Record Number of Motorists Ignoring Record Number of Recalls

We suppose this is akin to hiding something in plain sight, but recent data shows that the largest and highest-profile safety related auto recalls are also the ones that most often go ignored by consumers. This is fast becoming a widespread and potentially dangerous problem. According to data compiled by the market research firm J.D. Power and Associates, more than 45 million vehicles that were the subject of safety recalls issued between 2013 and 2015 have yet to be brought in for covered repairs. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says that more than 51 million vehicles were recalled last year for safety-related defects. That’s not only more recalls than in any previous year, it far outstrips the 17.5 million light-duty cars and trucks that were sold over the same 12-month period. Some observers wonder if the overwhelming number of recalls over the past few years is having a numbing effect on consumers. “The steady surge in recalls, combined with NHTSA’s stated goal of 100 percent recall completion rates, have made the number of un-remedied recalls still on the road a critical statistic for automakers and dealers,” says Renee Stephens, vice president of U.S. automotive at J.D. Power. “By understanding the behavioral trends of vehicle owners, as well as recall completion rates among different vehicle and recall types, as an industry we can better tailor communications to improve those completion rates.” To that end, J.D. Power examined data from NHTSA and its own Safety IQ service and found that recall fulfillment rates can differ greatly based on a vehicle’s age, the style of vehicle, and the type and sheer scope of a given safety-related recall. As mentioned earlier, higher-volume recall campaigns are the most likely to go unheeded. JDP found the completion rates for recalls affecting more than 1 million vehicles is 49 percent, compared to 67 percent for recalls involving fewer than 10,000 units. Bigger recalls present greater challenges to notify owners that their vehicles are being recalled as well as ensuring that dealer service departments have the parts in hand to fix the affected cars and trucks. JDP also found that older models are less likely to have their recalls remedied. Vehicles from model years 2013 to 2017 are 29 percent more likely to be taken in for recall work than are cars manufactured between 2003 and 2007. Newer models boast a 73 percent completion rate, while their older counterparts are only brought in for recall fixes just 44 percent of the time. Large work vans and compact premium SUVs are the most likely to have their recalls remedied, at 86 percent and 85 percent, respectively. At the other end of the spectrum, mid-premium sports cars and large SUVs have the lowest completion rates at 31 percent and 33 percent. The types of recalls most likely to be completed involve repairs to a vehicle’s powertrain (at 71 percent), followed by the brakes (66 percent) and electrical system (62 percent), all critical components. Most often ignored are issues with a vehicle’s suspension, with only 48 percent fixed and airbags at 47 percent resolved. When recalls are issued, manufacturers are required to contact every owner of record for that particular model by mail. However, this usually excludes second or third owners, which helps explain why older models have higher percentages of uncorrected recalls. To that end, NHTSA maintains a free online database at www.safercar.org/vinlookup. Consumers can use the database to determine if cars they own or those they’re considering buying in the resale market are at risk because of uncorrected safety-related recalls.