How to Handle a Vehicle Recall?
2 Answers
To address a vehicle recall, contact the manufacturer or an authorized 4S dealership to clarify the reasons for the recall, potential malfunctions, and consequences. Below are relevant automotive laws from other countries: 1. Japan's "Product Liability Law": Warranty period is 3 years or 60,000 km for general components, and 5 years or 100,000 km for critical parts, with no requirement for consumers to prove defects. 2. South Korea: "Two instances of driving safety issues within one month or three or more occurrences within one year" qualify for free vehicle replacement or full refund. 3. Europe: During the two-year warranty period, consumers may request repairs or vehicle returns, with no permitted restrictions on designated repair centers. 4. United States: Vehicles affecting usability after three unsuccessful repairs or involving safety issues unresolved after one attempt are eligible for direct returns, with manufacturers responsible for eliminating quality risks.
Last time my car was recalled, after receiving the manufacturer's notification letter, I directly called the 4S store to schedule an appointment. Remember to bring your vehicle license and ID card. At the store, the technician will inspect the corresponding defective parts, like in my case it was a fuel pump issue. The entire replacement process was free, and they even washed my car and charged it. Manufacturer recalls are actually quite responsible, proactively solving problems is better than hiding them. If you find out that the same model car has a recall message but you haven't received a notification, just go to the National Market Supervision and Administration Defective Product Recall website and enter your VIN to confirm. Don't rush to leave after it's done, remember to have the store stamp the recall chapter in the maintenance manual, which will help maintain the car's value when selling it later.
