Several automakers issued a recall of many vehicles in the U.S. last week. Hyundai and Subaru, amongst other companies, recalled more than 800,000 vehicles due to faulty manufacturing and safety shortfalls, according to federal regulators. The recalls were aimed at some of the more popular models from big-name manufacturers and will likely have an impact on the cost of insurance coverage for these vehicles in the future. The recalls were instigated by a report from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that found that a person had been killed due to a defect in the construction of a Ford service jack.
Subaru has recalled nearly 200,000 vehicles since the beginning of 2011. The Japanese automaker noted that several of the vehicles recalled suffered from a defect in the motor that powers their windshield wipers, causing them to overheat and ignite. An additional 70,000 Subaru vehicles were recalled last week due to faults with a moonroof glass feature that would detach and, potentially, cause harm to drivers and passengers.
Other automakers issuing expansive recalls were Volkswagen and Kia, both of whom have had troubles with the security features of their vehicles. Volkswagen, in particular, has issued a recall for 30,000 of their Jetta sedans for having an exhaust pipe that extends beyond the maximum length. These pipes have burned a number of Jetta owners this year.
The shortfalls of these automakers may translate into higher insurance prices for consumers in coming years, as insurers may be inspired to lower the safety ratings of such vehicles.
