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Bankrate.com
Bring 'em back: Top 10 auto recalls
Wednesday March 9, 6:00 am ET
Jennie Phipps
Automakers set a record last year for recalls. Notices went out 598 times and 30.6 million vehicles came from owner driveways to dealership shops for critical repairs. This was 6 million more cars than were recalled in 2000, when the Ford Explorer-Firestone tire fiasco helped drive recalls to a previous high.
But automotive bring-backs are nothing new. Some of the worst problems and subsequent manufacturer-mandated repairs happened more than 30 years ago. Compared to some of these historic recalls, 2004's largest single recall -- 3.6 million GM vehicles with defective tailgate cables -- seems downright minuscule.
Here are the top 10 recalls to date. Because of the way cars are produced nowadays, a manufacturer recall means several different makes will be involved in each recall:
1. Faulty ignitions: Ford Motor Co. offered to replace 8.6 million faulty ignitions in 1996 after more than 875 consumers complained about the device causing a small fire. Vehicles affected include 1988-93 Escorts, Mustangs, Tempos, Topazes, Thunderbirds, Cougars, Crown Victorias, Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Cars, Aerostars, Broncos and F-series trucks.
2. Engine mounts: General Motors recalled 6.7 million cars and trucks in 1971 because of an engine mount that sometimes separated, allowing the engine to lift and push down on the throttle, causing the vehicle to take off like a rocket. Models affected were Belair, Brookwood, Camaro, Caprice, Chevrolet, Chevy II, G Series, Impala, Kingswood, Nova, P Series, C Series and Townsmen.
3. Suspension bolts: GM offered to replace the bolts on the suspension of 5.8 million cars in 1981. If the bolts wiggled loose at the wrong time, the driver would lose the ability to steer the car. Models affected were Buick Century and Regal, Chevrolet El Camino, Malibu, Monte Carlo, GMC Caballero, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Pontiac Grand Prix and Lemans.
4. Shoulder harnesses: The shoulder harnesses for seat belts on 1970 and 1971 Ford vehicles, including Rancheros, Lincolns, Mercurys and Fords (there was a model then called a Ford, a Ford Ford, so to speak), tended to fray and come loose from the metal that attached them to the frame. In 1972, Ford asked to replace them in 4.1 million cars and trucks.
5. Engine shields: In 1973, GM asked to install 3.7 million shields beneath the engines of many of its models to prevent stones from getting into the steering mechanism and disabling it. Affected models included Buick Centurion, Electra, Estate Wagon, LeSabre, and Riviera; Chevrolet Belair, Biscayne, Brookwood, Caprice, Impala, Kingswood, Kingswood Estate, Townsmen, Oldsmobile 88 and 98, and Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Ville and Catalina
6. Safety belt releases: The red release buttons that said "Push Here" on the safety belts of Hondas and Acuras cracked and disintegrated causing the belt to fail or trap passengers in their seats, an even more serious problem in the event of an accident. In 1995, American Honda Motor Co. recalled 3.7 million Civics, Preludes and Accords; also coming back were Acura Legends, Integras and NSX models.
7. Wiper arms: In 1972, Volkswagen of America offered to replace the windshield wiper arms on 3.7 million aging VW Bugs built between 1949 and 1969 because they worked loose and allowed the windshield wipers to go careening off into space.
8. Tailgate cables: In 2004, GM asked to replace tailgate cables on 3.6 million Silverados, Sierras, Escalades and Avalanches because they corroded and could break. So far 134 minor accidents have been reported, mostly because people were standing on the tailgate, something GM warns people not to do anyway.
9. Fuel-line connectors: In 1987, Ford recalled 3.6 million cars and trucks with faulty fuel line connectors that allowed fuel leaks and led to engine compartment fires. Affected models included virtually every model Ford made, including F15-350 trucks, all the Lincoln and Mercury models, Aerostar and Econoline vans, Broncos, Crown Vics, Escorts, Tauruses and Mustangs.
