Understanding Manufacturer Service Bulletins
By Stuart Colson
Over the years, many of us have experienced receiving recall notices or service bulletins on our vehicles. Maybe you have been told that warranty repairs were done while it was in the shop for other repairs that were not related to the warranty work performed. Some of these warranty repairs are done under service bulletins the dealers received that you know nothing about. It is important that we understand the importance of these bulletins and what they really mean. Not all bulletins require that your vehicle be repaired, but should you receive ANY type of service notice on your vehicle it is imperative that you contact your local dealer immediately.
There are generally three types of bulletins that dealers and vehicle owner’s receive. The first and most important is a Recall. Recalls are repairs that are required to your vehicle regardless of the age of the vehicle or how many miles are on it. Recalls are also repairs that are regulated by the Federal government through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Now an important fact about recalls that most consumers do not know is that you can be held liable as a person if you sell your personal motorcycle knowing there is a recall and you do not have the recall repairs performed or notify the purchaser that the recall needs to be performed. This is how serious the government takes recalls.
The second type of notice is a Factory Directed Modification (FDM). Unlike a recall, an FDM generally deals with a little quirk in the vehicle and generally is not a safety issue for the performance of the vehicle. A good example of this would be the raised emblem on a cruiser fuel tank comes easily unglued and falls off. The manufacturers will update the type of tape used and direct dealers to replace the emblems on all fuel tanks for that vehicle in a specific VIN number range. FDM’s generally cover specific VIN or engine number ranges. These are the types of bulletins that many service centers will just perform the update and then notify you about the repair when you pick the vehicle up. There are states, such as California, where the law requires they notify you prior to the repair regardless if it is a no charge to you repair.
The third type of notice is a Factory Authorized Repair (FAR). Much like the FDM a FAR is not, a critical issue associated with the vehicle but a quirk or inconvenience that the manufacturer is aware of. Unlike an FDM a FAR is a random occurrence that the manufacturer can not necessarily track down to a specific VIN or engine number range. It may also be a situation directly related to your geographic location. An example would be a new 250 4-stroke dirt bike experiences a bog in the mid-range. However, the bog is only noticed on vehicles that are being ridden between 4,000 and 6,000-foot elevations, it happens more on the east coast than the west coast, but not all of the bikes experience the problem. The manufacturers may issue an FAR for this situation along with a new jet needle, or other type of part(s), to correct the problem. Now an important fact about an FAR is that if your vehicle is not experiencing the problem as described in the bulletin you may not want to have the work performed. If your vehicle runs fine in that elevation range changing that part could possibly cause another problem like your vehicle now runs to rich, or to lean, at a different elevation.
Regardless of the type of notice you receive it is critical you immediately contact your local dealer. Dealers are continually updated with service information and can provide the best answers to your questions regarding any service notice you may receive. There have also been situations were an FDM or FAR have been upgraded to a full Recall because what was perceived to be a minor little situation turns out to be a life endangering problem.
Remember it is always better to take a few minutes and ask a question today rather than crash tomorrow.
