2011 recall round-up
Car recalls are a fact of life, but what exactly are they and which manufacturers have been affected in the past year? We analyse the figures to find out...
Car recalls caused by engineering or design faults are a fact of life, but which manufacturers were 2011’s worst offenders? The answers might surprise you.
According to the Vehicle and Operator Services Agency (VOSA) – the body that oversees recalls – there were 179 in 2011. They resulted in 373 entries on its www.dft.gov.uk/vosa website, as recalls are split up depending on what variants and chassis number batches are affected.
The total of 373 is down on 2010, when there were 498 recalls. Passenger cars were involved in 217 recalls, with the rest concerning vans, HGVs, buses and motorcycles. Around 900,000 owners received a letter from their car maker’s service department last year.
Amazingly, one brand makes up nearly half of that total: Vauxhall. In September, it recalled more than 405,000 Corsas (2006-2011) after discovering a problem with the brake pedal bearings. Material used to make them was found to be inadequate for the task, and Vauxhall says it’s possible the part could fail when extreme force is applied to the middle pedal. The company’s recall total for 2011 was more than 435,000 cars.
A spokesman defended Vauxhall’s record, saying 93 per cent of its recalled cars related to that one issue. “It hasn’t resulted in any customer incidents and is rectified by a dealer in 25 minutes,” he explained. “We issued only three other car recalls, one of which affected only five vehicles. Our dealers prioritise recall work and combine it with servicing wherever possible – this resulted in an exceptional 94 per cent completion rate this year.”
If you rank the data by number of recalls rather than individual cars, Volvo takes the title with a staggering 33. Among the cars it called back were 19,000 examples of the C30, S40 and V50 (2007-10) for a brake problem.
Honda was second with 25 – it needed to recall 136,000 Jazzes (2001-08) as the dipped beam lights could fail. Because of the number of vehicles involved, that campaign was separated into 14 entries on the VOSA website. Citroen was third, followed by Toyota/Lexus – still smarting from its recall woes in 2010 – and Peugeot.
Volvo defended its record, arguing the way VOSA published the data was unfair. “It counts each of our models individually rather than as groups based on a common platform,” said a spokesman. “The C30, S40 and V50 are the same car but are counted three times. The total number of recalls is much lower than these figures suggest.”
Which makers issued the least number of recalls?
Top marks go to Bentley, Caterham, Daihatsu, Ferrari, Hyundai, Lamborghini, Lotus, Perodua, Proton, Rolls-Royce, Saab, SEAT, Skoda and VW, with not a single recall between them all year. Audi and Land Rover needed only one each, for a potential fuel leak on the R8 Spyder and parking brake issues on the Defender. BMW had no recalls until October, when it had to issue six.
And which recall affected the least number of cars?
This prize goes to Alfa Romeo, which contacted the single 8C Competizione owner in the UK. Gearbox problems might cause the car’s rear wheels to lock up.
What was the oldest car recalled last year?
More than 20,000 owners of the 1999 Mercedes ML-Class were informed in October that a fault in the brake light switch means the cruise control might not deactivate properly. There’s no limit on the age of cars that can be recalled for a safety issue. A recall last year dealt with 13,000 Daihatsus going back to 1985.
What’s the most common cause of recalls?
We all know cars are complicated and there are many things that can fail. Generally it’s mechanical or electrical components. Sometimes it’s things that seem hard to get wrong: this year, BMW had to contact owners of the M3 GTS after engineers realised the rear window might fly off. You can’t search the VOSA database for recall reasons, but the phrase ‘risk of fire’ appeared in 44 passenger car entries and ‘fuel leak’ was found in 19.
Can one issue affect cars from different brands?
Yes – this is because of shared vehicle platforms. In February, the Peugeot 4007 (2007-08) and Citroen C-Crosser (2007-08) were both recalled over the risk of short-circuiting in the front seat connectors. It’s no surprise, because the cars are siblings. Interestingly the model on which they’re both based, the Mitsubishi Outlander, wasn’t recalled for the same issue.
Did any manufacturer have to recall its entire range?
Shared parts under the skin mean this happens occasionally. Chrysler came closest last year – it had to recall the Grand Voyager, as well as the Journey and Nitro from Dodge, and the Cherokee, Wrangler, Patriot and Compass from Jeep. The issue was a faulty steering column.
Which one caused the most publicity?
That's hard to measure, but it was probably Toyota’s recall of 15,000 examples of the Avensis (2002-03) for a potential fuel leak. It’s no surprise it attracted headlines, as Toyota had 31 recalls in 2010, compared to five in 2008. The company had a slightly better year in 2011, with only 20. They included the Yaris (2010-11), which needed work on faulty A-pillar trim.
What if the manufacturer has left the UK market?
It can’t shirk its responsibilities. Dodge’s short stint here ended when parent firm Chrysler went into administration in the US, but problems with front door wiring that affect side airbag deployment on the Journey (2007-08) still have to be fixed. New owner Fiat has taken on the recall. It’s the same story with Cadillac, which recalled its Escalade and CTS models (2006-09) over a fire risk. Hummer, which is also no longer in the UK, was part of that campaign. Parent firm GM contacted the owners of affected vehicles.
Were any public service vehicles affected by recalls?
Yes. LTI recalled 591 examples of its TX4 black cab (2010) due to poor welding on the handbrake cable connection. There was a risk that the cable could come off completely. What’s more, around 60 examples of Mercedes’ popular Citaro bus were recalled after it was found that vibrations might make fuel injection pipes leak.
Are car manufacturers the only companies that are affected by recalls?
No, it can be parts suppliers, too. Michelin called back a batch of faulty tyres after discovering the vulcanization process – which moulds the tread and shoulder of the tyre together – had gone wrong. Unwin Safety Systems recalled its seatbelts after it was found the strap wouldn’t restrain an occupant properly in an accident. Caravan makers are also part of the system – Bailey had to recall four touring models after it acknowledged wheels could fall off.
What about accessories?
Brand extension products can also be recalled if VOSA deems it necessary. For example, Mercedes recalled 30 of its folding bikes over the possibility that the seat tube might break. Similar rules apply to child seats – 4,500 examples of the Xcursion Travel System product were recalled by Mothercare as they were not as fire-retardant as was claimed.
Does VOSA ever get things wrong?
We hope not, but there are inconsistencies on its website that make you wonder. It spells ‘Abarth’ wrong in each of four recalls from March, listing the car incorrectly as the ‘Ararth Grande Punto’ (2009-10). Pinched wiring could have caused a fire in more than 8,000 examples of the supermini. VOSA also seems to have two categories for SsangYong, each with a different spelling.
How recalls work...
Recalls to address safety defects in cars are launched and monitored under the terms of a Code of Practice established by the motor industry and the Department for Transport in 1979.
Recalls can’t be launched by owners. Only the maker has the power to do that and it’s legally obliged to inform VOSA. But it’s usually driver feedback that leads to problems being spotted.
VOSA believes the recall system is effective and well respected globally. It told us: “The response rate for passenger cars is currently more than 92 per cent. This compares well with other countries and contributes to Britain having some of the world’s safest roads.”
If you believe you have noticed a safety defect in your car due to a deficiency in its design or construction, call 0300 123 9000 or E-mail VOSA at: vsb@vosa.gov.uk
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