NEW DELHI: India’s largest carmaker
Maruti Suzuki on Wednesday said that it is “proactively and voluntarily” recalling 1,279 units of the new Swift and Dzire models. The
hatchback and the sedan models are going to be inspected for a possible fault in the
Airbag Controller Unit, the company said.
The likely fault is that the airbag may not deploy, a source told TOI.
“1279 vehicles (566 new Swift and 713 new Dzire) manufactured between 7th May 2018 and 5th July 2018 will be covered in this campaign,” a Maruti Suzuki spokesperson said.
Starting July 25, owners of the vehicles included in this recall campaign will be contacted by Maruti Suzuki dealers for inspection and replacement of the faulty part free of cost, the spokesperson added.
The new Swift was launched amid much fanfare at the Auto Expo in Delhi in February this year, while the Dzire was launched last summer.
How to check if your vehicle is from the affected batch
Customers of new Swift and new Dzire can visit the company’s website and fill in the chassis number (For new Swift - MBH and for new Dzire – MA3 followed by 14 digit alpha-numeric number) on the computer screen to check. The chassis number is embossed on the vehicle ID plate and is also in the vehicle invoice / registration documents.
Customers may also contact the nearest Maruti Suzuki dealer workshop to ascertain if their vehicle is among the above vehicles, the company said.
Recalls have become a regular feature with auto companies, where they voluntarily call back batches of vehicles to inspect and fix possible faults in manufacturing. The work is carried out free of cost.
Automobile experts say that while recalls may affect consumer sentiment in the short-run, in the longer run it is seen as a positive for both customer and the automaker. It gives out the message that the company is willing to take responsibility even post sales and is making efforts to ensure the customers' safety and satisfaction, said auto expert Tutu Dhawan.
How does a carmaker spot problems once a batch is sold off
"It is mainly through customer feedback which is routed to the company through dealerships," says Mr Dhawan.
"Whenever these things (cars) are made, they are made in batches, even the raw materials come in batches and it is all computerised...so once a possible fault is suspected, it doesn't take the company long to act on it," he adds.
Recalls are usually a safety measure on the company’s part and there may actually be no fault with the car. It is carried out to eliminate the possibility of any manufacturing defect.
The Maruti Suzuki stock at 11.18 am was trading at Rs 9.725.10, down 1.09 per cent on the NSE.
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