to 427 of its 2019 Levante vehicles over faulty headlights. The specific nature of the problem concerns the adaptive front lighting system, the headlights of which may have been misadjusted at some point during assembly.
Per FMVSS No. 108, or “Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment,” the cutoff angle for headlights can be no higher than 0.4 degrees down from the H-H line. The 420-plus Levatis under recall notices all have headlights that are positioned higher than the maximum gradient allowed under FMVSS. This presents a safety issue for motorists approaching the affected vehicles that increases the risk of a collision due to possibly blinding the oncoming driver.
Timeline of Events
This issue first came to light on May 10, 2019, when personnel for the luxury automaker began testing of the Levantes’ vertical headlamps. At least 40 of the vehicles with adaptive front lighting system technology were misaligned. Those suspicions were confirmed in follow-up testing, which began approximately a month later on June 11. By July 3, Maserati decided a voluntary safety recall of the model was the best path forward and got in touch with federal officials about their concern July 11. The NHTSA acknowledged Maserati’s notification approximately two weeks later.
The Solution
Starting Aug. 26, Maserati will notify those impacted by this recall. Operators are advised to take their cars to a nearby dealership so their headlights can be corrected. Per usual, the repair will come at no expense.
For more information on this and other automotive recalls, visit MotorSafety.org.
