The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) guidelines call for issuing a recall when there is an “unreasonable safety risk” or failure to meet minimum safety standards. The majority of recalls are made voluntarily by the car manufacturers. Here’s how to check whether your car, regardless of the manufacturer, is under a recall:
- You can do a free online search at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website, nhtsa.gov/recalls and use the recall look-up tool. You can search for recalls using your 17-character vehicle identification number (VIN) found on the lower left of your car's windshield or on your car's vehicle registration card or by entering your car’s make/model.
- You can also use SaferCar.gov to get recall information. Here you can read about consumer complaints and defects in the various car makes and models as well as crash ratings, tire safety, car seats, etc.
- Consumers may file complaints about vehicles, tires, car seats or other equipment. The NHTSA says it looks for patterns in complaints to help decide whether to open an investigation.
- If you are purchasing a used car, be sure to first check it out at VehicleHistory.gov or by using a vendor such as CARFAX.com. Always check and never assume that a used car has had its recalls addressed by the seller.
- If you want to stay on top of automotive recalls, sign up at SaferCar.gov here to receive email alerts and download a mobile phone app.
The NHTSA and car manufacturers notify consumers by mail in the event of a recall. If you happen to get a recall notice, contact your local dealership as soon as you can to obtain the free repair.
Sometimes, in the case of a widespread recall, local dealerships may not have replacement parts available right away. In that case, consumers should follow the advice in the recall, which may include not driving the car until it’s fixed or possibly getting a rental.
If you buy a used car, you should still get notifications about recalls, as manufacturers are supposed to keep track of registrations at state DMVs. But just in case, you should sign up for the NHTSA announcements.
