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July 13, 2006
REGIONAL RECALLS UPHELD BY COURT
The U.S. Court of Appeals in D.C. has rejected challenges by Public Citizen and Center for Auto Safety to NHTSA's regional recall policy. The two advocacy groups had challenged the policy as an attempt to change federal law without public notice or comment, ConsumerAffairs.com noted.
The practices allows auto companies to limit certain recalls by region, and some states have objected to the practice. In November 2005, Wisconsin Attorney General Peggy Lautenschlager asked the Department of Transportation to make all recalls national. She cited a regional recall by General Motors Corp. in August 2005 that included bordering states Illinois and Michigan but excluded Wisconsin. "Many consumers find regional recalls confusing and infuriating. GM has recalled 1,357,000 pickups and SUVs because of a problem with the brakes but continues to insist that the problem with its anti-lock system is regionally based," ConsumerAffairs.com said. "The automaker claims the braking problems stem from road salt in cold-weather states. But truck and SUV owners in 30 states not covered by a GM regional recall continue to struggle with malfunctioning anti-lock brakes."
Posted by MVHAP at July 13, 2006 02:47 PM