New vehicles could come with their own set of problems such as faulty infotainment systems and impaired turbocharged engines. Costs of doing replacements on a car are way high compared to buying one. You don’t want to be the one paying for that price.
Honda vehicle recall
Honda users worldwide were treated to a rare spectacle when its vehicles were recalled for fixing of airbag inflators. This followed a government directive that mandated the recall of all vehicles with the Takata airbags. The recall requires all Honda vehicle owners to seek replacement of their airbags to be offered freely at all Honda authorized dealerships worldwide.
Honda boasts of being ahead of the current recall phase since it began in May of 2016. Also referred to as “Alpha” airbags, the Takata airbags have a higher risk of exploding killing passengers. With 77% of its vehicles already repaired, it is safe to say that Honda users could be at a lesser risk of accidents arising from the defecting Takata bags.
Subaru vehicle recall
Faced with a threat to stall arising from a software problem, Subaru decided to recall its vehicles worldwide. Most of the Subaru models recalled were those manufactured from 2018. In its first recall, 229,000 vehicles affiliated to Legacy and Outback models were covered. Apparently, the software problem pointed to a faulty fuel-signal light.
If this light failed to illuminate in the event of a fuel shortage, many Subaru riders would have to contend with accidents and running short of fuel in the middle of nowhere. Other vehicles recalled include Subaru 2013 models such as the XV crosstrek, BRZ and the Toyota Scion FR-S. A recall was also done on Subaru Imprezas manufactured from 2012 to 2014. A fracture in the engine valve springs necessitated the need for repair that resulted in 411,000 vehicles being recalled.
How trustworthy are car manufacturers nowadays?
The numbers say it all. For 37 million vehicles to be recalled because of airbag inflation issues is not only alarming but terrific. Suffice to say more people and their families were using these vehicles that were presumed to be safe. The common maxim has always been to make things right in the first place than to be sorry later. Car manufacturers are now falling short of this maxim; losing their reliability, public confidence and tarnishing their vehicle brands.
How responsible are car manufacturers in handling their clients?
Car recalls have happened in the world before. Just not as big as the recent biggest car recall in the history of US that needed to replace 50 million faulty Takata airbags. Whether it was out of negligence or irresponsibility on the part of car manufacturers, that is hard to ascertain. However, Subaru reported no crashes or injuries in their vehicles. In their recalls, they have also been quick to notify owners of the need to fix their cars. If parts for replacement are missing they could notify users of a different date for replacement.
The Bottom Line
Car recalls by different car manufacturers happen from time to time the world over. In matters of reliability, not many car manufacturing companies score highly. However, Honda and Subaru have been good examples in taking responsibility to give their clients a better experience.
