Others never get word of the recall, because the notices go either to prior addresses or to former owners, as happened to Jerra. After his accident, Jerra learned that his car was one of 375,000 that BMW had recalled in 1993. His car was not registered for a while, and the recall notice was mailed to the vehicle's original owner in Ohio. Jerra has filed a lawsuit over the accident. BMW says it is not liable for Jerra's injuries, which it says resulted from his failure to maintain the car properly.
Some companies have better correction rates than others.
Such comparisons can be misleading, according to some Japanese manufacturers, who say their vehicles are rarely in the shop for service or warranty work, which is when recall repairs are often done. But the superior record of GM's Saturn unit, which boasts of treating customers like family, suggests that all other companies can do better. Industry critics say Saturn's record should not be the exception but the rule. Despite pressure to maintain a low profile, safety advocates say the agency should show more backbone. That is their mission.