Why auto makers recall faulty cars & how you'll be impacted if you own one

There is no replacement guarantee, usually only the defect will be fixed; cost of recall repair is borne by the manufacturer, but additional defects discovered during repair are to your account

A car is "recalled" when, in the opinion of the manufacturer, importer, or retrofitter, it is not sufficiently safe for road use and has some issues, defined as "defects" under rule 127C of the Vehicle Recall Policy. Such cars require to be inspected and and the flaw rectified by the manufacturer or importer.  

Most of the recalls in the recent past have been over faulty airbags. However, a vehicle can also be taken off for all other kinds of other safety-related reasons, from minor technical glitches such as faulty windscreen wipers to major electrical problems that may cause the car