How Do I Know If My Car Has An Active Recall
Some people find out about recalls the old-fashioned way manufacturers send out a notice through the mail but its easy for that to get lost or thrown away. For those without that notice, the quickest way to check if your car has a recall is by visiting nhtsa.gov/recalls and using your vehicle identification number, ir VIN.
There are also some alternative methods to check if your vehicle has a recall. Your vehicles manufacturer often has recall lookup tools just like the NHTSA and weve listed them below for your convenience. You can also call your local dealership and ask them to check. The recall-specific phone numbers for each manufacturer are listed below.
Lastly, its possible to sign up for regular emails from the NHTSA that list every new recall that is announced.
How Does Nhtsa Conduct An Investigation
The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation investigative process consists of four parts:
1. Screening:
Under the screening process, available information including but not limited to Vehicle Owners Questionnaires , e-mail, additional letters, anonymous reports, and manufacturer-submitted information is reviewed by the Defects Assessment Division . DAD also reviews incoming service bulletins and other documents prepared by the manufacturers to identify foreign safety recalls, customer satisfaction campaigns, consumer advisories, and similar campaigns that should have been conducted as safety recalls in the United States. If DAD determines the available information indicates a safety-related trend or that a catastrophic failure is developing, this information is presented to a panel of ODI staff for a recommendation on whether to open a safety defect investigation.
2. Petition Analyses:
3. Investigations:
Investigations are conducted in two phases: the Preliminary Evaluation and the Engineering Analysis.
Preliminary Evaluation Engineering Analysis
Check If A Vehicle Part Or Accessory Has Been Recalled
Find out if the manufacturer has recalled a vehicle, part or accessory because of a serious safety problem.
You need to get your car fixed or replaced by the manufacturer if theres a problem. You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts.
If your vehicle has a serious safety defect, the manufacturer will write to you to tell you what to do. You must not drive the vehicle.
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Total Recalls: What They Are And How To Check If Your Car Has One
What you should know about recalls for your car, SUV, van, or truck.
Everybody makes mistakes, everybody has those daysthe timeless lyric from none other than Hannah Montana has helped us through more than one internal crisis, and it applies to automakers, too. Once in a while, an automotive manufacturer or one of its parts suppliers will make an error that could potentially put you in danger.
Luckily, there are systems in place to right those wrongs. Tens of millions of vehicles are recalled every year in the U.S.more than 31 million from 786 recalls in 2020 alone, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration . We’re here to spell out why and how car recalls are issued, the cost of recall work, and how to check if there’s an active recall on your vehicle. Let’s dive in.
Is This The Only Type Of Car
Driving your vehicle safely has a lot to do with its tires. It sounds obvious, but as the part of your car that connects with the road, your tires play a significant role in the overall safety-level of your vehicle. Vehicle safety features like 4WD, AWD and anti-lock brakes can all help you stay safe behind the wheel, but if your tires are damaged, poorly constructed or not appropriate for the road conditions youre driving in, you wont be as secure as you could be.
While airbag and brake recalls get more media attention, tire recalls are more common than you think. Recent tire issues that have caused recalls include bulges developing in the tread, tread separating from the tire, cracking sidewalls and air-loss all of which can increase the risk of a crash.
It is also possible to see recalls on child seats, sunroofs, trailers, steering wheels and more. If its attached to your car in any way a recall can impact your safety, the safety of your passengers, so its important to have them fixed.
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Examples Of Defects Not Considered Safety
- Air conditioners and radios that do not operate properly.
- Ordinary wear of equipment that has to be inspected, maintained and replaced periodically. Such equipment includes shock absorbers, batteries, brake pads and shoes, and exhaust systems.
- Nonstructural or body panel rust.
- Quality of paint or cosmetic blemishes.
- Excessive oil consumption.
What Cars Are Included In The Takata Airbag Recall
You depend on your car’s safety features to protect you from serious injury in the event of an accident. For this reason, it’s important to take any recalls of these components very seriously.
For example, the deployment effectiveness of your vehicle’s airbags can mean the difference between walking away with a few scratches or suffering serious bodily harm. That’s why when the news broke that Takata airbags installed in tens of millions of vehicles could explosively deploy and seriously injure occupants, the largest recall in U.S. history was initiated.
Vehicles from 19 car manufacturers spanning model years 1999-2020 are involved in the Takata airbag recall. Due to the scope of the recall, owners must check with their dealers or search online to see if their model is included.
