March 4th-10th is Vehicle Safety Recalls Week and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) mission is to keep people safe on America’s roadways. This is a good reminder to drivers to check their vehicles for open safety recalls. In 2022 alone, there were 1,050 safety recalls affecting more than 31 million vehicles and other automotive equipment in the United States.
Even with alerts and warnings emailed or mailed by manufacturers, millions of recalled vehicles go unrepaired each year. This puts drivers, passengers, and other road users at risk. For example, an urgent airbag recall, currently the largest vehicle recall in U.S. history, has resulted in 27 deaths so far in the U.S. alone. This recall is still ongoing due to unrepaired vehicles that are still on the road today.
NHTSA has multiple ways to stay informed about open safety recalls:
Drivers can use the free, user-friendly Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) Look-Up Tool, located at NHTSA.gov/recalls. This web tool allows vehicle owners to check for open safety recalls on their vehicles or automotive equipment.
Drivers can sign up for Recall Alerts. If their vehicle is included in a future recall, they’ll receive an email letting them know. NHTSA’s free web recalls tool will provide details on any unrepaired recall for a vehicle during the past 15 calendar years. It will also provide details on unrepaired safety recalls from major automakers, motorcycle manufacturers, and some medium/heavy truck manufacturers.
Drivers can check for open safety recalls by downloading NHTSA’s free SaferCar app which sends notifications for all related recalls and even directs drivers to local dealerships. This ensures they can quickly make an appointment and get their vehicle fixed quickly and for free.
Checking for recalls is free and easy. All vehicle owners need is their VIN, located on the lower portion of the windshield on the driver’s side. The VIN is also located on registration cards and possibly auto insurance cards.
For more information on NHTSA’s Vehicle Recalls, visit NHTSA.gov/Recalls.