Has Your Vehicle Been Recalled for Safety Defects?

Manufacturing or design defects in vehicles can cause catastrophic injuriesor deaths. For instance, many recalled vehicles contain Takata’s airbaginflators, which are associated with multiple deaths and catastrophic injuries.The inflators can explode and send metal shrapnel flying into the cabins ofvehicles. This is only one example that highlights the importance of knowingwhether your vehicle is under recall.

A recent Carfax study found that 63 million vehicles with safetydefects are being driven on roads across the country. Althoughautomakers are required by law to inform their customers of recalls, there areseveral reasons why owners may not receive repairs. It can take months to get avehicle with a Takata airbag fixed. Takata and multiple automakers have beenchastised for not doing enough to facilitate more repairs for vehicles affectedby the recall.

Vehicle owners may also not receive repairs because they are unaware thatrecalls have been issued. For whatever reason, they simply did not receivecrucial recall notices from their auto manufacturers. Our blog is going to walkyou through how to sign up with the National Highway Traffic SafetyAdministration (also called NHTSA) and how to check the recall status of yourvehicle online.

How to Check the Recall Status of Your Vehicle

To check the recall status of your vehicle, you will first need to grab yourvehicle identification number. This is also called the “VIN.” Many autoinsurance policy cards display this number. It may also be found on insurancedocuments, your vehicle’s title or on auto shop repair records. If all elsefails, you can also check the driver’s side dashboard.

Once you have the VIN, it’s time to visit https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.After arriving at the website, type your VIN into the search feature at the topof the page. Search results could inform you of any open recalls associatedwith your vehicle. However, it may also say “zero recalls are associated withthis VIN.”

This search tool covers vehicle safety recalls that are incomplete. It mayalso display vehicle recalls conducted over the past 15 years. Recalls forlight automobiles (for example, if you own an ATV or motorcycle) may also beincluded. Search results will not cover recalls from more than 15 years ago orcompleted recalls. International vehicles and very recently announced recallsmay also be excluded from the search results.

Even if the website informed you that your vehicle has no open recalls, youshould still take action to register your vehicle with NHTSA’s website. Yourvehicle could always be recalled later. If you registerwith NHTSA, you could receive an email notification for future recalls.

What Can I Do if My Vehicle is Under Recall?

If you discover that your vehicle has an unrepaired recall, then it isimportant to contact your dealership to schedule an appointment for repairs.Automakers are required by federal law to fix recalls at no cost. You couldalso inquire about a rental vehicle if the dealership does not have the partsto conduct repairs.

If you or a loved one were harmed by a defective auto part, then you shouldspeak with an attorney to discuss legal options. It may be possible to hold theauto manufacturer or other parties accountable for injuries or deaths caused bydefects.

Walsh Woodard, LLC has an extensive history ofhelping individuals who were harmed by the negligent actions of others. Tospeak with one of our Hartford product liability lawyers, you may call (860)549-8440 or describe your situation by filling out our online case review form.