Vehicle recalls

Vehicle recalls
 

 
According to Transport Canada, 2014 was marked by more than eight million personal vehicle recall notices issued in Canada. In 2015, a single incident resulted in 1.5 million vehicle recall notices being sent to Canada for defective airbags distributed by Japanese manufacturer Takata.

Reports of vehicle problems can come from a variety of sources, such as the police, lawyers, government departments, insurance companies and, of course, the general public. Normally, Transport Canada gathers and evaluates these reports and then decides if it is necessary to contact the vehicle manufacturer. If the situation warrants, Transport Canada will order the manufacturer to study the report to confirm if there is a defect. If the defect is confirmed, the manufacturer should investigate the problem, formulate corrective actions and test them to correct the problem. Once a viable fix has been found, this information is passed to Transport Canada, which then asks the manufacturer to issue a recall notice. Corrective repairs related to vehicle recalls are almost always at no cost to the consumer.

Most Canadians know and understand the importance of promptly taking corrective action as required by a recall notice; however, you probably won't be surprised to learn that approximately 25% of all recall notices in North America go unanswered. The reasons for this lack of response may vary, but outdated records of the current owner of a vehicle certainly have something to do with it. If you have moved since purchasing your current vehicle, or if you were not the original owner, make sure the vehicle manufacturer knows how to reach you in the event of a recall.

Government resources

The Government of Canada, particularly Transport Canada, provides several online resources to help you communicate your current contact information to vehicle manufacturers and verify if your vehicle is in a recall. Using the government site, you can:

Look up the make, model and year of your vehicle to see if any recalls apply.
Find a link to your specific vehicle manufacturer's website and check for recalls for your vehicle by entering the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Make sure you are notified of child car seat recalls by registering with the manufacturer.
Make sure you are notified of tire recalls by registering with the manufacturer.
File a complaint about your vehicle, tires or child car seat.
Find your vehicle's toll-free number for more information.
Signing up to be notified of recall notices is always recommended, and it's a straightforward process that only takes a few minutes.

Government legislation

Following the tabling of the 2015 budget by the Conservative government, legislation was passed to allow the government (particularly Transport Canada) to order vehicle recalls - giving it powers similar to those already possessed by the state government. -United. Through the Safer Cars for Canadians Act (the Act), the government can order an automobile manufacturer or importer to issue recall notices and require repairs to non-compliant or defective vehicles. In addition, the government would be able to impose financial penalties on automakers who fail to comply with a recall order. These fines can be up to $ 200,000 per day for each violation of the law.

The Act is intended to increase scrutiny of the recall process and ensure that Canadian consumers are informed of recalls and that they receive corrective maintenance service in a timely manner.