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Same fault, different country

When a manufacturer recalls a car in two countries, it is one defect and one repair, but two authorities write the notice. We hold both registers, and they can be joined on the code the manufacturer itself gives the campaign. Here is what happens when you read the two descriptions side by side.

67Recalls published by both authorities, matched on the manufacturer’s own code
59 v 34Notices naming a crash: American, then Dutch

Which hazard each authority names

Across the same 67 defects. Each column counts the notices whose consequence text names that hazard.

Hazard named United States Netherlands
a crash 59 34
injury 20 10
fire 10 13
loss of control 1 12
death 0 1

Read the two columns together and a difference in where the sentence stops shows up: the American notice tends to carry the description through to what happens to the occupant, and the Dutch to stop at the component that fails. The examples below are the evidence for that; judge them yourself.

The same defect, in both authorities’ words

Verbatim, and the Dutch untranslated: paraphrasing an official hazard notice would make it our wording rather than theirs.

manufacturer code 18S07 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 18V169

A transmission fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source such as hot engine or exhaust components can increase the risk of a fire.

Netherlands · MGP180340

De koppeling kan slippen. Hierdoor is de rijsnelheid gereduceerd, zijn de voertuigprestaties beperkt en verspreidt de koppeling een geur. In extreme gevallen komen fragmenten van de koppeling/transmissie los en raken deze de componenten onder de motorkap.

manufacturer code 18S29 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 18V707

A hydraulic fluid leak in the presence of an ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.

Netherlands · MGP180515

Brand in de motorruimte.

manufacturer code 21S32 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 21V537

A rear toe-link fracture can result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP220161

Hierdoor kan het buitenste deel van de reactiestang van de achterwielophanging barsten, waardoor het voertuig moeilijk te besturen is.

manufacturer code 23S27 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 23V380

An engine compartment fire increases the risk of injury.

Netherlands · MGP230240

Hierdoor is het mogelijk dat olie ontsnapt, waardoor in combinatie met de hitte in de motorruimte, brand onder de motorkap kan ontstaan.

manufacturer code 23S53 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 23V626

Battery failure can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash. Battery failure can also increase the risk of a fire.

Netherlands · MGP230381

Het motorstoringlampje gaat branden in geval van interne kortsluiting. Mogelijk verlies van aandrijfkracht waardoor het risico op een aanrijding toeneemt. Er kan thermische ontluchting van de accu plaatsvinden, wat kan leiden tot een voertuigbrand.

manufacturer code 23S56 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 25V441

An overheated high voltage battery contactor can result in a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP230419

Het voertuig kan bij een volgende keer gebruik niet meer gaan rijden, of, de aandrijving van het voertuig valt tijdens het rijden onverwacht uit.

manufacturer code 23C35 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 23V727

Without a low brake fluid warning light, the vehicle may be driven with low brake fluid, reducing braking performance and increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP230470

Verliezen van remcapaciteit, niet kunnen remmen.

manufacturer code 23S48 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 25V273

Loss of the rearview camera image can reduce the driver's view of what is behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP240003

De bestuurder heeft minder zicht tijdens het achteruitrijden dan verwacht.

manufacturer code 24S33 · Ford Nederland B.V.

United States · 25V881

A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP240197

De aandrijving van het rijdende voertuig kan overschakelen op parkeer-/kruipsnelheid. Als gevolg zal het voertuig onverwacht vertragen.

manufacturer code CR285 · Ducati North Europe

United States · 25V013

A sudden loss of the rear brakes increases the risk of a crash or injury.

Netherlands · MGP250024

Dit kan leiden tot een plotseling verlies van remkracht in de achterwielrem. Dit vergroot de kans op een ongeval.

manufacturer code SB2500001 · Tesla Motors Netherlands BV

United States · 25V002

A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP250053

Als het display van de achteruitrijcamera niet werkt, kan dat het zicht naar achteren van de bestuurder beïnvloeden en het risico op een botsing bij achteruitrijden vergroten.

manufacturer code SB2500004 · Tesla Motors Netherlands BV

United States · 25V092

A loss of power steering assist can require greater steering effort, especially at low speeds, increasing the risk of a crash.

Netherlands · MGP250054

De stuurbekrachtiging kan uitvallen.

What this comparison cannot tell you

  • The sample is not balanced. Ford Nederland B.V. accounts for 39 of the 67 pairs. The difference appears across 12 importers, so it is not one firm’s house style, but it is not an even survey of the industry either.
  • It counts words, not meaning. A notice can describe a crash risk without using the word. Both texts are printed above so you can see what the counting missed.
  • 19 matched pairs are held back where the join needed a human eye. They are counted here and published nowhere.
  • It is two countries. Not a statement about regulators in general.

Matched on the campaign code the manufacturer gives its own recall: a field in the the Netherlands vehicle register record, and a sentence in the NHTSA remedy text. Exact matches only: nothing is paired on manufacturer and date, because a wrong pair here is a false statement about a safety notice. Records are published by NHTSA and the Netherlands vehicle register; the join between them, and everything derived from it, is ours.

Watch your own recallHow long before they tell you

Every figure on this page comes from a table you can have. 89 rows, CSV JSON All 14 datasets