Auto recalls are rising in the United States and around the globe.
Over the last 20 years, recall rates have tripled. In 1996, 19.4 million cars were recalled. In 2016, 53.1 million were impacted. This isn’t unexpected, experts say. After all, tech is now more used in cars than ever.
One of BMW’s most memorable recalls impacted over 670,000 vehicles last year. Now, there’s a second campaign impacting 294,000 units. All impacted cars suffer from the same issue associated with the previous recall.
Experts say that 20 percent of all cars being serviced in the U.S. had to be recalled once again in the last three years. But while many of the recalls we know about are mainly related to the major Takata air bag recall, others are tied to ignition switches in GM cars.
Many of the other recall campaigns, however, are tied to a series of other tech-related issues. And many of them are tied to safety tech. With experts saying that automakers have cut between a third and a half of their quality management employees after the financial crisis, they estimate that the number of safety recalls is going to continue to rise.
What we wonder is that if that means that the quality of newer vehicles has also dropped as a result.
More Recalls, More Accident Risks
Minor issues are found in many of the open recalls. These recalls are not serious and the problems are often easy to fix. But many others are tied to potentially deadly problems.
Unfortunately, many vehicles are never fixed, putting lives in danger.
Responsible drivers should take this matter seriously. Risks of this magnitude are not worth taking. If your car is affected by a recall, act accordingly. If the issues are serious, do not hesitate to fix your car immediately.
As far as automakers go, we urge car companies to invest in quality. Recalls cost a great deal. Allowing issues to continue popping up is not only unsafe, it’s also bad for business. Especially if accidents occur and victims file lawsuits.
