In addition, a number of consumer advocacy groups around the world have increased their efforts to both monitor patterns of automotive defects and put pressure on automakers and government regulatory agencies to take action when problems are uncovered. As a result, manufacturer-initiated recalls have risen considerably in recent years. Automakers have taken note of these cases and begun to do a better job of self-policing in order to avoid fines and bad publicity. If NHTSA gets that authority, expect it to be more aggressive in ordering recalls over the objections of carmakers, something that rarely happens now.īut even without increased regulatory authority for NHTSA, it appears that some positive change is taking place.Įver since the Justice Department fined Toyota $1.2 billion in 2014 for misleading the public about vehicles suspected of unintended acceleration, and the adverse effects of the Takata airbag inflator and GM ignition switch recalls, there's been a sea change in how the industry looks at defects. Currently, that process can take months of negotiations with the affected automaker. The agency has asked Congress to increase that to $300 million and give it additional enforcement power it now lacks, such as authority to order an immediate recall when it determines that public safety is at stake. The maximum fine now allowed is $35 million per incident, which is not a huge amount for major car companies. In addition to being understaffed, NHTSA has limited fining authority. That compares to around 50,000 people employed by the Federal Aviation Administration who monitor about 8 million aircraft takeoffs and landings per year. As a result, the agency has become even more vigilant than in the past, acting much more quickly when defects are reported.īut NHTSA has only about 600 employees who, among other duties, are expected help ensure the safety of more than 260 individual car models and more than 260 million registered vehicles in the U.S.
Congress and the media have been lambasting NHTSA for missing signs that could have resulted in a much earlier recall of, for instance, the GM vehicles with faulty ignition switches. One key ingredient is stepped-up government pressure on automakers to order recalls. And the growing availability of even more sophisticated features - such as automatic braking, adaptive cruise control and lane keeping assist - promises to make them even safer. In fact, with required equipment such as antilock brakes, electronic stability control and multiple airbags, vehicles are safer than ever. Safety specialists, automakers and regulators alike insist that although the number and volume of recalls have reached record levels, there is no indication that cars are less safe than in the past. Add to that stepped-up oversight of automakers by NHTSA and the Department of Justice, as well as media pressure and a greater degree of self-reporting than ever before, and it becomes easy to see why recalls have reached record highs.īut that doesn't mean car shoppers should put their buying plans on hold.
Delphi 2014 american car add on software#
The increasing use of common parts and suppliers across multiple model lines, and even by multiple automakers, has made it possible for a substantial number of vehicles to be affected when a faulty component or software problem forces a recall. Most of the vehicles come from the 2004-2010 model years.
The recall came when GM acknowledged the problem after not doing so for a decade or more. Crashes resulting from these defective switches, manufactured by Delphi Automotive, have caused 124 deaths. Repairs, penalties and litigation continue.Īnother well-known example is the recall of 30 million GM cars and trucks with faulty ignition switches that can turn off the engine while the car is being driven, causing sudden power loss and preventing airbags from functioning in a collision.
In the wake of the scandal, Takata filed for bankruptcy and pleaded guilty to a felony charge. containing between 65 million and 70 million airbags.
NHTSA estimates that the Takata recall affected 42 million 2002-2015 model-year vehicles in the U.S. The inflators, which include a metal cartridge that can shatter unexpectedly with explosive force, have been tied to at least 16 deaths worldwide. One example is the largest safety recall in automotive history: the highly publicized recall of millions of defective airbag inflators produced by the Takata Corp. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges owners to check their vehicle identification number at NHTSA's recalls page a couple times a year, just as they check the batteries in their home smoke detectors. The problem with cars on the road with unresolved recalls is acute, however. Most of the vehicles recalled have been older models with newly discovered problems, not brand-new cars. That depends on the model of car you drive and its year of manufacture.
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