How to find out if your used car has been recalled

It will now be easier for used cars buyers to find out if the car they are purchasing has been involved in a recall. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has launched a new web tool where you can enter a vehicle's VIN number to view recalls. You can find it at www.safercar.gov/vinlookup. The site will also show you if the recall work has been completed or not on that particular vehicle. The accuracy of the tool is reliant on receiving regularly updated information from the automakers.

Every year, millions of vehicles are recalled due to safety defects. USA Today reported that 1 in 4 recalled cars never get the recommended recall work done, which could mean potential safety hazards for future car owners. CarFax, an online service that tracks vehicles histories, estimates there are more than 36 million vehicles on U.S. roads with at least one recall-related repair not completed, some of them potentially deadly.

The NHTSA said they developed this tool because safety is their highest priority, and it is a quick and easy way for used car buyers can find out if a specific vehicle has a safety defect that needs to be fixed. The NHTSA also mandated that all major light vehicle and motorcycle manufacturers are required to provide VIN search capability for uncompleted recalls on their own websites. Motorists can find their vehicles' VIN number by looking at the driver's side dashboard or door (where it latches when closed). Enter that figure into the NHTSA website, which will return results of an open vehicle recall. If none are available, users will receive a “No Open Recalls” response.

The program comes as manufacturers are recalling millions more vehicles than at any other time in U.S. history, about 46 million vehicles so far this year, according to the Los Angeles Times. About 29 million of those are General Motors vehicles. GM is the target of NHTSA and Justice Department investigations for not previously recalling cars with an ignition key defect now linked to at least 13 deaths and more than 50 crashes. The review began when GM revealed that it knew about a deadly small-car ignition switch problem for more than a decade, yet it didn't issue any recalls until this year. The Wall Street Journal reported last week that federal prosecutors are scrutinizing whether employees inside and outside GMs legal department concealed evidence from regulators about the faulty ignition switch.

Pennsylvania personal injury lawyer urges don't ignore that recall notice.

The personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys urge motorists to act quickly if they receive a recall notice. Experts warn that even seemingly minor defects should be dealt with. The recall notice you receive should contain detailed information on the problem and the steps you should take, including contacting the dealer for repairs. If you have waited, it may still not be too late. According to the NHTSA, the statute of limitations for all no-charge recall repairs is 10 years from the original sale date of the vehicle. The one exception is tires. Tire recall repairs must be completed within 60 days of receiving a recall notice. If your not sure if your car has been recalled, visit the safercar.gov site mentioned above.

If you have been injured in a car accident or as the result of a recall problem with a Chevy Cobalt or another GM vehicle, contact the Pennsylvania personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys at 855-866-5529. We will fight to get you the compensation you deserve.