NHTSA Complaint #11323846 — 2009 SMART FORTWO

I RECEIVED A LETTER FROM MERCEDES BENZ ON MONDAY 5/4/2020 LETTING ME KNOW THAT THERE WAS A RECALL ON MY CAR, A REAR INSULATION MAT IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEEDS TO BE CHANGED OUT TO AVOID A POSSIBLE ENGINE FIRE. I CALLED THE MB DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE AND WAS TOLD THEY DO NOT WORK ON SMART VEHICLES. I CALLED THE PHONE NUMBER FOR MBUSA TO FIND A DEALERSHIP OR AN APPROVED TECH TO MAKE THE REPAIR. I LEFT A MESSAGE AND WAS CALLED BACK YESTERDAY 5/7/2020 BY [XXX]. HE TOLD ME THAT THERE WERE NO DEALERSHIP OR APPROVED REPAIR CENTERS IN ALASKA AND THAT SINCE I CHOSE TO LIVE REMOTE THAT 'UNFORTUNATELY' IT'S MY PROBLEM. I WROTE A LETTER TO THE COMPANY OFFERING THE SAME POSSIBLE OPTIONS TO GET IT FIXED THAT I HAD SUGGESTED TO HIM; 1) SEND THE PART AND I'LL FIX IT MYSELF; 2) SEND THE PART TO AN INDEPENDENT SHOP OF MY CHOICE AND PAY THEM TO FIX IT OR 3) SEND A TECHNICIAN TO THE MERCEDES BENZ DEALERSHIP IN ANCHORAGE TO PERFORM THE SAFETY RECALL REPAIR. THE LETTER WAS SENT BACK TO HIM AND HE CALLED ME TODAY TO REINTERATE THAT 'UNFORTUNATELY' MBUSA WAS NOT GOING TO DO ANY OF THESE THINGS AND THAT AS A SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR THEY HAVE FULFILLED THEIR OBLIGATION TO ME. IT'S MY PROBLEM TO GET IT TO A DEALERSHIP OF MY CHOOSING. ALL DEALERSHIPS ARE IN THE CONTIGUOUS 48 STATES. I ASKED HIM IF A LAW SUIT RESULTING FROM A FIREY DEATH WAS A CONCERN TO MBUSA OR IF THEY INFORM PEOPLE WHO PURCHASE THE VEHICLES THAT IF THEY CHOSE TO TAKE THEIR CAR WITHIN THE UNITED STATES TO AN AREA WITHOUT A DEALERSHIP THAT THEY WERE ON THEIR OWN. HIS RESPONSE WAS HE HAD NO IDEA WHAT DEALERSHIPS TELL PEOPLE AND AGAIN, WHILE THEY WOULDN'T LIKE TO HAVE MY CAR CATCH FIRE IT IS REALLY MY ISSUE. SEE ATTACHED CORRESPONDENCE. SO I AM IN A SPOT TO EITHER PARK IT OR DRIVE IT KNOWING I COULD HAVE A PROBLEM. I CAN'T EVEN SELL IT WITHOUT IT BEING FIXED. THIS IS NOW A FINANCIAL ISSUE & A SAFETY ISSUE. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR