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Most folks I have talked to over the past fifty years about powersports seem to not understand what the word "recall" means. Just like the way they misuse the term, "VIN", which is another, unique, specific-meaning thing. Of course the OEMs have not exactly gone out of their way to make the uniqueness of recalls clear.
Manufacturers do a lot of after-the-fact vehicle modifications. But only around ten percent are recalls. The others are field fixes that are different in one important respect: they are not safety related. All recalls are safety related. If it's a recall, it's because thd defect can kill you or result in serious injury. Paint, chrome, noises, carburetor glitches and fuel economy can't, so they're not recalls. The industry term for all factory fix programs is "service campaigns". There are four to five levels of service dampaigns, and only the highest level, reserved for safety issues, is a recall. And manufacturers treat them very seriously. There are both public and private entities that make sure they do. Here are just a few ways recalls are unique.
- Recalls never end. Honda has some from the 1970s that are still in effect. All the other types of service campaigns have timelines.
- Recalls are the only service campaigns that manufacturers are required to publish on paper. All the other types of campaigns went paperless decades ago.
- All service campaigns are published to a closed community, the dealer network. Except recalls, which get published a second time in letters to the customer.
- Recalls are always free to the customer. All the other types of campaigns have eligibility parameters.
So here's the range. At the bottom of the service campaign types is the Information notice. An example is mechanics' tips newsletters--Honda calls them "The Wrench" newsetter, Kawasaki calls theirs "K-Tech News". In many ways extensions of the factory manuals and heads up on new techniques, these are invaluable. Also included in this category are race bulletins, accessories bulletins, training news, parts bulletins, bulletins about media events, marketing, sales--these are all at the lowest, information level, a level that demands no action. Next up the scale is what Kawasaki calls the Factory Authorized Repair (FAR). The FAR asks for a response on the part of the dealer, but the response, while encouraged, is actually optional, not mandatory. And while there is sometimes warranty consideration, the eligibility guidelines and time window are pretty limited. Next in importance is Kawasaki's Factory Directed Modification, or FDM. The FDM is a little more serious, a little more important. It is always something done free to the customer, and the dealer is required to do it. But there is still a limited window of opportunity, time-wise. It's not open-ended. Then, finally, last, and highest up the service campaign heirarchy, is the Recall. Recalls are really unique. Just remember: death. They are virtually always conducted in collaboration with a government oversight agency such as the National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), U.S. Coast Guard, or Special Specialty Vehicle Institute (SVIA), who help the OEM set timelines for completion and other important parameters. Honda once recalled a scooter that because one 6mm screw tended to loosen up, the rear fender could come loose and pivot until it slid under the wheel, turning the scooter into an asphalt sled! Another Honda had handlebars that would break off. The dealer is legally and morally obligated to perform recall repairs to eligible vehicles he hasn't yet sold that are in his inventory, and can face serious consequences both from the manufacturer and from the government for failing to do so. He is also strongly encouraged to contact those customers to whom he has sold such vehicles and compel them to return for the recall service.
So the next time you hear the word "recall," know what it means. It is synonymous with personal safety. It is in fact the reason behind the NHTSA-originated Vehicle Identification (VIN) Number system. It is deadly serious, and not every adjustment or modification program a manufactuer embarks on is a "recall."
This is the service notice system the way the Big Four do it, specifically using Kawasaki's nomenclature. For insight into how thd Honda company uses the same breakdown but with different names, use this link.
VINS
Event data recorders
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