We often here about vehicle recalls, but what about times when a model shows a persistent and common problem but the manufacturer fails to issue a recall notice. Consumer magazine Which? has produced a new survey that highlights the issue in some of Ireland’s most popular cars.

It has said 7 popular models should be the subject of a manufacturer recall because of inherent weakness in the manufacturing process. The UK survey covered over 47,000 car owners for the period between December 2019 and February 2020.

Problems highlighted included a battery issue with the Nissan Qashqai (2014>) with over 20% of owners saying they had to replace the battery annually. There were also battery issues with the Nissan Pulsar, while a fifth of diesel Nissan Juke owners reported fuel system issues. Nissan has said it has taken steps to address the issue by replacing its battery supplier and contacting owners about free updates.

The survey also highlighted faulty door handles on the Tesla Model S (2013 to present) which affected 18% of drivers.  Meanwhile software issue affected 21% of Range Rover Velar and 17% of Range Rover Sport owners.

The BMW 5 Series Touring (2010 to 2017) was found to have a persistent suspension issue affecting around a quarter of owners surveyed.

Harry Rose, editor of Which? Magazine, commented, “It is completely unacceptable that these trusted car brands continue to take customer cash without fixing these widespread faults, many of which are already well-known thanks to our comprehensive survey. Currently, car owners will have to foot the bill for faults once their car goes out of warranty, but it is not right for anyone to have to pay for production mistakes that these manufacturers are aware of.”