Whether you are buying a used car or have owned a car for a few years it is important to check to see if the car has been recalled. Not only will this save you money when getting your car fixed, this can prevent you from harming yourself or others on the road.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has developed an online search tool where drivers can find out if a specific car has been recalled and why. This law was passed in 2014 requiring car companies to provide at least 15 years of data for the tool.
There has been an alarming amount of car recalls this past year, so much that According to a 2016 CARFAX study, over 47 million cars on the road today have an open safety recall. Minivans are at the greatest risk with 1 in 4 subject to open recalls. SUVs and sedans face a similar threat, with 1 in 5 of each vehicle type facing open recalls.
In Connecticut, there is an 18.08% chance that your car has a recall, with Waterbury having the highest percentage of 21%. (Carfax.com, 2016)
People who want to check on a car first need to get the vehicle's 17-digit VIN. It can be found where the windshield meets the dashboard in the left corner, on the driver's door post and on insurance and registration documents.
As soon as have your VIN number head over to Safercar.gov to quickly learn if a specific vehicle has not been repaired as part of a safety recall in the last 15 years.