Has anyone submitted a vehicle recall report/request in Australia for our bikes on the basis of the lean stall safety issue? Having made some preliminary enquiries (using a phone and a dodgy internet connection) with the Department of Infrastructure (which handles vehicle recalls) and the ACCC website (which handles general safety recalls) I believe we Terra/Strada owners may have the basis of a claim. The following is an excerpt from one of these websites: "The Australian Competition & Consumer Commission (ACCC) is the main authority on product recalls, including for vehicles. The links below set out the guidelines and procedures for recalling vehicles and components that have safety-related defects. A defect could be a design or construction fault, which is likely to cause significant risk to road users." The guidelines stipulate that the defect should first be reported to the manufacturer, and that they be given a reasonable amount of time to respond and/or rectify the issue before lodging a report. Furthermore, the ACCC handles complaints that encompass issues with product durability. A complaint/report in relation to the airbox may be worth a try here also. Fundamentally, the airbox is not fit for purpose. While this may not be of immediate use to our friends outside of Australia, a successful recall here should assist with similar action elsewhere. I would like to give it a go but would have to purchase a new airbox to restore it to factory spec before making a formal complaint to the dealer/distributor. Comments?
Stuff buying another airbox, the stalling issue has got NOTHING to do with it!! Most effective measures: punch out a base-letter (best in .doc format) outlining the problem to PFG (the old importer/ warranty provider), make it downloadable so peeps can add / change etc. and everyone SNAILMAIL it to PFG (sending it 'signature required, too ). Then email an electronic copy to PFG within 7 days. THAT will get something moving! It also puts the groundwork down for some more serious action. Everything else is flimflam.
Good plan! I'll get a draft letter up later this week and make it available to the inmates for input/comment.
It only has to contain: Date Re: Dangerous TR650 Stalling issue...or whatever short title To: Relevant person + address From: Sender details (for reply!) Long description of issue Signature line That's it. If they get this, or variations of it, time and again from their customers riding their product around, rather than "filtered + modified/coloured over" bits from a few dealers around the place, I'm sure we'll see some reaction. Hopefully a few of us can sit around the table with a couple of them plus a dealer and/ or workshop tech to sort something out rather than "swinging a big hammer" and pissing everyone off. We can leave that as a possible next step....IF needed. It might also give a chance to get the airbox/ dust/ potential engine seizures etc issues across, setting the 'rules" on that topic as well.
