I didn’t know recall was a thing until I purchased my 2014 Kia Soul from a used car dealership. I invited my intrepid niece along to celebrate, but she was there mainly for support. She’s my backup if anything swerves off-road during a business transaction. We’re both familiar with my aversion to fine print and my desire to get business over with.
My heart was set on this car, my cheque on the desk. Still, she probed the salesperson – innocently, yet with bite. “Were there any outstanding recalls?” The question didn’t occur to me, having never owned a car young enough to be recalled.
There was an awkward moment. “A few,” admitted the salesperson. Luckily, the fixes were minor.
I bought the vehicle and surrendered it to the dealership, where they fixed a pinion plug, a driveshaft-hub nut, a rubber-pad attachment under the floor carpet and a seat-belt cover. All good, all free – the inconvenience forgiven.
One friend, who owns a 2007 Toyota Yaris, said she just ignored her recall notice. Don’t most people? Hers had something to do with the driver’s-side power-window master switch.
Initial improper greasing of said switch could lead, in a worst-case scenario, to overheating and fire damage. My friend’s fear was of taking the car to the dealership, which could open a Pandora’s box of expensive repairs. She’s not alone. According to Transport Canada, 25 per cent of consumers ignore recalls for similar reasons.
Recently, I got another notice. This letter urged (in florid techno-prose) that I upgrade the catalytic overheating protection in the engine-control unit in order to prevent damage, which could cause catalytic-converter damage, potential abnormal engine combustion and piston damage.
Truth is, I had been wondering why the amber-coloured lamp icon on my dashboard had been flashing intermittently. I’d glanced in the manual and couldn’t find the symbol to match. Turns out, it was the engine-malfunction light, but the problem disappeared the moment I felt the urge to have it checked.
Grudgingly, I made a recall appointment for the following week. The anticipated ruination of my day didn’t happen. Dax, from the service desk, said it would only take an hour.
Faith in humanity restored.
Coffee, free TV tuned to CP24 and copies of a rival newspaper were available. Three customers were waiting. No one was talking; one person was doing a crossword, and I soon felt at home. I picked up the paper and was captivated by an article about jellyfish and their anuses, which are retractable – a fact I would otherwise never have known.
After a few minutes, I asked if anyone else was in for recalls. One woman said no, but that she had been previously and told me not to be alarmed, that consumers should be grateful for the upgrades. She said it happens more frequently with new technologies and strict Transport Canada regulations.
Half an hour later, I saw my Kia being driven toward a building called New Hope Temple at the end of the parking lot. “My Soul’s about to get converted,” l joked. The woman laughed. “That’s where they park the fixed cars.”
Earlier, I had asked Dax about a dinted hubcap. “No concerns there,” he said. He noted my tires were too full and had them deflated to 35 pounds per square inch (psi) instead of 40 psi. Paperwork done, he kindly delivered my Kia to the service entrance, as it was pouring buckets.
I’ve read horror stories about the holiday couple whose Hyundai Tucson engine caught on fire, and the class-action lawsuit brought against the Ford Focus and the Ford Fiesta, their owners rightly winning compensation from the automaker for problematic dual-transmission issues that led to cars lurching forward when they shouldn’t. Never a good idea. Happily, these are not everyday occurrences.
Design and manufacturing defects will happen in the fast-moving digital age. That’s why I applaud recalls. Hypervigilance equals better safety.
I told my delinquent friend – the one who ignored her recall – about my positive experience. She had seen to one upgrade, she said, but not to the auto body, exactly. Her hip replacement went well. That repair also took about an hour, and she was told she’d be back on the road again soon.
Maybe it’s not too late to get that window switch fixed?
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