WHAT SHOULD I KNOW ABOUT SAFETY RECALLS, IN GENERAL?
A safety recall happens when the manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determines that part of a vehicle has a safety-related defect or does not comply with a federal safety standard. Most decisions to conduct a recall and remedy a safety defect are made voluntarily by manufacturers, prior to any involvement by NHTSA. Typically, a safety recall will be issued for a specific vehicle model or specific parts that may be common among many different vehicles. The manufacturer will notify its authorized dealers and registered vehicle owners so that the owner can take their vehicle to the authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair.
WHAT IS NHTSA?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a government agency within the US Department of Transportation. Their mission is “to save lives, prevent injuries, and reduce economic costs due to road traffic, crashes, through education, research, safety standards, and enforcement.” NHTSA enforces regulations relating to vehicle performance standards and equipment as well as investigates safety defects.
HOW DO I FIND OUT IF THE VEHICLE THAT I WANT TO PURCHASE HAS A SAFETY RECALL?
Visit the NHTSA website at https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ and enter the vehicle’s Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) into the lookup tool. The results will show you whether or not that particular vehicle is subject to any open safety recalls. The website also provides general information on safety recalls based on a vehicles year, make and model. Please understand that we are not affiliated with nor do we have any control over the NHTSA website and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information they report. The information available through their website is subject to several factors, including but not limited to recently announced recalls and whether the manufacturer has reported the most up to date information. As a result, there may be a recall that has been repaired but still appears as open or a recall not yet visible.
DOES THE AUTO CONNECTION FIX OPEN SAFETY RECALLS?
Some of our vehicles may have unrepaired safety recalls. There are several reasons that we may unable to fix an open safety recall, including but not limited to recently announced recalls, whether the manufacturer has reported the most up to date information, whether the parts needed are in supply from the manufacturer and whether we are authorized to repair such recalls. The Auto Connection notifies customers of any open recalls that are listed within the VIN Lookup tool on the NHTSA website at https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/, prior to purchase. Please understand that we are not affiliated with nor do we have any control over the NHTSA website and we cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information they report. The information available through their website is subject to several factors, including but not limited to recently announced recalls and whether the manufacturer has reported the most up to date information. As a result, there may be a recall that has been repaired but still appears as open or a recall not yet visible.
AFTER I PURCHASE A VEHICLE, HOW WILL I KNOW IF MY VEHICLE IS SUBJECT TO ANY SAFETY RECALLS IN THE FUTURE?
We recommend that you register your vehicle with the manufacturer as soon as you purchase it. You will register by going directly to your manufacturers website. The process varies depending on the manufacturer though typically you will need a mailing address, the date that you purchased the vehicle and vehicle specific information such as year, make, model and VIN. By registering with the manufacturer, you will receive information on safety recalls, as well as other important information, directly. Manufacturers must notify all registered owners and purchasers of vehicles by first class mail. You can also visit http://www.safercar.gov/ and sign up to receive from NHTSA e-mail recall notifications affecting your make and model; download the Safercar mobile app for iPhones or Android to have recall alerts sent to your phone; or subscribe to RSS feeds about safety-related recalls for child restraints, vehicles and tires.