What is a vehicle recall and what happens if you ignore one?
Car companies pour millions of dollars and their brightest engineering minds into creating the most reliable cars possible – but still, things can go wrong.
The 2020-2023 Mini Cooper SE could burst into flames when driving or parked because the high-voltage battery management software had insufficient protections for short circuit events.
The bonnet of a 2020-2024 Tesla Model Y or Model 3 could unlatch during driving and spectacularly fold backwards over the windscreen, resulting “in obstruction of the driver’s view”.
And by the start of 2018, one in four Australian vehicles – more than three million – was driving around with airbags far more of a safety hazard in an accident than a safety feature.
The good news, however, is that robust systems and mechanisms exist to catch and address problems like these well before they become actual issues – introducing the vehicle recall.
In this article, we’ll explain vehicle recalls, why they happen, how to know if your car is subject to one – and what happens if you ignore it.
What is a vehicle recall?
A vehicle recall is when a problem is found with a car after it has already been released for public sale. That means the manufacturer needs to contact owners and ask them to bring the car back for repairs.
Vehicle recalls in Australia are common. In 2024, 290 new vehicle recall notices were issued, affecting 1,025,426 vehicles. Cars, motorcycles, caravans, motorhomes, trailers, trucks and buses can all be recalled by their manufacturers.
There are two types of car recall in Australia – a voluntary recall issued by a manufacturer, and a compulsory recall issued by the government. In 2018, the government announced the biggest compulsory vehicle recall in Australian history, to remove unsafe Takata airbags (mentioned earlier). The largest vehicle recall in history, an estimated 100 million vehicles globally were affected.
Recall repairs are normally free and depending on the severity of repairs, typically shouldn’t take more than a day to complete. Some recalls don't even require taking the vehicle to the service centre - if it is a software-based fault that can be rectified by an over-the-air update (OTA, a feature present in some modern vehicles), the recall should be rolled out automatically when the vehicle is connected to Wifi. All the owner needs to do is accept the update through the car's infotainment system.
Why do vehicle recalls happen?
Recalls happen when an issue is discovered on a vehicle, and a fix is required. It’s often a car safety recall, or there’s a part of the car that doesn’t comply with a federal safety standard.
Cars can be recalled for all manner of things from loss of power while driving to fuel leaks, fuel pump failure, seatbelt issues – you name it, there’s probably been a recall for it by some manufacturer, for some model at some point.
In 2021, Fiat had to recall 32 individual units of the Abarth 695 because the compliance plate said it could seat five, when it was only allowed to seat four in Australia.
How do I know if my car has been recalled?
A car manufacturer will directly contact the last known owner of a vehicle needing recall repairs. If you buy a second-hand car, you should consider contacting the manufacturer to update the owner details of the vehicle for this reason.
You can also check if a car has an outstanding recall by searching the Australian Government’s Vehicle Recalls website. You will need your car’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) which can be found on your rego papers.
The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries offers a website where you can specifically check if your vehicle is subject to the Takata airbag recall. Most of the affected vehicles have now been accounted for, but some may still be in circulation.
What happens if you ignore a vehicle recall?
A recall notice from a manufacturer will contain the information you need to book the car in for repairs at a nearby dealer or authorised service centre. This is your responsibility.
If you ignore a recall, it means you are basically driving around in a car that’s known to be unsafe or defective in some way.
Voluntary recalls are self-explanatory but compulsory government recalls cannot be ignored. For example, the NSW Government will suspend your registration if you don’t repair a known faulty Takata airbag.
Ignoring a recall doesn’t automatically void or cancel your insurance but that doesn’t mean it couldn’t create problems. As a rule of thumb, it’s best to always act promptly on any vehicle recall notices you receive.
