Is Your Vehicle Affected by a Safety Recall?

As a driver, you expect your car to run well. A well-functioning vehicle is a safer vehicle. But sometimes defects can happen during the manufacturing process. And when this occurs, it can mean your car isn’t as safe to drive as it should be.

What happens when defects like this exist and are affecting your vehicle? The NHTSA has a system in place to monitor potential motor vehicle safety defects. With this system, safety recalls are issued when necessary. 

If your vehicle has been affected by a safety recall, it’s important that you take your car in for the necessary repairs. When you take your car in, in response to a recall, the manufacturer is required to fix the defect, whether that means repairing it, replacing the affected part, or giving you a refund. In certain rare cases, they might even purchase the vehicle back from you.

How the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Recall Process Works

The NHTSA recall process relies on drivers reporting problems with their vehicles that might be safety-related. If you’re experiencing something with your vehicle that appears to be a safety-related defect, you can report it here.

If the NHTSA receives a number of similar complaints about a vehicle, it will review the information to decide whether or not to begin an investigation. If it opens an investigation, the investigation ends with either recall recommendations being made to the vehicle’s manufacturer or a finding that there isn’t a safety-related defect. 

Most manufacturers will initiate a recall voluntarily, based on the NHTSA’s recommendations. When a safety recall has been issued, affected vehicle owners can bring their vehicles in to be repaired. In most cases, if your vehicle is affected by a safety recall, you’ll be mailed a recall notification.

Is Your Vehicle Subject to a Safety Recall?

The NHTSA maintains a list of safety recalls by manufacturers on its site, but the best way to check to see if your vehicle is affected by a safety recall is to use the NHTSA’s VIN recall lookup tool.

Your VIN is a 17-digit number that can be found in the lower-left corner of your car’s front windshield. You can also find your VIN on your vehicle registration card. 

Once you have your VIN, input it into the NHTSA’s lookup tool. It will tell you whether your vehicle is subject to a safety recall within the last 15 years for which it hasn’t been repaired. 

Note that if your vehicle was subject to a recall but has been repaired for that particular recall, the VIN lookup tool won’t show this recall information. The lookup tool also won’t show safety recalls that are more than 15 years old, non-safety-related recalls and recalls that affect international cars. 

Get Assistance from a Tifton Accident Attorney

Staying safe while on the road is important for all drivers, but accidents can and do happen. If you or a loved one has been injured as a result of a traffic accident, Hudson Injury Firm can help. Contact us to speak with a Tifton accident attorney today.