3 Reasons Why You Can’t Wait Any Longer to Check Your Vehicle’s Recall History

Most vehicles are designed with safety in mind, but what happens when those safety features malfunction? What happens when the vehicle that was meant to protect you ends up injuring you, through no fault of your own?

Recently Volkswagen announced a major recall for its vehicles which may have had software that allowed it to bypass emissions tests. Not long ago, BMW announced it was recalling 91,800 Mini Coopers to fix an air-bag sensor that may prevent the front passenger seat airbag from deploying in a crash. And before BMW, it was the Nissan 2014 Rogue. The most widespread has been the Takata airbag inflator recalls, which have affected some 25 million vehicles worldwide since 2008.

Despite these recalls, until recently, the issue was not getting the attention it deserved. Owners were lax about taking care of repairs.

Although it may seem obvious, the fact is, having your vehicle repaired for a recall issue is too easy to ignore.
Entering a vehicle’s VIN (vehicle identification number) at safercar.gov will show what recall repairs have yet to be completed on your vehicle. Until recently, automakers had not been required to make that information public. Searching by year, make, and model won’t tell you if an individual vehicle has been fixed but it will let you see what recalls have been issued for that model.

“By making individual VIN searches readily available, we’re providing another service to consumers-the peace of mind knowing that the vehicle they own, or that they are thinking of buying or renting, is free of safety defects,” NHTSA deputy administrator David Friedman said in a statement.

Once that’s done you simply find any dealer who services your vehicle. They need to see you. They want to see you. Granted, they may try to sell you a new vehicle but that’s another issue.

Second, but more importantly, addressing the recall on your vehicle may save your life or the life of someone you love. Frontal impact crashes represent 59 percent of passenger vehicle “tow-away” crashes and result in 38 percent of passenger-vehicle occupant fatalities.

Third, it’s FREE. In fact, Toyota and GM took the added precaution of sending overnight letters to owners of certain vehicles warning them to not let passengers ride in the front seat until they had the airbag fixed.
As personal injury and wrongful death attorneys, we urge you to take preventive measures where your safety is concerned. If you or someone you know has been injured in an accident due to the negligence of someone else, seek consultation from an experienced attorney at Tabor Law Firm. The attorneys at Tabor Law Firm have 75 years of combined legal experience. Protecting the rights of victims and their families is our top priority. Let us help you understand your rights and get the answers you need. Please call us at (317) 236-9000 for a free consultation or visit us online to learn more about how we can help.

*(2002-2006 National Automotive Sampling System – Crashworthiness Data System, 2006 Fatality Analysis Reporting System)

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