Safety recalls added to government’s PPSR security registry

Vehicle safety recalls have been added to the national Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) in a move being heralded as the biggest step forward in road safety since the introduction of the seatbelt.

PPSR is an official Australian government database where the general public can examine the security interests and other background history of valuable second-hand goods, including vehicles, boats, company assets and intellectual property (but not land or fixtures).

Replacing many state-based property registers such as REVS to form one national register in January 2012, the online noticeboard is managed by the Registrar of Personal Property Securities – appointed by the Attorney General’s Department within the Australian Financial Security Authority – and is accessible by the general public 24/7.

Prospective used-car buyers can do an online PPSR search for $2 (more via phone) to check whether a particular vehicle has been stolen, written off or has any outstanding finance owing. Odometer, registration and VIN checks are also part of the PPSR report.

Now added to that list are any outstanding product safety recalls associated with the vehicle, sourced from the Australian Competition & Consumer Commission’s Product Safety Australia database.

Within the first week of recalls being included in PPSR reports at the start of this month, about 150,000 requested reports revealed roughly 5.6 million yet-to-rectified vehicle recalls in Australia.

Fleetcare CEO Nigel Malcolm said identifying and addressing vehicle recalls was a key factor in keeping motorists safe on Australia roads.

“Our business is on the frontline of managing cars for our clients, and this is an absolute game changer for us akin to the introduction of the seatbelt,” he said.

“Failure to have a recall conducted can expose an organisation, vehicle owner and anyone else in the chain, to liability if it contributes to a crash, with or without injury or death.

“Resolving recalls is also crucial when drivers or businesses are looking to move a vehicle, as financial institutions can only secure against an asset that is safe, and a dealership can only buy a vehicle without an outstanding recall.”

Automotive recalls are the responsibility of car-makers (or accessory suppliers) and the largest and deadliest of them in recent years was the Takata airbag scandal that affected over 65 million vehicles and killed more than 35 people worldwide, including at least one in Australia.

According to Fleetcare, Toyota and Mazda are the only companies providing reliable data on the status of their resolved recalls.

Consumer advocate Helen Fraser, who avoided Botulism poisoning by looking up recall lists, said it was vitally important for companies to act responsibly and transparently when it comes to recalls because it they can affect lives, whether it’s a car or a food product.

“Unless you see it broadcast in the news, there’s not enough access to recall information, and people generally have to search for it, which is wrong,” she said.

“If something like the airbags or potential fire hazards can cause a safety risk, then people need to have access to a platform that provides information as it can potentially be life threatening.

“People should be aware of any recalls straight away and that’s not happening, so for defect issues in cars to be included on the PPSR is a great way for this information to be at the consumer’s fingertips and can and will make a real difference.”

An even more comprehensive used-vehicle history report is available from carsales in the form of carsales vehicle history report, which includes all PPSR data plus more detailed pricing and market insights.

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