RECALLS and SERVICE CAMPAIGNS

[hawk20]

Sometimes manufacturers issue recalls if a component performs much less well than it should or could affect safety and so on. Obviously, manufacturers try to contact owners to tell them to come in and have the offending item changed. But people move, sell their car, and mail goes astray. So according to What Car thousands of cars drive around with the recalls not done.

Less well known is the fact that car-makers also issue lots of Service notices often called Service Campaigns. These are desirable updates and changes to components that are not deemed to be a major safety issue. These can be software updates to improve performance, or gearbox smoothness and so on, or it can be a quite major item like a redesigned inlet manifold. We need to go to dealers from time to time to check all these mods are made to our cars.

In the US there is a marvellous thread on MB World giving all the US Service campaigns for the S class in the US. Here is the link: -
http://forums.mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2295929#post2295929

Does anyone know of a site in UK that shows all this sort of information for UK cars and is it something that could be posted on our forum to keep us all informed. Could be done for all the main models?

 

[television]

"All Data" record all of the re calls, but that is subscriber based

 

[Rory]

In the US there is a marvellous thread on MB World giving all the US Service campaigns

Most of the things listed there are TSB's - Technical Service Bulletins. They generally tell the dealer what to do *if* the customer complains about a certain thing. Sometimes the dealer doesn't do anything - just has to tell the customer that the noise / clunk etc is normal.

Service campaigns should be picked up automatically when the car is serviced (at least, if it's serviced by an MB dealer).

Reading TSB's would be a bit like reading medical journals - some people would imagine their cars had the symptoms described. To my mind, it's generally better to leave well alone, unless there's some specific reason for touching it.

 

[hawk20]

Most of the things listed there are TSB's - Technical Service Bulletins. They generally tell the dealer what to do *if* the customer complains about a certain thing. Sometimes the dealer doesn't do anything - just has to tell the customer that the noise / clunk etc is normal.

Service campaigns should be picked up automatically when the car is serviced (at least, if it's serviced by an MB dealer).

Reading TSB's would be a bit like reading medical journals - some people would imagine their cars had the symptoms described. To my mind, it's generally better to leave well alone, unless there's some specific reason for touching it.

Some of the things listed are quite important. Worth reading the US thread in some detail. Are you saying those who get serviced at an independent, don't get the updates done. If so that is a powerful reason, in my view, for getting serviced at a main dealer. And, if buying secondhand, for choosing cars with Full MBSH.

 

[hawk20]

"All Data" record all of the re calls, but that is subscriber based

But not the Service Bulletins? Is there nowhere that does that?

 

[television]

But not the Service Bulletins? Is there nowhere that does that?

Are you sure that All data does not do the service bulletins

 

[hawk20]

Are you sure that All data does not do the service bulletins

Not at all sure. If you re-read my posting it is a question in response to your posting saying that AllData publish Recalls. I am asking do they publish Service Bulletins too? Sorry if it was not clear.