You can recall tanks in an instant. No vehicle should be recalled if its damaged and they should have to wait on the RDV just like when theyre dropped off. No teleporting. Recalling cant be an exploit to get your tank out of harm's way when things go badly.

Recently after viewing a topic on these forums made about Redline Railgun tanks, the OP made a really good suggestion about how the recall mechanic could be fixed, and I thought it was so good I've decided to make a topic to highlight it, I'll include his quote right here:
To expand on this quote, if a vehicle is damaged (at all) the player gets absolutely no recall function until it's fully repaired. This would mean that in the heat of battle the user would have to jump out to repair it AND THEN begin the recall process, which would definetely allow enough time for the tank to get destroyed if they attempt that when they are being shot. Another option would they would have to escape to a supply depot, and then initiate the recall.

Honestly i think this is 100% the best solution, and the easiest to code for CCP. Thoughts?

Are you still seeing this on a regular basis? As an ADS pilot unless the tank runs to cover in their redline I'll just shoot them if they get out and I rarely get that opportunity. I carry a repair tool on my pilot suit to fix my Python but then I don't have a reason to recall it.

I may be wrong but I think this is already somewhat implement, not sure where the line is drawn though...

There have been many instances where i can't recall my dropship until i repair it up to a certain point....

That forces shield tankers to run armor reppers or have a dropsuit with a reptool that takes WAAAYYY too long.
Bad idea is bad.

In 1.0 the vehicle taking damage reset and prevented the recall for about 10seconds or so, it was mostly balanced by that short reset.
Reactivate & change that timer to 30 seconds and no tanks would be recalling unfairly anymore 99% of the time.

It is, but only when its smoking/on fire

Honestly, I think POTHEAD's timer is a better idea. Especially since, I'm assuming, by damage you mean armour damage. Which means shield tankers need to fit a repair tool (OR MAYBE CCP COULD MOVE THE SUPPLY DEPOTS -_-), while armour tanks just roll on their merry way.

If you're playing in any mode besides ambush your supply depot access should be fine, but i do see your point about armor tankers. But, there was a post just above this one which added "and all active modules have refreshed". This would completely fix the idea that armor reppers could still recall because they would have to use an active module (that has a long cooldown time) before they could even begin the recall.

That really makes no sense at all, and as a previous responder pointed out, it not only penalizes shield tanks who use armor plates as additional buffer, but also forces pilots to carry a repair tool.

The only 'proper' fix would be to have an RDV actually fly down, pick up the HAV, cloak, and fly away. Same as deployment but in reverse.

Except armor active modules have a shorter cooldown than shield modules.

If you're playing in any mode besides ambush your supply depot access should be fine, but i do see your point about armor tankers. But, there was a post just above this one which added "and all active modules have refreshed". This would completely fix the idea that armor reppers could still recall because they would have to use an active module (that has a long cooldown time) before they could even begin the recall.

So passive tanks aren't allowed to recall anymore?

:/

Just make the RDV come down, and increase the time it takes to actually recall the vehicle. Problem solved.

Armor reps are passive they have no cooldown time.

Consider how CCP handles the RDV simply dropping the vehicle, can you imagine their attempt at having it pick one up? And pilots DO NOT need to carry repair tools because all they have to do is sit next to a friendly supply depot, and SHABAM, their repaired very fast. The only mode this would limit pilots in is AMBUSH, and hey, isn't that a really good thing since people hate that vehicles plauge ambush? This would severely give them a disadvantage in ambush that infantry could use to their advantage.

So again, Armor tanks have the advantage over shield because they don't need to find a resupply.

And again, Armor tanks have the advantage over shield because their modules are shorter cooldown (if you go with the module idea)

Also I dont think you realize how difficult it is to find an accessible resupply...in most cases 80% of them are unreachable by HAVs, so if the enemy captures or destroys all of the available ones...are you just screwed because you decided to use a shield tank without an armor repper?

A repair tool should honestly be a sound requirement for vehicle users that run shield, who also want the ability to recall whenever they want. And only in certain cases are supply depots hard to find, I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not, but I'm a veteran dropship pilot, and know the locations of all the supply depots on every map when I'm flying. There is ALWAYS one at your ground spawn behind the redline, therfore making it only occasionally neccecary for a armor repair tool for a shield tanker that's in trouble.

The entire purpose of this mechanic would be to stop recalls in combat situations, and that's the most common way the recall mechanic is abused.

A repair tool should honestly be a sound requirement for vehicle users that run shield, who also want the ability to recall whenever they want. And only in certain cases are supply depots hard to find, I'm not sure if you're aware of this or not, but I'm a veteran dropship pilot, and know the locations of all the supply depots on every map when I'm flying. There is ALWAYS one at your ground spawn behind the redline, therfore making it only occasionally neccecary for a armor repair tool for a shield tanker that's in trouble.

The entire purpose of this mechanic would be to stop recalls in combat situations, and that's the most common way the recall mechanic is abused.

If your infantry suit is at all anyway damaged and doesnt have all ammo on it and equipment you cannot swap at a depot

Are you stating that as a suggestion or as fact? Because I'm fairly certain that isn't true, and it should not become true.