What is a RECALL?

CEBU, Philippines - It’s a known fact that anything man-made is not perfect—including cars. Anybody who has experienced various car breakdowns can attest to that. Though  most of  modern cars breakdowns are due to poor maintenance and machinery abuse, owning one becomes a real pain in the neck  when a manufacturer’s defect contributes to poor performance, sometimes jeopardizing safety.

A variety of engineering errors can cause a defect in a car. Usually, the problem is concentrated on models that were produced during a certain time period at one specific production plant. A design defect or simply just poor engineering can produce a “lemon” or a car that has poor performance and safety rating. Even a single oversight in production can make a car a real danger. This is the very reason why car manufacturers have recalls. So what exactly is a Car Recall?

A  recall involving a motor vehicle or an item of motor vehicle equipment can be independently conducted by the car manufacturer involved or ordered by the US firm NHTSA or National Highway Traffic Administration. In either case, the manufacturer must file a public report clearly stipulating the  defect of the involved vehicle or equipment in the vehicle, the major events that resulted in the recall determination, a description of  the remedy, and a scheduled dates for the recall. NHTSA is tasked to monitor each recall and safeguard the interest of the riding public as to ensure that manufacturers provide owners safe, free, and effective remedies according to the US Safety Act and Federal regulations. Manufacturers are obligated to attempt to notify owners of recalled products. For vehicles, that means manufacturers merge their own records of vehicle purchasers with current vehicle registration information listed in their database or the Land Transportation Office. The manufacturer is obligated to provide free remedy to these somehow sticky situation.

The US NHTSA lists the following as typical safety-threatening defects:

• Wiring or leaks that cause fire

• Accelerators that break or freeze suddenly

• Steering parts that break, causing a loss of control

• Air bags that deploy late or for no reason

The Philippines has no existing organization that deals with the policing of these recalls. To compound the problem, owners are often unaware of how to deal with the malfunction, thinking that the work is better handled in the hands of a local mechanic.   If there should be one, it should fall under the jurisdiction of the Department of Trade and Industry. However, even if you do not receive any notification from the manufacturer, if  you feel your vehicle is involved in a safety recall, it should be wise to have it checked by the manufacturer’s official dealer as soon as possible.