Transportation

Feds: check your vehicle for safety recalls

Car repair
Andrea Piacquadio photo via Pexels

As daylight saving time approaches, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is raising awareness about the dangers of ignoring vehicle safety recalls and is calling on drivers to get the free repairs done as soon as possible.

“Just as it’s important to regularly check your smoke alarm batteries or reset your clocks, consumers should also get in the habit of checking for vehicle safety recalls regularly,” NHTSA Acting Administrator Ann Carlson said. “Recalls are a serious matter, and having a recalled vehicle repaired as soon as possible could save your life.”

New recall information collected by the safety agency shows in 2022, there were 932 vehicle safety recalls affecting more than 30.8 million vehicles in the United States. 

While not all recalls are high profile, all recalls are important, the agency said. Vehicle owners can use NHTSA’s recalls website to check for any recalls on their vehicles, tires and car seats.

How to check: 

  • Use NHTSA’s Recalls Lookup Tool to check your Vehicle Identification Number for any open recalls.
  • Download our SaferCar app, enter your VIN and let the app check automatically for you. 
  • If your vehicle does have a recall, call your automaker’s local dealer to schedule the free repair. 
  • Sign up at NHTSA.gov/Alerts to be notified by email if your vehicle is affected by a future safety recall. 

If you think a vehicle may have a safety defect that isn’t part of a current recall, contact NHTSA online or by calling the agency’s Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time.

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