By Jim Grey

Once rare, recalls have become a fact of life for the automotive industry with an average of 25 official recalls issued monthly - some by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to correct safety risks, others by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to address exhaust emission problems.

And there are other notices by automotive manufacturers that do not reach the level of an official recall but are alerts that your new vehicle needs repair.

The national tragedy is that fewer than one-third of those receiving official recalls for critical safety issues take advantage of the notice, and the number for the voluntarily issued notices to owners is even less utilized by vehicle owners.

The Official Recall
Recalls began in 1966, and regulations were toughened in 2000 due to injuries in rollover accidents in Ford Explorer SUVs with Firestone tires. Manufacturers now submit quarterly reports on recall-related repairs. As a result, most recalls today are self-initiated by the manufacturers, instead of by NHTSA.

Once announced, the automaker alerts owners about needed repairs by mail and makes updated parts and repair procedures available to dealers. Owners then schedule appointments with dealerships that provide the needed repairs at no cost.

The wording could be Owner Notification Policy, Owner Satisfaction Policy or Special Policy. Read them all.

Recalls are for cars no older than eight years and for tires purchased within three years of the defect determination.

Recalls may not apply to your vehicle but only to those produced by a specific factory or where it is operated.

Service Campaigns
If vehicle manufacturers identify a persistent but less serious defect, they may launch a service campaign to voluntarily cover repairs and avoid an official recall. As with recalls, owners who have already paid for such repairs may be reimbursed. Service campaigns also have time limits. If the covered repairs are not done within the specified campaign period, future repairs are at the owner’s expense. Service campaigns are listed on NHTSA’s Web site (www.nhtsa.gov).

TSBs
In additional to formal recalls and service campaigns, automakers regularly issue Technical Service Bulletins (TBSs). These “tech-to-tech” notifications provide information on fixing problems that are not necessarily safety- or emission-related. Sometimes the problem is minor and the fix involves nothing more than reprogramming an on-board computer. In other cases, a TSB may deal with a major part that has been found to frequently fail sooner than what would be reasonably expected.

Goodwill Warranties
Sometimes, a “goodwill warranty” is authorized, covering the cost of a part and/or repair after the new-car warranty has expired.

Issued at the sole discretion of the automaker and its dealers, owners are not automatically entitled to these repairs and they are not publicized.

Getting The Word Out
Consumer organizations, like AAA, oppose service campaigns and “goodwill warranties” because of the poor notification procedures. Since only one in three takes advantage of a recall, anything else is often taken less seriously by consumers.

While no perfect solution for communicating recalls and other repair programs currently exists, AAA does offer help with a free online program called AutoManager.

AutoManager is found under the Automotive heading on aaa.com. Once you register your vehicle(s), you will have access to relevant safety information, including NHTSA recalls.

AutoManager registrants can also opt for e-mail reminders of maintenance needs, car payments and insurance payments. It can also help you locate the nearest AAA Car Care Center or AAA Approved Auto Repair garage.