NHTSA urges consumers to check for vehicle recalls

By: Donovan W. Mann – [email protected]

The U.S. DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration urges consumers to “Spring Forward” and check for recalls.

Monday, March 2 is the start of Vehicle Safety Recalls Week to encourage drivers to take a simple safety step and check for recalls. Director of the NHTSA’s Office of Defects Steve Ridella says “last year alone there was over 960 recalls in the United States”. The recalls issued in 2019 affected over 53 million vehicles in the county. “Recalls affect a lot of people, in fact, almost everybody” Ridella reiterates.

He offers a few ways that people can check to see if their car has a recall. Drivers can visit nhtsa.gov/recalls and type in their vehicle identification number (VIN), located on the bottom of the driver’s side windshield. Ridella says a hotline is also available 888-327-4236 where people can talk to an operator about any recalls. People can also file a complaint with the NHTSA’s Office of Defects, which are read daily by Ridella and his staff.

If a vehicle is found to have a recall it can be taken in to the dealership and have the defected part replaced for free. More information about recalls is available at nhtsa.gov/recalls.