Is your vehicle recalled? Know how to check it if missed notification

Vehicle recalls are quite common these days. Even in India, manufacturers frequently recall their vehicles to fix manufacturing defects.

However, in this fast paced life, it is quite natural to miss a notification from your car manufacturer which might have recalled your car.

A lot of manufacturers make sure you get the message right on your mobile phone. But if you have missed it, don’t fret. There is a way you can check whether your vehicle has been recalled.

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A database that aggregates data on voluntarily conducted manufacturer recalls in India was released by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM). The database was developed at the direction of the ministry of heavy industries, Government of India.

The new database, which is housed on SIAM's website, displays data on manufacturer-initiated voluntary vehicle recalls going back to 2012 and contains information on the manufacturer, model, and manufacturing date of the recalled cars as well as a brief summary of each problem.

So, you not only know whether your car or bike is recalled, you can also know a brief account of the defect the manufacturer wants to fix, making your life a bit easier.

Looking at the past of automotive recalls in India, there was no legal provision to cover it in the country till 2019. Recalls were voluntarily initiated by automakers as per a set of guidelines issued by the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM).

However, changes were made to the Motor Vehicles Act as well as a new Consumer Protection Act was put in place that brought automotive recalls under the legal purview. Under these new laws, the central government can order an automaker to recall a vehicle if there is evidence that the defect may cause harm to the environment, occupants or road users.

Recently, Maruti Suzuki India Limited (MSIL) issued a recall for 9,925 Wagon R, Celerio, and Ignis vehicles to address a potential problem with the rear brake assembly pin on vehicles produced between August 3 and September 1, 2022.