The Ugly Truth About Rental Car Recalls

Edward Niedermeyer
by Edward Niedermeyer

Back in November, NHTSA announced that it was investigating how long it took for rental cars to be repaired under recall, saying

NHTSA understands that there is presently a petition before the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) seeking to prohibit at least one rental car company from renting vehicles on which safety recall campaign remedies remain outstanding.

Because only vehicles made by the Detroit Three are under investigation, they are the only firms who have been asked to disclose how long it takes rental fleets to repair their vehicles. And, according to the Detroit News

GM and Chrysler told NHTSA this week that 30 days after a recall — 10 to 30 percent of vehicles sold to rental car companies had been repaired.

By 90 days, it had improved to about 30 percent and within a year, the number had improved to 50 percent or higher.

Ford did not make its data public, citing the fact that the release of the information could damage it is relationship with rental car companies and result in “decreased sales of motor vehicles to rental car fleets.”

Rental car companies are not legally required to complete recalls before they rent the cars to customers.

Zoinks!

It turns out that the FTC petition was filed by the Ralph Nader-founded Center for Automotive Safety, which sought to force Enterprise Rent-A-Car to repair its recalled vehicles before renting them out. The petition stems from an incident in which two women died in an unrecalled PT Cruiser that caught fire. But, argue rental car firm advocates, targeting rental fleet recall compliance just isn’t fair.

Bob Barton, president of the American Car Rental Association noted, that hundreds of recalls and service bulletins affecting millions of vehicles in North America are issued annually.

“In most cases, members place a ‘hold’ on recalled vehicles so they are not rented until the recall work is completed,” he said.

Because rental cars move around so much it can take weeks or months for the company to find out a model has been recalled, thus taking much longer for repairs to be done, advocates said.

Rental car companies generally have better repair rates than consumers, who often fail to get recalled vehicles fixed.

But then, consumers who experience defects because they do not service their recalled vehicles have only themselves to blame. Consumers who rent vehicles, on the other hand. should probably be able to expect them to be free of dangerous defects. If nothing else, complying quickly with recall repairs would help rental fleet owners avoid legal liability. Still, current laws only prevent rental fleets from selling unrepaired recaled vehicles… there are no current laws requiring fleet owners or private consumers from repairing recalled vehicles. NHTSA’s investigation into the matter is ongoing.


Edward Niedermeyer
Edward Niedermeyer

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  • Joeveto3 Joeveto3 on Feb 27, 2011

    I'm pissed. I just went out to the garage and checked my V-Strom. Looks like someone stole the side airbags (well, all of the airbags) and the traction control too. Looks like I'm screwed.

    • See 3 previous
    • Joeveto3 Joeveto3 on Feb 28, 2011

      @Horner Take those stats and remove all the imbeciles who ride without helmets, the rookies and the rest who jump on 100hp plus bikes with no license, no insurance, and no formal training, and the nitwits who think it's ok to ride after a few beers, and you'll see dramatically different numbers. I've been riding for over 20 years. I go long distance, I commute, and I even ride in freezing weather. And through it all, whether we're discussing cars or motorcycles or something else inherently dangerous, shit, riding a bicycle or walking down the stairs, I never relied on a safety nanny to keep my ASS out of the ringer, but instead relied on training, practice, and respect for whatever activity it is in which I'm partaking. Heck, I even do this with rental cars I use (very frequently). So in the event that I'm provided with a rental car that ...ghast...doesn't have yaw control, I can tailor my driving style accordingly, and perhaps not attack that cloverleaf at 9/10ths in light snow. Maybe I'm getting old, but the whole personal liability/responsibility/good citizen thing just makes sense. Now excuse me while I go enjoy my V-strom.

  • JustPassinThru JustPassinThru on Feb 28, 2011
    John Horner: ‘“JustPassinThru” – By your definition, a corporation would be obliged to ignore any moral codes and break as many laws as it thinks it can get away with if that is the perceived path to maximum profits…’ That sounds like the definition of a politician as well. Just substitute profits for contributions or power. Completely different. A government (controlled by politicians) can and does use FORCE, or the threat of force. You are free to not patronize any corporation you choose not to. Nobody ever put a gun into my ribs and ordered me into a Microsoft store. Nobody ever forced me to rent from Enterprise. If you think that what a business is doing is unsafe or immoral, you can vote with your wallet. What's being done to us from Washington, we have very little say on. ... I wasn't polled about ethanol. Were you?
  • Dartdude The bottom line is that in the new America coming the elites don't want you and me to own cars. They are going to make building cars so expensive that the will only be for the very rich and connected. You will eat bugs and ride the bus and live in a 500sq-ft. apartment and like it. HUD wants to quit giving federal for any development for single family homes and don't be surprised that FHA aren't going to give loans for single family homes in the very near future.
  • Ravenuer The rear view of the Eldo coupe makes it look fat!
  • FreedMike This is before Cadillac styling went full scale nutty...and not particularly attractive, in my opinion.
  • JTiberius1701 Middle of April here in NE Ohio. And that can still be shaky. Also on my Fiesta ST, I use Michelin Pilot Sport A/S tires for the winter and Bridgestone Potenza for my summer tires. No issues at all.
  • TCowner We've had a 64.5 Mustang in the family for the past 40 years. It is all original, Rangoon Red coupe with 289 (one of the first instead of the 260), Rally Pac, 4-speed, factory air, every option. Always gets smiles and thumbs ups.
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