You hear about automotive recalls all the time in
the newspaper, on the Internet, as well as on the nightly news. Amazingly,
one in 12 cars traveling the roads today were recalled for one reason or
another in 2003. However, even more amazing is the fact that only one third
of the owners of the recalled vehicles chose to take their car in for the
needed repairs. The car manufacturers are required to send out letters
informing owners of these vehicles of the recall, regardless of whether it
is a major or minor event. Also, the information regarding the recall is
delivered to consumers in so many different mediums it is almost impossible
that owners of the affected vehicles do not learn of the problems. However,
people seem to think that if they are not experiencing any problems at the
moment then the recall affects all of the other vehicles instead of theirs
and end up ignoring the recall. This is negligence and simply asking for the
problem with the car to crop up. However, if this happens after the recall
then it is the owners fault because they were given the information and
allowed to fix the problem free of charge yet they simply ignored it. As
long as car manufactures report the recall and inform owners of the vehicles
as they are required to do by law, it is up to the consumer to take
advantage of the recall and have their automobile fixed. If not, then the
owner is taking the risk. If you have not heard anything about car recalls
or just bought a used vehicle and want to find out if the manufacturer
issued any recalls then you should check out
www.nhtsa.gov or
www.autorecalls.org to see if your car is listed.
Both of these websites have all the information about recalls over the
past years so you can search through the year, make, and model of a vehicle
to see if yours is listed. It is very likely you will see your car listed on
one of these website because more than 31 million cars were recalled in
2004. That is almost unbelievable considering the amount of technology used
in developing cars as well as the fact that cars are safer than they have
ever been. However, it is true that mistakes are still taking places and
consumers are buying vehicles with basic problems like fuses or major
problems with gas lines, tires, and seats buckling in crashes. Regardless of
whether or not you believe you are driving a safe car you need to check out
the websites stated above every few months just to make sure your vehicle
has not ended up on the list. If it has, don’t fall into the two thirds of
individuals who never respond to the recall. Instead, head to the nearest
dealership or authorized mechanic who can make the free repairs to your
vehicle. Why so many people don’t have time for free repairs is beyond me,
but knowing your vehicle has a problem that could be potentially fatal for
you and your family and that a free repair is available should be enough to
motivate you to have the repair taken care of.
Another thing to keep in mind is that simple problems with your vehicle
that result in a visit to the mechanic may not be a problem you are required
to pay for. Millions of Americans each year take their cars to the mechanic
for a basic repair, or even a major one, assuming something went wrong and
they simply need to fix it. Unfortunately, many of these individuals never
check to see if the problem was due to a recall and end up paying for a
repair that might be free or discounted by the automobile manufacturer. So,
armed with this knowledge the next time your vehicle has even the slightest
problem make sure you check and see if the car has been recalled for similar
problems and if you can get free repairs or discounted ones at the least. It
is certainly worth checking out and could save you hundreds or even
thousands of dollars.
Who Issues Recalls?
In general, the reason so many people don’t respond to recalls is because
they simply don’t understand the recall process. The NHTSA , National
Highway and Traffic Safety Administration, is responsible for investigating
consumer complaints regarding specific vehicles and problems associated with
them. After several consumers have reported the same or similar problem to
the NHTSA for the same model vehicle an investigation is launched. The point
of the NHTSA investigation is to determine whether the consumer caused the
problem or malfunction in some way or if the manufacturer of the vehicle is
at fault. If the manufacturer is determined to be at fault then the owners
of affected models will receive information in the mail regarding the recall
of the vehicle with information included on how they can have the problem
corrected free of charge. However, the NHTSA is not always the one who
issues a recall.
Occasionally, the manufacturer realizes a problem exists in a certain
model vehicle and will voluntarily issue a recall. Of course, the NHTSA is
informed as well, and the same letter is sent to owners of the vehicle
letting them know the problem with the vehicle and how to correct it. Many
times, however, a recall does not affect all models of a particular year.
For example, if a recall is issued on 2005 Ford Explorers more than likely
it will only affect a certain batch of these vehicles and not all of them.
However, if you own a vehicle of that make and year then you can take it to
the dealership and the service department will run the VIN, or vehicle
identification number, to determine if in fact your vehicle is affected by
the recall. If so, then you can have the repairs made at no cost. If not,
then you can head home knowing your vehicle is safe and sound.
Just keep in mind, however, each year millions of cars are recalled for
various reasons and you should always take your car in if you suspect the
recall might apply to your vehicle or if you receive a recall letter. Don’t
take your safety for granted, especially if the repair for the recalled
vehicle is free.
