Car makers to set up recall code for defective vehicles in India

  • Published June 26, 2012
  • Views : 8129
  • 2 min read

  • By Team Zigwheels
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New voluntary recall code to be mandatory from July 1, 2012
Maruti Suzuki A Star Automatic

India's leading automobile manufacturers have come together to voluntarily set up a 'recall code', which will become operational from as early as next week, a norm that is institutionalised in all developed markets.

'Lemon Cars' is a pejorative for cars that carry a manufacturing and safety defect. They are not an uncommon occurrence in the Indian automotive landscape. With the new 'recall code', companies will require improved manufacturing processes to meet higher safety standards and will also result in better quality products.

The implementation of the new customer complaints on new cars would lead to faster and surer claims based on such engineering defects.


Major Recalls in India

Company Model No of Units Year of Recall
Honda Siel City 72,115 September 2011
Honda Siel City 57,853 February 2011
Maruti Suzuki Swift & Ritz 13,157 April 2011
Maruti Suzuki Alto 6,000 June 2010
Maruti Suzuki A-Star 1 lakh February 2010
Maruti Suzuki DZire 13,157 April 2011
Skoda Auto
Fabia NA August 2008
Toyota Kirloskar Innova 20,000 January 2008


Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) members have decided to declare any defect or engineering flaw in vehicles on their own.

Tata Nano

India, unlike its counterparts in Europe, US and Japan, is yet to put a statutory mechanism in force, which can strictly enforce corrective action from automobile makers for manufacturing flaws. In India, automakers are under no obligation to recall any vehicles till date, unlike their western counterparts, which is mandated across all major markets where notified entities ask for recalls and also levy strict penalties on manufacturers for any known violations.


Only re-engineering cases but manufacturer refused to acknoledge as recalls

Company Model No of units Year of recall
Tata Motors Nano 1.40 lakh December 2011
Fiat India Linea*  - Jan 2011
Mahindra & Mahindra two wheelers Stalio  - October 2010
Toyota Kirloskar Etios sedan 41,000 December 2011
Bajaj Auto Pulsar 220  - Feb 2012

*Air conditioning kits

This new recall code initiative would be implemented from July 1, 2012 leading to a process whereby leading automakers like Maruti, Suzuki, Hyundai, TVS Motors, Tata Motors, Toyota, Volkswagen, Honda, Ashok Leyland, Eicher, Bajaj Auto, Hero MotoCorp and Mahindra & Mahindra would come forward to disclose any known defects or flaws in their vehicles to the public.
In developed markets, the norms are strictly implemented. For instance, on June 23, the American road authority, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, investigating two customer complaints, forced American carmaker General Motors to recall 4.13 lakh units of its Chevrolet Cruze sedans over concerns of a possible fire through liquids trapped in the engine compartment.

Maruti A Star Alternatives

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