Recall. It's a word many car owners will hear at some point, and when it comes up it's an irritation to everyone involved. The recall process was designed as a way to get potentially unsafe vehicles off the road, and thanks to some high-profile cases, most auto manufacturers will voluntarily issue a recall before any investigations by government agencies begin that could lead to a forced recall and a major tarnishing of brand reputation. That's great for road safety, but it also creates a sea of recalls and lots of questions-especially when you own a recalled vehicle. Here are four simple steps to take to help you wade through it all:
1. Determine what recalls (if any) have been issued for your vehicle:
There's a pretty good chance that the first place you'll hear about a new recall that might affect you is in the news media, but that doesn't mean you have to take immediate action. It will take manufacturers, dealers and other parties involved in the process a while to work out exactly how they're going to address the problem. Normally, you can wait to receive a notice in the mail from the manufacturer that will include directions on how to have the recall problem fixed.
However, there are a number of reasons you might not receive a notice in the mail for all recalls. So it's a good idea to check periodically for any recalls on your vehicle. A good rule of thumb: check for recalls whenever you have regular maintenance performed.
There's more than one way to find out if any recalls have been issued for your vehicle. You can start with the manufacturer's website, local dealers, and safercar.gov (which is run by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and lists all safety-related recalls, both voluntary recalls and those ordered by the government).
It's best to check with BOTH official government sources and auto industry sources as there are cases when some recalls won't necessarily be on both sites. For instance, voluntary recalls of systems not related to safety, like air conditioning or stereos, don't have to go through the government. Or, one government source may be slower to post new recalls than the other.
Pulling a CARFAX report on your vehicle is perhaps the easiest way to see which recalls apply to your specific vehicle and VIN, and can be especially useful in purchasing a used car. Recalls can be an important consideration in the price of a used car, because generally, manufacturers are no longer required to cover the cost of repairing a recall if the car if more than ten years old.
While you're at it, do a search for any "technical service bulletins," sometimes referred to as 'hidden recalls,' for your vehicle. TSBs are like internal memos distributed to dealer service departments on mechanical and other potential issues discovered in the process of servicing vehicles. They often contain information on problems you may want to address, particularly if your car is still under warranty, and sometimes offer a preview of a future recall. NHTSA also has a searchable database of TSBs on their website.
As if that weren't enough, the EPA also issues emissions recalls that may require attention (they're online at http://www.epa.gov/otaq/recall.htm). Families will also want to check for any open recalls on child seats, which are also listed by NHTSA.