Nobody likes when things don’t work the way they’re supposed to, especially when it’s the two-ton hunk of metal in your driveway. But when a problem becomes a complaint becomes an investigation becomes a recall, automakers try to get your attention so you can get it fixed. It’s not just junk mail — it’s a letter that might save your life.
Thing is, recalls happen all the time. Some are relatively minor; some are, well, the Takata airbag inflator crisis. Each is important no matter the month, but it can be hard to keep up with whether your vehicle is involved.
Not feeling up to speed? We’ve got you. Below are the biggest recalls we covered from March in terms of the number of vehicles affected. For more coverage, check out our Recalls page, and for a comprehensive list of recalls that include all things road-going, check out the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s page here.
As it was in February, March was flush with latent recalls finally making their way to NHTSA and consumers after January’s government shutdown. But the month’s biggest recall had nothing to do with that — in fact, it stemmed from chemical compounds in everyday household products like fabric softener and car polish. Reportedly Subaru’s largest recall since the Takata crisis, the problem came down to exposure of these compounds to the brakelight switch, preventing the lights from illuminating properly. It could also prevent vehicles with keyless ignition from starting and automatic transmissions from shifting out of Park. With such a large number and range of vehicles affected (Foresters, Imprezas, WRXs and STIs, and Crosstreks), the straightforward solution of replacing the brakelight switch should not be delayed. Don’t risk it.
After two comparatively trouble-free months in which it was absent from our top-five countdowns, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles returned to the list with a massive recall for an issue with affected vehicles’ catalytic converters. The problem? Deterioration could adversely affect the vehicles’ emissions, therefore releasing unwanted pollutants. Though not a government-mandated recall like its diesel-emissions scandal, the latest campaign means new catalytic converters and updated software for the powertrain control module on FCA’s dime.