Recalls – How Long do They Last?

Have you ever wondered how long a recall lasts?  When the government or a manufacturer orders a vehicle recall, there are usually hundreds if not thousands of vehicles involved.  Sometimes, the numbers are in the millions.  Any way you look at it, recalls cost manufacturers a lot of money.  According to Federal Law, the statute of limitations for vehicle recalls is 10 years.  There are two conditions where the statute could expire earlier: the manufacturer goes out of business or the parts needed to make repairs are no longer manufactured.  There is one other thing that owners need to be aware of and that is that for a no-cost recall repair, the vehicle has to be less than 10 years old as of the date that the defect was determined.  On the other hand, other types of recalls such as appliance, lawn and garden equipment, furniture and toys remain permanently in effect from the date of issue.  There is NO expiration date for recalls of items other than vehicles.  If a recall is discovered months or years after the original recall date, the Consumer Product Safety Commission recommends contacting the manufacturer and discussing the situation with them.  If the problem cannot be resolved to each party’s satisfaction, then contact the CPSC and report the problem.  The CPSC can be reached by calling 1-800-638-2772.