Muscat: Every year the number of vehicles increases on the roads in the Sultanate of Oman. Almost all major international carmakers have their products in the market, and due to the large inflow, there are cases of vehicles with manufacturing defects that need to be recalled immediately to avoid accidents and save precious lives.
To minimise the impact of vehicles with manufacturing defects on roads, there is a move to offer free vehicle inspection.
‘Not possible to delay’ a free inspection campaign has been launched to recall such vehicles. The Consumer Protection Authority has launched the initiative under the auspices of Dr Bakhait bin Ahmed al Mahri, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Higher Education, Research and Innovation for Higher Education, in the presence of Salim bin Ali al Hakmani, Chairman of the Consumer Protection Authority, and some senior government officials.
Not only in the Sultanate of Oman but the cases of manufacturing defective cars are reported worldwide. This prompted many countries to take legal, technical and supervisory measures to ensure the highest levels of accuracy in following up on vehicles with manufacturing defects.
The Consumer Protection Authority launched an awareness programme, ‘Recall that cannot be delayed’ last August that aimed to familiarise employees in various divisions with the importance of recalling defective vehicles and to enhance their awareness of the need to follow up and respond to them due to its importance in maintaining the health and safety of its users from the potential dangers as a result that it has manufacturing defects.
In his comments earlier, Salim al Hakmani, Consumer Protection Authority Chairman, said; “This national campaign for the recall of vehicles comes within the framework of the continuous efforts undertaken by the Authority and its constant keenness to preserve the rights of consumers in line with quality and safety standards. It emphasises the existing cooperation with all parties concerned, agencies and supplier companies in the local markets, to achieve the goals that guarantee the safety of all vehicles on the roads in the Sultanate of Oman.”
The Consumer Protection Authority has registered about 9,192 vehicles with manufacturing defects. The defect may be in the driving system due to a snag in the electrical circuit of the steering wheel, defect in connecting the steering wheel, loosening of the steering column tension nut, oil leakage from the steering hose system, or potential danger may be the vehicle deviating from the correct lane and causing an accident.
The initiative is being implemented in cooperation with the National College of Automotive Technology, Amasco and OTE. This initiative will continue for a week, from October 2 to October 6, and consumers can register to book an appointment for the examination on the college’s website. Vehicle companies targeted by the initiative on Honda, Subaru, Chevrolet, and Hyundai. Vehicles will be inspected at the National College of Automotive Technology from four to seven in the evening.
It aims to provide an opportunity for consumers to have their vehicles inspected by certified experts for free, answer their inquiries, and ascertain whether their vehicles are among the recalled vehicles.
