Why China excluded from auto recall?

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, November 26, 2003

Why China excluded from auto recall?

Another yearend is now approaching. Will the auto recall system, which has been mentioned by media for several times fail again? Because of the lack of a recall system, Chinese consumers have missed the chance for their cars to be recalled for at least six times this year.

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China excluded from several recalls

Chinese auto consumers are in panic. It is often heard on the one hand that some cars of foreign brands have been recalled, but on the other their own cars are not included in the list. The auto recall system has been discussed since October last year yet no action has been seen taken as one year has already gone by, and so the Chinese consumers have missed the chance for their cars to be recalled at least for 6 times.

Though not by the yearend yet, 11 large scale recalls have been launched. Many types of cars have not been recalled, except for some types that are not sold in China, with over 100,000 Chinese car owners involved. These types are the imported Sunny N16, X-Trail T30, Accord, Crown, automatic Honda-CRV, Mitsubishi Spacewagon-N84, Passat, Bora, and Audi A6 etc.

The owners of Accord, Passat, Bora and Audi A6 cars are lucky: although their cars could not enjoy the recall treatment as those in foreign countries, the joint venture enterprises in China showed a relatively good attitude, inspecting the cars and changing some of the accessory parts.

Why is it difficult for China to enforce recall?

The auto recall system, is a system requiring that when cars in the market have defects and are not in line with relevant rules, standards and leading to possible safety and environmental problems due to design and manufacturing reasons, the manufacturers must report the problems of the products, the cause of the problems and improvement measures to the nation's department concerned in time, advance a recall application and renovate the cars upon approval. The manufacturers are also obliged to provide timely relevant information to the consumers.

It is difficult to control foreign auto enterprises with legal force since China has no explicit law on auto recall. There are two reasons, according to experts concerned, for the retardation in bringing out a recall system. First of all, it's due to the lack of a relevant law. Secondly, the worries among the government and auto manufacturers. For example, the United States enacted some laws such as the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act which casts detailed regulations on cars in such aspects as technology, safety, environment and use and have very good force of practicality. In China, car consumers can only turn to "Product Quality Law" and the rules for "three guarantees" (repair, exchange or return of a product) but autos are not included in the "three guarantees". At present, recall can only count on the mandatory order of the State General Administration for Quality Supervision and Inspection and Quarantine.

The six recalls closely related to China

On October 30, Nissan recalled 2.56 million cars in the world. The reason is the potential short circuit inside the sensor located in the crankshaft of the motor, which might lead to the power deficiency of the motor or failure to start. The domestic cars involved in this recall were imported Sunny N16 and X-Trail T3 manufactured before June 2002, numbering 4996 and 794 respectively.

Starting from October 8, 57,724 new-generation Accord cars manufactured between January 15, 2003 to September 4, 2003 were recalled to the designated sales service center of Guangzhou-Honda for free inspection and preventive treatment of loosening.

On September 30, Toyota recalled some cars of 11 types including 180,000 cars of Crown, Crown Majesta etc.

On August 15, because the car lock of the automatic transmission did not work, Japan Honda recalled 250,000 off-road vehicles in the United States and Canada. However, cars of the same types in China were excluded.

On April 2, Mitsubishi recalled the Space Wagon-N 84 cars in Japan and overseas markets for free inspection and maintenance.

On February 12, Volkswagen China said despite something wrong with the ignition coils of the motors in some types of cars equipped with 1.8T turbine pressure engine, the problem has nothing to do with safety problem therefore it's not within framework of auto recall. Previously, due to technical defects of the 1.8T ignition coil of the engine, domestic Passat, Bora and Audi A6 cars equipped with the ignition coil of that type of motor often broke down and meanwhile supply shortage made it very inconvenient for the consumers. This problem involved 850,000 Volkswagen cars throughout the world.

Article from Star Daily, translated by PD Online staff Gao Lanrong

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