What do you remember about car safety?

If you receive a revocation notice in the mail, do not ignore it.

"Oh no, I bought dud." This is a perfectly natural reaction that you might have if you receive a letter in the mail saying that your vehicle has been recalled due to the alarming possibility that it could catch fire or worse.

When you've saved a lot, researched endlessly, and finally experienced the joy of buying a new car, hearing that your cherished car is out of order can be a painful blow.

But is it really that bad? With so many vehicles being recalled—from faulty airbags that can spray shrapnel to writhing seats—is it any wonder if this happens to you?

Essentially, there are two views on this. On the one hand, you can commend the company that made your car for its extreme honesty and extreme care, because in most cases, although the manufacturer may have to go through the embarrassment and huge costs associated with recalling each individual model of a particular model, the malfunction in question may only affect a small number of vehicles.

Sorry, I just remembered that the meat was rotten in there - and one of my kitchen hands spat at it.

But on the other hand, if the brand you bought from seems to be recalling their cars endlessly, far more than other manufacturers, then you have to wonder if they know what the words "quality control" mean.

Finding a design defect in your car after you've already put it up for sale is, after all, a bit like being in a restaurant when the chef runs out of the kitchen and brushes your food off the table saying, "Sorry I just remembered that the meat was rotten there - and one of my kitchen hands spat into it.

Holden recently recalled about 26,000 of its vehicles in Colorado, i.e. issued a notice instructing dealers to stop selling them, and then wrote a letter to all owners asking them to bring their cars in for repairs at no cost to them because five people survived what he euphemistically called "thermal incidents".

The design of the generator cable meant that it could come into contact with the steel bracket, which could cause the cable to fray the insulation, melt, and possibly catch fire.

The Security Bulletin once again made Holden the most remembered brand this year. In 2014, Holden issued a record 14 recall notices, a number that only Jeep can match.

Some reviews may be related to something as minor as a dodgy windshield wiper.

The Colorado recall was Holden's fifth this year, while Jeep and Nissan each have four, Suzuki, Mazda, Hyundai and Honda each have three, and Toyota has two.

So while testimonials aren't uncommon, you can consider how many products some brands have as a marker that they're cooking up the right design.

It's not just you

A truly staggering number of recalls were recorded in Australia last year, with over 800,000 vehicles returned to dealers for some kind of factory-funded repair - at an incalculably high total cost - so you really shouldn't feel offended if that happens. happens to you.

With recalls reaching such high levels, is this a sign that automakers are getting more careless or cutting corners? Not really. In part, they are more cautious than ever and more honest because they are afraid of legal charges. So some of the reviews might be related to something as minor as a dodgy windshield wiper.

Another issue is that as car brands have become larger and more global (for example, in the case of the huge size of the Volkswagen Group), they have sought to reduce costs by outsourcing more parts and benefiting from economies of scale.

So when one company is the sole supplier of parts for millions of vehicles, like the Japanese company Takata, which makes airbags for most of the leading brands, one mistake can have huge consequences.

The global recall related to Takata airbags, which have the potential to explode and spray shrapnel on passengers, has affected more than 50 million vehicles from nine different brands around the world.

Unfortunately, blame has been linked to at least five deaths in America, which is an example of why all recalls should be taken seriously.

What should you do?

Basically, don't ignore it and don't put it off. Most recalls are security related, and since it won't cost you anything other than time and inconvenience, you shouldn't have to wait for them to be fixed. So when you receive an email, follow the instructions and make an appointment with your local dealer as soon as possible.

It's not something you should be waiting to fix.

Even if you have a mechanic who usually services you, you will need to go back to the dealer because the car company will only pay its people to do the work according to their strict terms. But remember that the cost of the recall is entirely the responsibility of the company, not you, so you won't have to pay for parts or labor.

If you don't get the job done, you risk not only your safety and the safety of your passengers, but also the future resale value of your car.

Where can I find out more?

View all Carsguide.com.au review history here.

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission maintains an official list of product safety recalls on its website for all types of products, including cars.

It's an interesting place to click on each brand and see how many reviews they've had, and what kind, and might be worth taking a look at before choosing a new car.