[thstone]

A product improvement campaign is a manufacturer's way of fixing something that they believe is their responsibility either before it becomes a formal recall or to preclude it from becoming a formal recall.

Often if the manufacturer voluntarily starts the fix it process, then the gov will back off and let it run its course and not get involved even if they receive a decent number of complaints. And after the Toyota recall mess last year, no mfg wants to be forced into a formal recall if they can avoid it.