Vehicle recall list

Vehicle recall list

Disclaimer: This is a legal article that provides information that does not replace consulting a competent lawyer to help you and for more accurate information.

Some may think that recalling vehicles means there is a serious defect that requires stopping their use immediately, but the truth is that the recall is a precautionary measure aimed at addressing manufacturing defects and protecting the safety of consumers before they cause greater damage. 

To ensure that these procedures are implemented efficiently, the vehicle recall regulations in Saudi Arabia have established clear obligations on the agent, including notifying vehicle owners, repairing defects or replacing affected parts in accordance with regulatory controls.

What is meant by vehicle recall?

Article 2 of the Vehicle Recall Regulations defines a recall as a mandatory procedure carried out by the vehicle manufacturer and its local agent in Saudi Arabia in the event that a defect is proven to appear in any product, through the manufacturer or through a government agency in the Kingdom, the country of origin, or any other country.

What are the agent’s obligations when calling the Ministry of Commerce with the chassis number of defective vehicles?

Articles 3 and 4 of the regulations clarify the agent’s obligations and the procedures that must be taken in the event of a vehicle recall, which are:

• Notifying the Ministry: The manufacturer or its local agent is obligated to inform the Ministry of Commerce of the vehicle recall in writing within a period not exceeding 10 days from the date of starting the recall process and opening the recall file immediately.
• Do not lock the summons file except with permission from the Ministry.
• Announcing the recall: The manufacturing company and its local agent are obligated to announce the recall in more than one local newspaper and more than once, covering all regions of the Kingdom, within a period not exceeding 10 days from the date of commencement of the recall process.
• Informing customers: The local dealer is obligated to inform his car user customers by phone, registered mail, or email.
• Free defect repair: The manufacturer and its local agent are obligated to recall, repair or replace the defective part of the product without charge and without regard to the warranty period.
• Bearing transportation costs: The local agent is obligated to bear the costs of transporting and sending technicians to the user’s residence if it is more than 80 km away from the nearest approved workshop of the local agent.
• Submit a monthly report to the Ministry: The local agent is obligated to provide the Ministry of Commerce with a monthly report on what was accomplished during the recall process, so that the report includes the number of products that were recalled and the defect in them was repaired.
• Advertising fees: The manufacturer bears all costs incurred in the vehicle recall process, including advertising costs.
• Complaint Handling: The local agent is committed to handling user complaints with utmost care.

What are the contents of a defective vehicle recall report from a local dealer?

What are the contents of a defective vehicle recall report from a local dealer?

A defective vehicle recall report must include the following information:

• Name and logo of the manufacturer.
• Full name and address of the local agent.
• Agent phone number to enable the user to call and inquire.
• Types of vehicles covered by the recall.
• The number of vehicles of each type imported and sold in the Kingdom.
• A description of a defective part of the vehicle, such as a fuel leak, camera failure, or a cooling system failure. 
• Reasons for the defect.
• Potential risks from the presence of this defect, such as sudden stop, serious injury, or fire.

If you encounter a dispute with the agent regarding the vehicle recall or the implementation of his obligations, hiring a commercial lawyer from the office of Lawyer Abdul Majeed Al Rashid will help you understand your rights and take appropriate legal action.

What is the penalty for not notifying the Ministry of Commerce to recall defective vehicles?

According to Article 6 of the Vehicle Recall Regulations, a defect or malfunction in a vehicle is considered commercial fraud in accordance with the provisions of the Commercial Anti-Fraud System. If the manufacturer or local agent does not recall the defective product, the following penalties apply to the agent and the manufacturer:

• Any producer, distributor or importer who fails to report a defective product to the Ministry of Commerce after selling it and requests to recall it immediately upon learning of this shall be punished by a fine not exceeding one million Saudi riyals or imprisonment for a period not exceeding three years, or both, in accordance with Article 18 of the Anti-Commercial Fraud Law.
• The Ministry of Commerce stops granting an international certificate of conformity from the country of origin of the defective product.
• Compensating those affected for actual damages they suffered due to a defect in the product.

How to inquire about a car recall?

How to inquire about a car recall?

Vehicle owners can verify that their vehicles are included in the Ministry of Commerce’s vehicle recall campaigns in cooperation with manufacturers and agents via a recall platform by following these steps:

• Access the defective product recall platform.
• Enter the vehicle’s chassis number.
• Follow up on the details of the recall announcement and the procedures required of the consumer.

Disputes related to vehicle recalls and understanding the agent’s obligations require a thorough knowledge of commercial regulations and the rights of the parties. This is where a commercial attorney comes in, providing legal advice, reviewing contracts and obligations between the agent and the consumer, and following up on claims and compensation resulting from breaches of regulatory obligations.

Through the office of lawyer Abdul Majeed Al Rashid, you can contact a licensed commercial lawyer who will help you protect your rights and take appropriate legal action with ease.