Vehicle Recall Information

From time to time, car manufacturers issue recalls for cars in order to have certain car parts or equipment checked.  While receiving these notifications can cause some concern, they are fairly common and sometimes can be of a precautionary nature. At other times, the vehicle recall may be more serious and need more immediate attention.  Over the past few years, Volvo Toyota and Nissan issued vehicle recalls in Ireland for specific safety issues relating to a variety of potential problems, including child safety locks, seatbelts, and brake problems. 

 It is not known how many Irish motorist bins the VRI notification and take no action, although a recent survey of motorists in the US showed that almost 40% of motorists ignored their recall notices.  This is not wise.  If you happen to receive a VRI, don’t panic or overreact, but calmly assess the recall information and take appropriate action. The recall notice will direct you to your local specified dealership to have the issue addressed at no cost to you.

What Is a Vehicle Recall Notification?

When a problem with a particular brand of car is identified, the car makers will issue a recall letter to the registered car owner.  The note is issued when manufacturer or safety governing bodies determine that the car itself or certain equipment in the car, car seats, etc., may create an unreasonable safety risk or fail to meet minimum safety standards. 

What to do when you get a note?

There is no immediate call for panic if you get a VRI Notification  , in fact if anything, you should feel reassured that the car manufacturers are still proactive in the safety of the car you are driving.   More often than not, the recall refers to issues or potential issues that don’t pose an immediate serious danger.  But there have been cases, such as that of the VW Zafira B, where car owners were told not to drive the car until works had been carried out. This was the exception rather than the norm.    Read the letter carefully and contact the named dealership to make an appointment and have the problem addressed within a reasonable time frame.

Do you have to pay for the recall work?

  No, there is no charge to you for the remedial work on a brand Vehicle Recall notification. It is entirely the responsibility of the manufacturer and they make arrangements with the specified garages.

Is there a time limit on the recall work?

There is no time limit, but obviously if the car manufacturers are recommending that something needs attention, it makes sense to have it looked at as quickly as possible.  Also, in the case of older cars there might be problems getting parts so having the work completed without delay following receipt of the notice would be the wisest option. 

Will a recall notice affect the resale value of my car?

While some of the more astute car buyers might check the marque online to see if there was a recall notice issued, it would be unusual.  Even if the issue comes up in car reviews, and the work was completed in the recognised dealership, there should be no detrimental effect to the selling price.   It would be unlikely that there would be bad publicity surrounding a recall unless it was an issue of an extremely serious nature that the brand of car was negatively impacted by the problem.

What if I don’t get a recall notice, but think my car has been affected?

Sometimes, you may hear about a vehicle recall which affects the model and year of car that you drive, but you have not received any letter.  Call the hotline or car makers customer service department to ask if your car should have been included and whether a letter was sent to a previous owner or address.  The contact information for recalls should be easy to access, but if there is any difficulty, contact the local dealership which may be more convenient for you. 

As standards for quality and safety in the car industry increase, and indeed sales of vehicles themselves  increase, there are more and more recall notifications being issued and it is at an all time high.  It was estimated that the US recalled over 18.6 million cars in the first half of 2021 and the recall rate is now 201% of new cars sold.  This means that more than twice as many cars were recalled for some defect, than new cars sold in the same ten years.  When we consider the number of components in each vehicle, the propensity for issues increases dramatically.  

Follow this link  to check for recent vehicle recalls in Ireland

If you have any concerns, remember, our friendly and experienced staff at Sandyford Motors Centre are always ready to discuss any worries you might have about your particular car brand.