All about Manufacturer Recalls

What is a manufacturer recall?

This is when a vehicle manufacturer determines that a particular model has a safety-related defect or does not comply with safety regulations. When this happens, the manufacturer will notify the vehicle's registered owner about the recall via letter, email or phone call and request that you contact your local franchise dealership to have the issue rectified.

You should be provided with a description of the defect, potential risk, warning signs and how the manufacturer plans to fix the issue.

What to do if you have not been notified about a recall

When a recall is issued, the vehicle’s manufacturer will do their best to contact all affected owners. If however you don’t receive a letter, email or phone call, you can contact your local franchise dealership and ask them to check if your vehicle is on a list of recalls, which will show up when they enter in your vehicle registration number in their system. Whether you received notification or not, the manufacturer is obligated to repair any recall-related defects.

Is there a financial cost to the vehicle’s owner when having a recall-related defect rectified?

No, any recall-related defects should be done free of charge by your local franchise dealership. It is recommended that you call to pre arrange for a date and time to drop your vehicle in to your local franchise dealership. If the recall-related defect will take more than one day, you will be entitled to a rental vehicle at no additional charge.

If your local franchise dealer tries to charge you for the recall-related fixes, ask to speak to a manager and explain the situation. If you still run into issues, contact the vehicle manufacturer directly.

Is it safe to drive a vehicle with a recall-related defect?

If your vehicle’s recall-related defect involves acceleration, braking, steering, suspension or fuel system, then there may be a cause for concern while driving the vehicle until the recall-related defect has been rectified. Normally however, the manufacturer will notify you to stop driving the vehicle if there is an immediate safety risk.

If there is a delay in getting your vehicle booked into your local franchise dealership, then ask the dealer if your vehicle is safe to drive with the recall-related defect and by doing this, could this lead to further mechanical issues with your vehicle.

The Most Common Types Of recall-related defects include:

Wiring that can potentially lead to fire

Fuel Leaks that can potentially lead to fire

Accelerator issues that can potentially break or freeze suddenly

Steering parts that break, causing a loss of control

Air bags that deploy late or for no reason

Where can I get more info on safety recalls?

If you contact your local franchise dealership or manufacturer and give them your vehicle registration number, they should be able to inform you if your vehicle has any recall-related defects. A MyVehicle.ie history check also highlights vehicle makes,models and versions that are listed as being recalled by the manufacturer.

List of vehicle manufacturer Irish contact numbers:

Alfa Romeo Ireland 1800 253 200
Audi Ireland 1850 812760
BMW Ireland 1890 719421
Chevrolet Ireland 01 4139200
Citroen Ireland 01 8108800
Chrysler Ireland 01 4034100
Dacia Ireland 1890 771771
Fiat Ireland 01 4034433
Ford Ireland 1890 812813
Honda Ireland 01 6423100
Hyundai Ireland 01 4609800
Isuzu Ireland 01 4602282
Jaguar Ireland 01 4893790
Jeep Ireland 01 4034400
Kia Ireland 01 4601288
Land Rover Ireland 01 4893795
Lexus Ireland 01 4190375
Mazda Ireland 01 2334700
Mercedes-Benz Ireland 01 4094444
Mini Ireland 1890 719423
Mitsubishi Ireland 1890 415161
Nissan Ireland 1850 302302
Opel Ireland 01 2161000
Peugeot Ireland 01 4092400
Renault Ireland 01 6055500
Seat Ireland 1850 812763
Skoda Ireland 01 8989700
Ssangyong Ireland 01 4501900
Subaru Ireland 01 4033969
Suzuki Ireland 01 4145555
Toyota Ireland 01 4190200
Volkswagen Ireland 01 8989700
Volvo Ireland 01 4631220

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Author

Justin Kavanagh
Justin Kavanagh is a recognised leader in automotive intelligence and vehicle data supply to the entire motor industry. He has almost 20 years experience in building systems from the ground up. As the Managing Director of Vehicle Management System, he understands the need and importance of trustworthy and reliable vehicle history and advice to both the trade and the public.
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