How To Find Recalls On My Car

Car Dealership's Service Center — Don Bricklayer/Getty Images

Your automobile may be function of a recall this very moment and you may have no idea. Car recalls happen far more often than you may realize, so information technology's a skilful thought to check on your car's status every one time in a while. Automakers are required by law to transport out recall alerts to owners, which they do past mail, electronic mail and sometimes over the phone, only these notices can exist pretty piece of cake to miss. Nevertheless, keeping tabs on open recalls is really a very simple process. Recall, whether you lot purchased a car new or used, or endemic it for months or years, open recalls happen all the time -- and you're entitled to a repair for your car, truck or SUV.

Luckily there are but a few simple steps to follow to check if your car is afflicted by a recall.

1. Locate your VIN

Think of your car'southward unique 17-grapheme vehicle identification number, or VIN, like your vehicle's series number. By police force, every vehicle congenital since 1981 has its VIN printed behind the lower driver'due south side corner of the windshield, as pictured above. All the same, you can also find your VIN on your vehicle registration or insurance carte, or on a placard on the driver's door jamb.

If you lot prefer to avert typing out all those letters and numbers, there are several third-party apps available for both iOS and Android where you utilize your phone to browse your vehicle'south bar lawmaking (oft located on the windshield or in a door jamb) and they can automatically scan for call up information. Many of these apps will besides tell you all about your particular vehicle's specifications and maintenance history.

The 17-grapheme VIN is specific to your particular vehicle and can be found on the lower corner of your windshield.

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2. Bank check NHTSA'south database

The Us government works with automakers to report, track and share recalls through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Your first pace is to check out the federal bureau's think page, nhtsa.gov/recalls, and enter your VIN. If zilch comes up, you're golden. If whatever open recalls do populate, motility on to our third and concluding step.

Y'all can also use NHTSA'south site to check on vehicle-related products, including as machine seats, tires or auxiliary equipment, besides every bit recalls for motorcycles and motorhomes.

Many automakers take their own call back portals online and price-gratis numbers, too.

Read more than:How to Go Your Car Repaired at Dwelling house

You can get recall data for car seats, tires and other automotive equipment on the NHTSA website.

National Highway Traffic Safe Administration

3. Register your car on the SaferCar app

If going to the NHTSA web page on your own time seems similar a drag, download the SaferCar app and add together your vehicle and VIN. The app volition automatically alert you if your machine has a call up, pushing an warning to your telephone once NHTSA files the retrieve documents for public viewing. What's actually cool is you lot can also add car seats, tires and other equipment to the app and get an alert if any of those products need fixing as well.

4. Schedule service with your dealer

Your local dealership tin perform recall work; only schedule an date. Some recalls are more urgent than others, but regardless, y'all shouldn't look to have this important work completed. In some cases, the dealer can even arrange to accept your vehicle towed if the matter is especially serious. No affair the type or extent of the recall, all repair piece of work is completed at no toll to you lot, the owner.

NHTSA says that i in four vehicles on the road has an unrepaired remember. Yous owe it to the safe of yourself and your family to stay on top of your car's recall status.