Millions of potentially faulty cars and vans have never been checked, despite safety recalls, according to Auto Data Solutions (ADS). Dealers are being warned about the importance of customer contact management in order to decrease the number of unchecked vehicles.
Figures released under the Freedom of Information Act reveal that over 3.2 million cars and vans weren’t rectified after recalls between 2018 and 2023. The total figure of uncorrected vehicles will be much higher.
Jon Sheard, operations director of ADS, said: “The fact that almost a quarter of safety recalls are never properly dealt with is the biggest wake-up call yet for dealers to begin taking the maintenance of customer databases more seriously.
“Failure to keep track of customers not only lets down the manufacturers who are fulfilling their duty of care by notifying authorities and drivers to potential issues but also motorists who have a right to know that their vehicle should be professionally checked.”
Franchise dealers often lose track of customers due to poor database management.
Currently a missed recall is recorded as an ‘advisory’ during MOT. However, it may become an automatic failure under rule changes now under consideration by the government.
ADS has also advised dealers that they are missing opportunities for stronger relationships with their customers.
The company provides a ‘Recall Alert’ service and support for continual database updating for dealers.
If every customer who missed a safety recall between 2018 and 2023 had gone on to book a service, MOT or another repair, franchise dealers would have netted hundreds of millions of pounds in additional business.