10. Axle assemblies: In 1984, GM recalled 3.1 million potentially defective axle assemblies that could cause the wheels to fall off. Only the parts manufactured at a plant in Buffalo, N.Y., were affected, but the company couldn't determine in retrospect which cars and trucks had axles that would fail, so all of them were recalled for inspection. Affected models included Buick Century and Regal; Chevrolet El Camino, Malibu, Monte Carlo and Caballero; Oldsmobile Cutlass; Pontiac Grand Prix and LeMans.
The reasons for so many recalls
Will a recall this year supplant one of these top 10? Possibly, thanks in part to a combination of auto-manufacturing methods, the industry's approach to recalls and increased government oversight.
A new federal law, the Tread Act, requires automotive companies to report more defect data to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Since December 2003, the law has compelled auto product makers to disclose warranty claims, consumer complaints, crash data and other information to the government. The companies are required to go back through records for the last nine years and do catch-up reporting.
"There was a huge dump of data. There's not going to be as much as we move forward," says Stephen E. Selander, senior attorney with Warner Norcross & Judd, a law firm in suburban Detroit, which represents major automotive companies. Selander is an expert on NHTSA and automotive product liability.
Cars today depend more on computers and electronics. "New functionality always presents new complexity, and complexity means more ways to fail," says Joe Ivers, executive director of quality at J.D. Power and Associates, which rates vehicles annually in areas such as initial quality and longer-term dependability.
Interchangeable parts are the norm. The demand for manufacturing efficiency has resulted in manufacturers using the same parts in as many of their product lines as possible. When a part proves faulty, it has to be recalled across the board.
More safeguards are in place. It pays off in consumer goodwill and reduction in potential legal liability when an automaker finds a problem and plans to resolve it before the government mandates it.
"We want to get that car off the road as soon as possible before catastrophic things happen resulting in negative publicity," says Selander.
Speed and vigilance also pay off in real dollars. Automakers won't reveal how much they spend on recalls, but it's believed to be in the billions. The Automotive Industry Action Group, a Michigan-based advocacy group for the auto industry, estimates that a major automotive company can save $25 million on a single recall by cutting 10 percent off the average 250 days that it takes to manage a major recall.
Bankrate.com
Bring 'em back: Top 10 auto recalls
Wednesday March 9, 6:00 am ET
Jennie Phipps
Automakers set a record last year for recalls. Notices went out 598 times and 30.6 million vehicles came from owner driveways to dealership shops for critical repairs. This was 6 million more cars than were recalled in 2000, when the Ford Explorer-Firestone tire fiasco helped drive recalls to a previous high.
But automotive bring-backs are nothing new. Some of the worst problems and subsequent manufacturer-mandated repairs happened more than 30 years ago. Compared to some of these historic recalls, 2004's largest single recall -- 3.6 million GM vehicles with defective tailgate cables -- seems downright minuscule.
Here are the top 10 recalls to date. Because of the way cars are produced nowadays, a manufacturer recall means several different makes will be involved in each recall:
1. Faulty ignitions: Ford Motor Co. offered to replace 8.6 million faulty ignitions in 1996 after more than 875 consumers complained about the device causing a small fire. Vehicles affected include 1988-93 Escorts, Mustangs, Tempos, Topazes, Thunderbirds, Cougars, Crown Victorias, Grand Marquis, Lincoln Town Cars, Aerostars, Broncos and F-series trucks.
2. Engine mounts: General Motors recalled 6.7 million cars and trucks in 1971 because of an engine mount that sometimes separated, allowing the engine to lift and push down on the throttle, causing the vehicle to take off like a rocket. Models affected were Belair, Brookwood, Camaro, Caprice, Chevrolet, Chevy II, G Series, Impala, Kingswood, Nova, P Series, C Series and Townsmen.
3. Suspension bolts: GM offered to replace the bolts on the suspension of 5.8 million cars in 1981. If the bolts wiggled loose at the wrong time, the driver would lose the ability to steer the car. Models affected were Buick Century and Regal, Chevrolet El Camino, Malibu, Monte Carlo, GMC Caballero, Oldsmobile Cutlass, Pontiac Grand Prix and Lemans.
