Defects that warrant an auto recall

Q: Ford recently informed me that my car’s headlights might fail because of a faulty “lighting control module,” but they told me to wait until the lights fail to get it repaired. Is this not worthy of a recall?—J. Zimmerman, Elora, Ont.

A: Headlights that can fail suddenly are a safety defect that should be covered by a recall. A recall normally involves the inspection or repair of a defect before the failure occurs. In your case, Ford appears to have extended the warranty on the defective lighting part by offering a free repair after it fails. Ford may know that the car will continue to have operable high beams or daytime running lights when the module fails. Contact the defect investigation team at Transport Canada. They may be able to convince Ford to upgrade this to a full safety recall.

George Iny is the president of the Automobile Protection Association. Send him your automotive questions at [email protected].