Recall campaign instructions
Recall campaign instructions for vehicle manufacturers, manufacturers’ representatives, importers and distributors.
If a vehicle is discovered to have a non-conformity or defect causing a serious risk, the vehicle manufacturer, the manufacturer’s representative, importer or distributor (“economic operators”) should take the corrective measures necessary to bring the vehicle into conformity (i.e. to ensure it meets requirements), to withdraw it from the market or to recall it, as appropriate.
The legal requirements concerning recall campaigns are laid down in EU framework regulations (2018/858, 168/2013 and 167/2013) or the Finnish Vehicles Act (82/2021), depending on the vehicle category.
A recall campaign must also be started if a vehicle has been notified in the SafetyGate alert system maintained by the European Commission and has been assessed to represent a serious risk. Traficom monitors weekly reports and contacts economic operators in Finland with enquiries, if necessary.
Traficom also monitors the ICSMS system for market surveillance. Via the ICSMS platform, authorities in EU countries can exchange information about products they have tested or investigated and share test results and any non-conformities discovered.
Economic operators must report to Traficom all active recall campaigns that affect vehicles in Finland.
Vehicle manufacturers may also organise service campaigns on account of minor defects or shortcomings. These campaigns do not need to be notified to Traficom.
The recall obligation concerns all vehicle categories defined in the Vehicles Act. It applies to vehicles that have been approved for road transport in Finland and are used in Finland. The obligation concerns both vehicles subject to prior notification and individually imported vehicles.
The obligation to take corrective measures also applies to vehicles, systems, components, separate technical units, parts or equipment that cause a serious risk or have a non-conformity. The step-by-step instructions below concern, where applicable, those vehicle categories that do not need to be registered (e.g. bicycles and light electric vehicles) and other above-mentioned products used in road traffic. Notifications must be made by filling in the recall campaign notification form and sending it by email to recall@traficom.fi. Economic operators must reach as many as possible of those consumers who have bought the product by contacting them individually or by making information about the campaign publicly available.
Vehicles registered in the Åland Islands do not need to be included in the recall campaign notification.
Economic operators must ensure that recall campaigns are completed within a reasonable time.
Instructions on how to send secure email to Traficom are available Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu..
OTA (OVER-THE-AIR) RECALL CAMPAIGNS
This document provides instructions for carrying out OTA (Over-the-Air) recalls. Introduced as an alternative to a traditional recall, an OTA recall is a procedure in which the vehicle holder is notified of a recall electronically. In an OTA recall, the software of a vehicle system is updated over the air to bring the vehicle into conformity or make it so that the vehicle no longer causes a serious risk due to the software after the update.
OTA recalls must be notified to Traficom in accordance with the procedures prescribed by section 178 of the Vehicles Act (see the instructions below).
RECALL CAMPAIGN NOTIFICATION
Recall campaign notification (xls, 31 KB)Initiating a recall campaign
- Step 1
Determine the vehicles covered by the campaign
Ask the manufacturer to provide a global vehicle identification number (VIN) list of all the vehicles the campaign concerns.
- Step 2
Determine whether any vehicles covered by the campaign are registered in Finland
Send the VIN list and the invitation letter template to one of Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu.. Based on the list, the partner collects the addresses of the owners and holders of all relevant vehicles registered in Finland. Individually imported vehicles must also be taken into account.
The partner must be clearly informed about whether the campaign is a statutory recall campaign or a service campaign as this determines which parts of address information are disclosed from the register.
In connection with the collection of data, Traficom is provided with a list of vehicles whose owners or holders have forbidden the disclosure of their information for personal safety reasons so that the agency can send the repair invitation directly to them. Traficom does not disclose the information of persons who have an order of non-disclosure for safety reasons.
If the implementation of the recall campaign is given as an assignment to another economic operator, the assignment must be shown with a valid power of attorney, which can be used to verify the validity of the authorization. Validity can be indefinite or temporary.
- Step 3
Inform Traficom about the campaign
Notify Traficom of the launch of the recall campaign and its schedule using the above Excel notification form if vehicles affected by the campaign are registered in Finland. The Excel form must be submitted Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu..
- Step 4
Send recall letters
Send invitations for repair to customers whose vehicles are affected by the campaign. The recall letter must comply with the model set out in Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu.. An editable Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu. is available.
- Step 5
Send new recall letters with up-to-date owner and holder details, if necessary
If necessary, the invitation for repair must be sent a second time. If the customer does not bring the vehicle in for repair after the second letter, a cover letter from Traficom must be enclosed with the third recall letter. The cover letter and a document register number to be included in it can be requested via Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu..
Ending the recall campaign if all vehicles have been repaired:
- Step 1
Notify Traficom of the completion of the recall campaign
Traficom must be notified that all vehicles have been repaired and that the recall campaign has been completed. The notification must be submitted via Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu.. Based on the notification, Traficom will record an end date for the campaign.
Ending a recall campaign when not all vehicles have been repaired:
- Step 1
Submit a list of unrepaired vehicles to Traficom
A list of unrepaired vehicles must be submitted Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu. nine weeks after the cover letter has been sent. Traficom will add a restriction entry for the unrepaired vehicles in the Vehicular and Driver Data Register[LS1] and record the campaign’s end date.
The restriction entry will result in a rejection at the next periodic, registration or control inspection. The restriction entry is made pursuant to section 178 of the Vehicles Act (82/2021).
- Step 2
Removal of the restriction entry
The restriction entry may be removed and the vehicle approved at inspection once documentation issued by the manufacturer, the manufacturer’s representative or an authorised brand repairer confirming that the repairs required under the campaign have been carried out is presented at inspection. For vehicles not subject to periodic inspection, the restriction entry is also removed at an inspection station.
The public nature of recall campaigns
Information on recall campaigns is public. Traficom maintains a Ulkoinen verkkopalvelu., which is updated regularly based on notifications submitted by manufacturers and their representatives.