Revamp vehicle recall system, says auto industry expert

An auto industry expert says that the current vehicle recall system needs to be changed so more owners get the issues fixed. 

"People pay so little attention to recalls nowadays," said Tony Faria, co-director of the Office of Automotive and Vehicle Research at the University of Windsor.

• FCA recalling almost 50,000 Pacifica vans due to seatbelt issue during sporty driving

• General Motors recalls nearly 800,000 pickup trucks worldwide

He said "nearly a recall-a-day coming out in the auto industry," amounts to more than 50 million vehicles recalled in North America a year.

"This is such a common occurrence that people hardly pay attention to recalls anymore," said Faria. 

He said people are ignoring the recall notice that's sent to them in the mail and forgo offers to fix recalled vehicles for free at their local dealerships.

"Only 6 out of 10 people actually bring their vehicle back for the needed repair," said Faria. 

On Wednesday Fiat Chrysler recalled close to 50,000 Pacifica vans because the centre buckle in the middle back seat could hit the release button on the left buckle and cause it to unlatch.

Recall scale needed

Faria said that he doesn't expect the brand to take a hit from customers because of the amount of recalls being made each year. 

He said the industry should look at creating a system that has varying degrees of urgency. 

"Currently all recalls are looked at basically the same," Faria told CBC News. "There probably should be varying degrees of recall."

He said the auto industry could look at categorizing recalls in a way that explains the potential danger the vehicle may present. 

Faria said the majority of recalls have to do with minor issues that don't present a safety risk to consumers. 

"There probably should be different levels of recalls and different emphasis of trying to get those vehicles back," he said. "Maybe far more vigorous attempts and ways to get at people where there's a serious issue."

The recent recall on the Pacifica has not resulted in any injuries according to Fiat Chrysler and Faria believes that most people will have the issue fixed because they're still getting warranty work completed at the dealership.