However, sifting through endless car manufacturer recall lists can be a tedious undertaking. DoNotPay’s innovative Car Recall Monitor gets faster results so that you can schedule your vehicle for airbag replacement without further delays.
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If I Pay For Needed Repairs Before A Recall Is Ordered Am I Entitled To Reimbursement
Yes, under certain conditions. Manufacturers are required to provide reimbursement for certain costs incurred by owners to remedy safety defect conditions prior to a recall. Vehicle manufacturers are required to reimburse owners for costs incurred to remedy a defect based on either the date NHTSA opens its Engineering Analysis, or one year prior to the manufacturers notification of a defect to NHTSA, whichever is earlier. The closing date of eligibility for reimbursement of repair of a motor vehicle is 10 days after the manufacturer mails the last of the owner notices informing owners of a safety defect recall and cost-free remedy. For replacement of equipment, the closing date is either the same as for motor vehicles or 30 days after the manufacturers closing of its efforts to provide public notice of the existence of a defect, whichever is later. Documentation of the costs is required for reimbursement. While the current reimbursement policy is a relatively new requirement, manufacturers have in the past often voluntarily agreed to absorb such costs, provided customers could prove the pre-recall repairs remedied the defect in question.
Gm Toe Link Failures Allegedly Cause 84 Complaints 16 Crashes 10 Injuries And 2 Fatalities
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened the toe link investigation in November 2020 after receiving nine complaints about GM toe links that separated while driving.
Four of those complaints indicated the vehicles had been repaired during a 2014 GM toe link recall affecting 2010-2015 Cadillac SRX and 2011-2012 Saab 9-4X vehicles. The other five owners complained of toe link problems but their vehicles weren’t included in the 2014 GM toe link recall.
According to NHTSA, there have been at least 84 complaints, 16 crashes, 10 injuries and two fatalities allegedly caused by GM rear toe link failures.
GM owners complained their vehicles experienced “uncontrolled swaying” while driving and activation of the electronic stability control systems.
The remedy repair for the toe link recall was to inspect the rear toe link adjusters and replace them if necessary. Dealers were also instructed to tighten both jam nuts to the correct torque specification.
However, NHTSA learned the 2014 GM toe link recall repairs could be reversed when the vehicle gets a rear-end alignment and the jam nuts are not tightened to specification. Safety investigators also confirmed a high toe link failure rate in GM vehicles that were repaired, and vehicles that were not repaired in the 2014 toe link recall.
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How Are Problems With Recalled Vehicles Or Equipment Remedied
Once a safety-defect determination is made, the law gives the manufacturer three options for correcting the defect repair, replacement, or refund. In the case of a vehicle recall, the manufacturer may choose to repair the vehicle at no charge replace the vehicle with an identical or similar vehicle or refund the purchase price in full, minus a reasonable allowance for depreciation. In the case of equipment, including tires and child safety seats, the manufacturer may either repair or replace the affected equipment at no charge to the consumer.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L Headlight Recall
Potential Number of Units Affected 36,929
Summary
Chrysler is recalling certain Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles equipped with smart lighting modules . An incomplete SLM software update may cause one or both headlights to become inoperable. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment. Inoperable headlights can reduce visibility for the driver and oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will reprogram the SLM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 28, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLCs number for this recall is Y72.
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Do Manufacturers Ever Initiate Recalls Without A Government Order
Yes. Most decisions to conduct a recall and remedy a safety defect are made voluntarily by manufacturers prior to any involvement by NHTSA. Through their own tests, inspection procedures, and information-gathering systems, manufacturers often discover that a safety defect exists or that the requirements of a Federal safety standard have not been met. The manufacturer is obligated to report such findings to the Government and take appropriate action to correct the problem. However, as vehicles age with use, certain design and performance problems may occur that prompt vehicle owners to file complaints with NHTSA. The many reports received by the public form the basis for NHTSAs defect investigations, which often result in significant safety recalls.
Bmw Diesel Fuel System Recall
Potential Number of Units Affected 50,404
Summary
BMW of North America, LLC is recalling certain 2013-2018 328d, 328d xDrive, 2014-2018 328d Sports Wagon, 328d xDrive Sports Wagon, 2014-2016 535d, 535d xDrive, 2015 740Ld xDrive, 2015-2017 X3 xDrive28d SAV, and 2014-2017 X5 xDrive35d SAV diesel vehicles equipped with an Exhaust Gas Recirculation module with an integrated cooler. The EGR cooler may leak internally, causing coolant to mix with diesel engine soot, which could result in smoldering particles and a melting intake manifold. A melting intake manifold increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed January 12, 2022. This recall includes all vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755. Vehicles previously recalled under 18V-755 will need to have the new remedy performed for this recall. Owners may contact BMW customer service at 1-800-525-7417.
