A vehicle recall happens if the manufacturer (or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA) decides the vehicle model has a defect that can impact its safe operation or it fails to comply with a federal safety standard. The manufacturer will alert owners to the issue and will normally offer to repair it without charge. A recall can be voluntary on the manufacturer’s part or mandated by NHTSA.
The letter you receive should have the following:
- A description of the problem
- The risk or hazard created by the problem
- Potential warning signs to look out for
- How the company will fix the problem, including when a fix will be available and how long it should take
- What you should do next.
Take steps to make sure you learn of recalls
Usually your next step is to arrange for a repair with the nearest dealer. If your vehicle has been recalled, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s so dangerous you shouldn’t drive it (though that kind of warning is possible if that’s the case). It just means there’s a problem that needs to be addressed as soon as you can.
You’ll get this letter if you’re the registered owner with the manufacturer. This registration happens when you buy the vehicle new. You should update the manufacturer if you move and contact the company and give them your contact information if you bought the vehicle used.
You can also check to see whether your vehicle has been recalled by doing a search on this NHTSA website based on the make and model of the vehicle or its vehicle identification number (or VIN, a 17-character string of letters and numbers) which can be seen through the windshield in the corner in front of the driver. If you’re buying a used vehicle, it’s important to see whether it has been subject to a recall. This way you can make the purchase subject to it's being repaired, or at least buy it with the knowledge that it will need some work.
Vehicle problems that can lead to a recall
Examples of safety-related vehicle recalls include:
- Steering components whose failure could result in a partial or complete loss of vehicle control
- Fuel system defects, which, if the vehicle’s involved in a collision, could result in a fuel leak and cause a fire
- Accelerator controls that may break or stick, resulting in uncontrolled acceleration
- Tires whose treads could separate, possibly leading to loss of vehicle control
- Wheels that crack or break, potentially causing it to come off the vehicle while you’re driving
- Windshield wiper assemblies that can fail to operate properly, making the vehicle dangerous to drive if it’s raining or snowing
- Wiring system defects that could cause a fire or a loss of lighting
- Car jacks that could fail, injuring a person changing a tire
- Air bags that deploy when they’re not supposed to, causing a loss of control; or when they deploy so violently that metal pieces injure the driver or passengers.
What might happen if you don’t take action
If you’re put on notice of a defect and fail to take steps to have it repaired, you risk having a car accident caused by that defect. By ignoring the problem, you could be endangering your safety along with the safety of your passengers and those you share the road with.
Drivers are under a legal duty to act reasonably when it comes to owning and operating a vehicle. If you fail to live up to that duty and someone else is harmed, you could be the defendant in a personal injury lawsuit claiming your negligence caused harm to another. If a death is caused in an accident, depending on the seriousness of the recall, your knowledge of it and your failure to take it seriously, you could be criminally charged with manslaughter.
We all have things to do and places to go. Many of us live very well-planned lives, and often our tight schedules don’t allow for unplanned visits to a dealer to get our recalled vehicle fixed. The hassle of getting this repair will be a tiny fraction of the hassle and harm done if the repair is not performed and an accident happens. You may be able to prevent an accident -- an accident can’t be un-done after it happens.