4. Shoulder harnesses: The shoulder harnesses for seat belts on 1970 and 1971 Ford vehicles, including Rancheros, Lincolns, Mercurys and Fords (there was a model then called a Ford, a Ford Ford, so to speak), tended to fray and come loose from the metal that attached them to the frame. In 1972, Ford asked to replace them in 4.1 million cars and trucks.
5. Engine shields: In 1973, GM asked to install 3.7 million shields beneath the engines of many of its models to prevent stones from getting into the steering mechanism and disabling it. Affected models included Buick Centurion, Electra, Estate Wagon, LeSabre, and Riviera; Chevrolet Belair, Biscayne, Brookwood, Caprice, Impala, Kingswood, Kingswood Estate, Townsmen, Oldsmobile 88 and 98, and Pontiac Bonneville, Grand Ville and Catalina
6. Safety belt releases: The red release buttons that said "Push Here" on the safety belts of Hondas and Acuras cracked and disintegrated causing the belt to fail or trap passengers in their seats, an even more serious problem in the event of an accident. In 1995, American Honda Motor Co. recalled 3.7 million Civics, Preludes and Accords; also coming back were Acura Legends, Integras and NSX models.
7. Wiper arms: In 1972, Volkswagen of America offered to replace the windshield wiper arms on 3.7 million aging VW Bugs built between 1949 and 1969 because they worked loose and allowed the windshield wipers to go careening off into space.
8. Tailgate cables: In 2004, GM asked to replace tailgate cables on 3.6 million Silverados, Sierras, Escalades and Avalanches because they corroded and could break. So far 134 minor accidents have been reported, mostly because people were standing on the tailgate, something GM warns people not to do anyway.
9. Fuel-line connectors: In 1987, Ford recalled 3.6 million cars and trucks with faulty fuel line connectors that allowed fuel leaks and led to engine compartment fires. Affected models included virtually every model Ford made, including F15-350 trucks, all the Lincoln and Mercury models, Aerostar and Econoline vans, Broncos, Crown Vics, Escorts, Tauruses and Mustangs.
10. Axle assemblies: In 1984, GM recalled 3.1 million potentially defective axle assemblies that could cause the wheels to fall off. Only the parts manufactured at a plant in Buffalo, N.Y., were affected, but the company couldn't determine in retrospect which cars and trucks had axles that would fail, so all of them were recalled for inspection. Affected models included Buick Century and Regal; Chevrolet El Camino, Malibu, Monte Carlo and Caballero; Oldsmobile Cutlass; Pontiac Grand Prix and LeMans.
The reasons for so many recalls
Will a recall this year supplant one of these top 10? Possibly, thanks in part to a combination of auto-manufacturing methods, the industry's approach to recalls and increased government oversight.
A new federal law, the Tread Act, requires automotive companies to report more defect data to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Since December 2003, the law has compelled auto product makers to disclose warranty claims, consumer complaints, crash data and other information to the government. The companies are required to go back through records for the last nine years and do catch-up reporting.
"There was a huge dump of data. There's not going to be as much as we move forward," says Stephen E. Selander, senior attorney with Warner Norcross & Judd, a law firm in suburban Detroit, which represents major automotive companies. Selander is an expert on NHTSA and automotive product liability.
Cars today depend more on computers and electronics. "New functionality always presents new complexity, and complexity means more ways to fail," says Joe Ivers, executive director of quality at J.D. Power and Associates, which rates vehicles annually in areas such as initial quality and longer-term dependability.
Interchangeable parts are the norm. The demand for manufacturing efficiency has resulted in manufacturers using the same parts in as many of their product lines as possible. When a part proves faulty, it has to be recalled across the board.
More safeguards are in place. It pays off in consumer goodwill and reduction in potential legal liability when an automaker finds a problem and plans to resolve it before the government mandates it.
"We want to get that car off the road as soon as possible before catastrophic things happen resulting in negative publicity," says Selander.
Speed and vigilance also pay off in real dollars. Automakers won't reveal how much they spend on recalls, but it's believed to be in the billions. The Automotive Industry Action Group, a Michigan-based advocacy group for the auto industry, estimates that a major automotive company can save $25 million on a single recall by cutting 10 percent off the average 250 days that it takes to manage a major recall.