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Here’s How To Check If Your Car Has A Recall
Find your VIN, visit the NHTSA website and you’ll be good to go.
Car recalls happen far more often than you may realize, and the truth is, your car may be part of one at any moment. Whether you purchased a car new or used, owned it for months or years, open recalls happen all the time — and you’re entitled to a repair for your car, truck or SUV. Automakers are required by law to send out recall alerts to owners, including via mail, email and sometimes over the phone, but these notices can be pretty easy to miss. Thankfully, keeping tabs on open recalls is actually a very simple process.
If you’re wondering if your vehicle is part of a recall, read on to follow the simple steps to check.
How To Check If Your Car Is Affected By A Recall
There’s a chance an open recall could exist on the vehicle in your driveway as you read this. Automakers are required to contact owners about recalls that apply to their vehicles, but especially if you’re the second or third owner or service the vehicle at an independent shop, the manufacturer may not have your contact information.
Oh, and don’t assume just because you bought a used car from a dealership that it’s had all the recall work performed. Juliet Guerra of the National Automobile Dealers Association told us unless a used vehicle is determined by the NHTSA or the manufacturer to be too dangerous to drive or operate, it can still be sold by dealers. According to Guerra, “Dealers fully embrace providing notice to consumers so they are fully aware of any identified defects and can arrange to have the defect repaired as soon as parts are available.”
The easiest way to check for open recalls on your car is to visit the NHTSA’s recall site and enter your Vehicle Identification Number or VIN.
The NHTSA also recently introduced its SaferCar app, which can notify you when recalls are issued for your vehicle. Upon downloading, you can enter your VIN or year, make, and model , and the app will alert you if the manufacturer issues a recall.
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How Donotpay Can Help
Rather than handling this critical airbag recall by yourself, DoNotPay features a Car Recall Monitor that can expedite the search process for you. Follow the steps given below to access the Recall Monitor.
Once you have found your vehicle is included in the Takata airbag recall, you can use DoNotPay’s Car Recall Repair product to schedule the replacement at your local dealership.
Why Use Donotpay To Handle Your Takata Airbag Recall
Searching through the NHTSA’s website for the car airbag recall list can be a laborious task. Fortunately, DoNotCall makes this process more efficient with the Recall Monitor and Recall Repair products so you can schedule your vehicle as quickly as possible. DoNotPay is fast, easy, and successful. Its automatic system contacts the dealership for you to request an appointment for your vehicle ‘s airbag replacement.
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National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Recall Process
In the U.S. the NHTSA sets safety standards. Part of what the NHTSA does is require manufacturers to repair safety-related defects at no cost to vehicle owners.
Costs associated with the parts and labor that go into getting defects repaired are significant for manufacturers and can lead to resistance to full-scale recalls. However, the NHTSA follows a recall process to ensure that safety-related defects are addressed. The process is as follows:
If there are enough reports filed about the same issues with the same make, model and year of the vehicle, the NHTSA may open an investigation.
Schedule Service With Your Dealer
Recall work can be performed at your local dealership, simply by scheduling an appointment. Some recalls are more urgent than others, but regardless, you shouldn’t wait to have this important work completed. In some cases, the dealer can even arrange to have your vehicle towed if the matter is particularly serious. No matter the type or extent of the recall, all repair work is completed at no cost to you, the owner.
For even more peace of mind, you can receive recall email alerts from NHTSA, by signing up at nhtsa.gov/alerts.
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Information For Suppliers Manufacturers And Distributors
If you manufacture, import, distribute, retail, supply or re-supply road vehicles or approved road vehicle components by way of sale, exchange, lease, hire or hire purchase, you are responsible for undertaking recall action in the event of a safety or non-compliance issue with a vehicle or component.
If you determine a vehicle or vehicle component does not comply with applicable standards, you should commence voluntary recall action as soon as possible to prevent possible injury or even death.
Under the RVS legislation, we are responsible for the safety recall provisions of road vehicles and approved road vehicle components.
In accordance with Australian Consumer Law, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission is responsible for some vehicle-related consumer products not covered by the RVS legislation .
It is the responsibility of suppliers, manufacturers and distributors to inform the appropriate entitythe Department or the ACCCwhen a safety recall is identified. You can notify us through our online portal ROVER or find more information on our suppliers, manufacturers and distributors page.
