Dear Tom and Ray:

Most car manufacturers have a list of defects that they will fix for free or at reduced cost if the consumer complains enough. They aren't publicized, and the manufacturers don't want you to know about them. I've heard these referred to as "secret recalls." Is there a good way to find out about such recalls? -- Tim

Ray: If there was a good way to find out about them, they wouldn't be secret, now, would they, Tim?

Tom: Here's the story, Tim. From time to time, manufacturers discover (or admit) that some part of a car they made is defective. Now, if it's a safety-related component, they are required by law to notify car owners and fix the problem for free. (Of course, in the real world, the onus of reporting the safety problem is on the manufacturer, so this doesn't always happen, or doesn't always happen in a timely manner -- see Firestone tires -- but it's supposed to.)

Ray: Similarly, if it's an emissions-related defect, the Environmental Protection Agency requires them to notify car owners and fix the problem at no cost. So any defects that relate to safety or emissions cannot, by law, be secret.

Tom: But that still leaves a lot of defects.

Ray: And in the rest of the cases (or at least 99 out of 100 of them), the manufacturer issues what it calls a Technical Service Bulletin, or TSB, to let dealers and other repair people know how to address a specific problem. Not all TSBs are covered by warranty -- some are just tips or suggestions on how to fix things. But in some cases, dealers or manufacturers will regularly authorize a "goodwill adjustment" to cover the cost of fixing the problem, but only if you ask.

Tom: You should start by asking the dealer. And if the dealer won't authorize a credit, ask to speak to the company's "zone representative," and ask again.

Ray: But how do you even find out about these TSBs? That's the $64 question. The TSBs are sent only to dealers and are made available to other repair shops that subscribe to a paid service that compiles TSBs, like Mitchells and All-Data. But generally speaking, these are not available to the public.

Tom: The exceptions are in four states that have enacted Secret Warranty Disclosure Laws. Although they differ slightly, under these laws, residents of Connecticut, Virginia, Wisconsin and California must be notified by the manufacturer when a warranty-covered TSB is issued for their cars.

Ray: Outside of those states, it gets a lot harder. You can go to our Web site (the Car Talk section of www.cars.com). If you go to the "Car Talk Car Report" area, you can enter your car's info and get a list of All-Data's TSBs for your car. Because All-Data makes its money by selling this info to repair shops, it will only give you the "title" of the TSB on our site. But if you see a title that relates to a problem you have, you can go to your dealer, or a shop that uses All-Data, and get more details.

Tom: Of course, that won't always work, either. There are some defects for which the cost of repairs would be so exorbitant that manufacturers don't even issue a TSB, because they don't want to admit anything in writing. These are TRULY secret warranties -- like the massive paint failures that Ford and Chrysler suffered in the '80s. To GM's credit, it had similar problems and DID issue a TSB.

Ray: In cases like that, you have to fall back on the time-tested way to find out about silent recalls -- by having a good relationship with your mechanic. So next time you go to the dealer or repair shop, bring a big tin of brownies or a nice banana bread. And just to be sure, lace the pan with some sodium pentothal (truth serum).

Which is cheaper, buying or leasing? Should you keep a car forever or dump it after three years, before trouble starts? Find out in Tom and Ray's pamphlet "Should I Buy, Lease, or Steal My Next Car?" To order, send (check or money order) to Ruin, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. You can also order online.

© 2000 by Tom and Ray Magliozzi and Doug Berman Distributed by King Features Syndicate, Inc.

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