Regional Recalls

Consumer Groups Challenge the Use of Regional Safety Recalls

By CHERYL JENSEN

If two consumer groups prevail in their suit against the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, motorists could feel more confident that safety defects possibly affecting their vehicles are not falling into a geographical black hole.

Regional Recalls by Manufacturer

AMERICAN HONDA MOTOR CO., INC.

NHTSA Recall No. 05V-385/Acura Recall No. P92
Vehicles:  2001-02 Acura MDX manufactured from August 2000 through December 2001.
Population: 22,861 sport utility vehicles sold or currently registered in Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin and District of Columbia.

Consumers Sue Over Limited Car Recalls

 

By Christopher Jensen, Plain Dealer Auto Editor

Thursday, March 11, 2004

Two consumer groups sued the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Wednesday, claiming the public is endangered while automakers save money because the federal agency allows \"regional\" recalls of defective vehicles. In a regional recall an automaker is allowed to limit repairs to the region in which a problem is most likely to occur instead of repairing all vehicles nationwide.

Consumer Groups Sue Over Car Recall Limits

By DANNY HAKIM

March 11, 2004

Two consumer groups sued the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Wednesday over the practice of allowing automakers to limit car recalls to specific states.

Geographic Recalls in the News

 

Some automakers think regional recalls sufficient; consumer advocates disagree

06/19/02

Christopher Jensen
Plain Dealer Auto Editor

Consumer groups are demanding that the government prohibit regional automotive safety recalls, a practice they say puts motorists’ lives at risk while saving automakers money.

In a regional recall, the automaker limits the repairs to cars in states where the problem is most likely to occur, rather than carrying out the safety program nationwide.

Letter to Dr. Runge: The Temporal Recall Problem

 

June 21, 2002


Dr. Jeffrey Runge, Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
400 7th Street SW
Washington DC 20590

Dear Dr. Runge:

NHTSA Reverses Redaction Policy

 

Why recall information disappeared from files
By Christopher Jensen
Plain Dealer Auto Editor

Sunday, June 30, 2002
Edition: Final, Section: Driving, Page F1

Is it a mistake or a conspiracy?

If you ask Clarence Ditlow, the National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration is trying to prevent scrutiny of regional-recall problems by
no longer disclosing the city and the state of consumers who complain.

Letter to Administrator Runge on Redaction

 

June 6, 2002


Dr. Jeffrey Runge, Administrator
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
400 7th Street SW
Washington DC 20590

Dear Dr. Runge:

Letter to Attorney General of California Bill Lockyer

 

May 15, 2002


Honorable Bill Lockyer
Attorney General of California
1515 K Street
Sacramento, CA 95814

Dear Attorney General Lockyer: