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| Tips for Keeping up With Automotive
Recalls |
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.
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About The Author
Jeff Dragt runs an automotive recall directory that helps to
keep people informed about the latest automotive recalls.
www.autorecalls.org
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