I used to work with some higher-level people at an unnamed manufacturer. What I was told from one of them in how they issue recalls is if it is not something that can causes fatalities or serious injuries to a large group, they talk with lawyers and numbers people. They estimate what it would cost to issue a recall, and they compare that cost with what the lawyers numbers people say it would cost if there was a class-action suit for a major defect. Usually that's based on a certain percentage of buyers accepting to be a part of the lawsuit. Whichever is cheaper, they go with that one.