UAE residents concerned about vehicle recalls

Dubai - In February, more than 9,500 vehicles consisting of 2016 and 2018 models were recalled in the UAE.

Residents across the UAE have expressed their concerns over the number of vehicles that are being recalled in the UAE.
Many drivers noted that there had been an increase in the number of instances where vehicles, both old and new, had been recalled by dealerships.
"We have been seeing this a lot now," said Moiz Khan, a resident in Dubai. "Before, you would hardly hear about a vehicle having a major fault that led to them being recalled, but now it seems like every company is having major issues coming up in their models. It is great that there is such a huge focus on ensuring a driver's safety on the roads, but it does affect your confidence in certain car brands due to the increasing number of recalls."
Similarly, Hashim Arbaz, another resident in Dubai, said that he was thinking of upgrading his car to a newer model, but the recalls had him worried about what could happen. "I have a small daughter so safety is my biggest concern when purchasing a car. I have to be very careful now about what I decide to buy."
In the beginning of the year, Al Habtoor Motors, the distributor of Mitsubishi vehicles in the UAE, announced a recall of more than 4,000 vehicles due to problems with wipers. The models in question were the Mitsubishi Outlander from 2008 to 2013, due to a front wiper motor and link ball joint problem.
In February, more than 9,500 vehicles consisting of 2016 and 2018 models were recalled in the UAE by different automobile manufacturers due to technical defects, including the risk of fire in some models. Al-Futtaim Motors, distributor of Toyota vehicles in the UAE, announced that it was recalling 9,332 Hilux and 41 Prius vehicles of 2016 manufacturing year due to airbag problems.
During the same period, Al Tayer Motors and Premier Motors, the distributors of Land Rover in the UAE, recalled 11 Discovery Sports, 102 Evoque, and 52 Velar vehicles for fuel rail replacement. The company said in a statement that the brazing of the fuel rail end caps in the models is inconsistent and may not be to design specification, thereby, incorrectly sealing the fuel rail ends. Drivers would be aware of the problem due to a strong odour of fuel, that was at risk of catching fire if it got into contact with a hot surface.
In March, the following month, Al Habtoor Motors once again announced a recall - this time of over 53,918 Mitsubishi Pajeros due to airbag problems. Following directives of the Ministry of Economy - Department of Competition and Consumer Protection, Al Habtoor Motors announced the recall of Pajero models from January 2013 to December 2017 with immediate effect. The company announced that all repairs will be completed free of charge to the customer.
- rohma@khaleejtimes.com