Fairly often, you’ll see
reports in the news about vehicle recalls. You hope that the recall doesn’t
affect the car you own, but if it does, you don’t have to panic.
A recall means you can
have your car repaired or replaced at any of the brand’s dealerships. Repairs
are free as long as the vehicle is not more than 10 years old on the date the
defect or noncompliance is determined, and can be initiated by any owner.
You should be notified by
mail, but if you changed addresses or aren't the original owner, you might not
have received the mailing.
Recalls are published at safercar.gov and
reported by the news media, but it can take a month or more after any
announcements for manufacturers to notify owners and to send essential
parts and repair instructions to dealers. Your alert may also arrive by
electronic notification, or via an onboard communication system in the car, if
it is so equipped.
You may choose to wait to be officially notified if it's a minor repair, but if your car shows signs of a dangerous problem, you should call your dealer and ask to have the problem checked. They will help you assess how quickly your vehicle needs to be brought in. Your recall notification will specify exactly what you need to do and should indicate how long the repair should take, describe the safety risk caused by the defect and explain any potential hazards. The notice should also include a quality assurance number to call if any problems develop when trying to get the work done.
You may choose to wait to be officially notified if it's a minor repair, but if your car shows signs of a dangerous problem, you should call your dealer and ask to have the problem checked. They will help you assess how quickly your vehicle needs to be brought in. Your recall notification will specify exactly what you need to do and should indicate how long the repair should take, describe the safety risk caused by the defect and explain any potential hazards. The notice should also include a quality assurance number to call if any problems develop when trying to get the work done.
Could
your vehicle have any recalls?
You can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153), or research recalls and complaints at safercar.gov.
You can contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle safety hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (tty: 1-800-424-9153), or research recalls and complaints at safercar.gov.
Each manufacturer has its own dedicated
informational recall centers that can check a vehicle's Vehicle Identification
Number (VIN) to identify whether the car is part of any recalls; they can even
tell you if the car has had any recall repairs in its history.
Do your
research when shopping for a car
Recall repairs can even be required for a new car, so it's not a bad idea to ask the dealer to check for recalls or technical service bulletins before you drive a new car off the lot. If you're shopping for a used car, check up-to-date safety recall information at safercar.gov or purchase a CARFAX report to reveal any recall information in the history of the car.
Recall repairs can even be required for a new car, so it's not a bad idea to ask the dealer to check for recalls or technical service bulletins before you drive a new car off the lot. If you're shopping for a used car, check up-to-date safety recall information at safercar.gov or purchase a CARFAX report to reveal any recall information in the history of the car.
-PFCU
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