Vehicle safety recalls – what are they and how can they affect motorists?

Motoring in the UK requires drivers to meet a variety of rules and regulations – but what happens when a manufacturer discovers an issue with your vehicle? Trust My Garage has all the information you need when it comes to ensuring your vehicle is safe; check it out below!

 

What is a vehicle safety recall?

A vehicle recall happens when a manufacturer identifies an issue with a particular make or model of vehicle – sometimes they affect a small number of vehicles, and sometimes it’s a much wider range depending on the issue.

In the UK alone, it’s not unusual for a single recall to apply to 100,000 cars or more, sometimes from more than one manufacturer. Worldwide, the biggest ever recall was for 14 million vehicles (carried out by Ford in 2009).

The DVSA estimates around 2.39 million UK cars – around one in 13 – currently in use have unresolved safety recalls that have been issued jointly by the government department and manufacturers.

While there are some instances that will cause owners concern – such as the Vauxhall Zafira fires or Toyota and Lexus airbags, for the most part recalls are for smaller fixes to ensure reliability or, in the case of the VW emissions scandal, create compliance with emissions regulations.

 

How can I be made aware of a recall?

After determining what needs recalling, the manufacturer registers the issue with the DVSA, who then authorise the DVLA to provide contact details of all current owners.

From these, manufacturers can then write, email or call vehicle owners to make them aware of an outstanding recall on their vehicle and advise them on how to proceed.

 

What if I want to check for a recall myself?

The DVSA website has a function where motorists can check their car’s MOT history, and they have now added a “Recall Checker” function to their service. All you need is the vehicle registration – test it out at https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/.

If there is an outstanding recall on the vehicle you are searching for the information below will be provided and you will be advised to contact your nearest dealership to conduct an assessment:

If there is no recall on your vehicle, the checker will display the below message:

If there isn’t a recall for your vehicle, you don’t have to do anything!

 

If there’s a recall for my vehicle what do I do?

You can book in an appointment with the manufacturer franchised dealer of your choice – just tell them you need an appointment for a recall and provide them with your vehicle’s details at a time convenient for you.

Depending on the severity of the recall, your car could be back to you within five minutes or across the span of several hours, but your chosen garage should be able to advise you on an approximate timescale so you can plan accordingly.

At the most extreme end of the scale, the manufacturer might instruct you not to drive your car until the work has been completed, but this is rare. Porsche took this decision when two of its £100,000 911 GT3 models caught fire. After telling owners not to use their cars, it traced the problem and set about fitting every car it sold with a new engine. This is, however, a highly unlikely possibility for most motorists.

 

How much could a recall cost me?

As recalls are issues identified by a manufacturer any work should be carried out free of charge, no matter how much time has passed since the recall was initially issued.

 

What happens if I don’t fix the issue?

There is currently no legal mandate for owners to have recalls resolved, but the DVSA has been discussing the option of including vehicle recall checks as part of the mandatory annual MOT, with failures for vehicles that are subject to outstanding recalls that haven’t been addressed.

Owners are also responsible for the condition of their vehicle and can be subject to fines and the invalidation of their insurance if found to be driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition.

 

What can I do about general maintenance for my car?

If you want find a reputable, local, independent garage operating to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI)-approved Code of Conduct, you can use the Trust My Garage website’s Find a Garage map here.

Our members offer a range of services across the service and repair industry, ensuring you and your vehicle get the best possible service. For more information about Trust My Garage visit the Trust My Garage website – and  be sure to check out the Trust My Garage Facebook and Twitter pages too!

What to do when… a pothole damages your vehicle

Potholes are no joke when it comes to motoring in the UK, but if your vehicle is damaged due to an issue with the road surface what can you do? Trust My Garage has some handy tips for dealing with the ruin of the roads – check them out here!

If in doubt, get out

If you believe your vehicle has been damaged in any way, find a safe place to pull over and inspect the vehicle. You may want to take photos if there are any obvious areas of damage on the vehicle – and only if it is completely safe, take a photo of the pothole in question.

Vehicle problem? Solved!

If you feel there is a problem with your vehicle as a result of a pothole you can take it to your local Trust My Garage member for diagnosis, and if necessary, repair. To find your nearest member you can use our Find a Garage map, which lets you see every TMG-approved member in your area.

All Trust My Garage members operate to a Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) Code of Conduct, meaning you and your vehicle will get the best possible service from a business dedicated to the highest standards of skill and personal service. If you want to claim against any costs incurred, make sure to keep all invoices and receipts to send off copies when requested.

See it, say it

If there’s a pothole problem you’re concerned about, report it to the relevant authorities. Depending on where the road is changes which organisation you need to inform – here’s what you need to know:

Motorways or major A-roads

• England: Highways England – although if you hit a pothole in London, inform Transport For London (TFL)
• Wales: Trunk Road Agents
• Scotland: Transport Scotland

If the pothole is on a smaller road, it is the responsibility of the local council, so report it to them.

The .Gov website provides information on which organisation to use based on the location of the pothole in England, and you can contact your local council via their website or telephone number to report an issue.

Making a claim

If a pothole has damaged your vehicle you can make a claim to attempt to recoup the costs of any damage incurred. Most councils and highway agencies will send you a form when you report the pothole, so fill in as much detail as possible and return this along with copies of any receipts, invoices and photographs taken.

Some authorities may also ask for a copy of a valid MOT certificate for the vehicle, so be sure to have a copy of this included with your paperwork.

However: making a claim isn’t a guarantee of reimbursement. The Highways Act 1980 allows road authorities to decline claims provided they took reasonable steps to make sure the road is maintained, and potholes dealt with quickly. If your claim is thrown out you may have to utilise your insurance policy, but this could affect your no-claims bonus.

Another option is to try to prove that the body responsible for the road did not do a good enough job of road repairs. One way of doing this is to ask the road authority for details of repairs to the road that damaged your car, or do so through the Freedom of Information Act.

The latter can take 20 working days, but if you can prove that the road has been neglected it is hard for your claim to be turned down.

Keeping up with your maintenance

Whether you’ve suffered pothole damage or not it’s important to keep your vehicle in in tip-top shape. Whether you need a check-up, service, MOT or repair, you can visit your nearest Trust My Garage member and the CTSI-approved Code of Conduct our members operate to means that you’ll get the best possible service.

For more information you can visit www.TrustMyGarage.co.uk – and be sure to check out the Trust My Garage Facebook and Twitter pages too!