NHTSA vehicle safety data

2013 Mclaren MP4-12C Recalls & Complaints

The 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C has 1 NHTSA recall campaign and 2 owner complaints on file as of November 3, 2026. Recall repairs are usually free at an authorized Mclaren dealer.

NHTSA recall and complaint data for the 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C. Recall data is refreshed daily from NHTSA.

2013 Mclaren MP4-12C owner complaints

Owners have filed 2 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C, describing incidents dated October 12, 2017 to February 1, 2018.

Most-cited components

Exterior Lighting 2 complaints

Newest complaints

ODI #11509758 · Filed March 1, 2023
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…
ODI #11067214 · Filed February 6, 2018
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…

Read all 2 complaints

NHTSA defect investigations

NHTSA's investigations file lists the 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C in 1 investigation. A listed model year means only that an investigation names it; it says nothing about any particular vehicle. An open investigation is not a finding that a safety defect exists, and NHTSA can close one without a recall.

Engineering Analysis EA21-002: Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Open since September 17, 2021

Open and recently closed NHTSA defect investigations

Passenger Frontal Air Bag Inflator May Explode

NHTSA #18V007000 · Air Bags — Frontal — Passenger Side — Inflator Module · NHTSA notice

Reported January 5, 2018 · McLaren Automotive Incorporated

Potentially affected: 371 vehicles

Repair completion: 90.3% (latest rate the manufacturer reported to NHTSA; dataset updated November 3, 2026)

Owners notified March 6, 2018 · Vehicles built January 28, 2011 – January 7, 2014 (per NHTSA) · Recall influenced by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation

Recall group: Takata airbag inflators

Defect description

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.

Safety consequence

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

Manufacturer 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.

Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

try.vin has no NCAP crash-test rating on file for the 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C. NHTSA rates some vehicles by body style — pickups by cab, vans by roof height — so check nhtsa.gov/ratings.

2 owner complaints have been filed with NHTSA for the 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11509758

Incident: February 1, 2018 · Filed: March 1, 2023

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.

Exterior Lighting

ODI #11067214

Incident: October 12, 2017 · Filed: February 6, 2018

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.

Check your 2013 Mclaren MP4-12C VIN

Not every recall applies to every VIN in a given year. Enter the 17-character VIN from your Mclaren MP4-12C at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see whether your specific vehicle has an unrepaired recall.

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