What To Know About Vehicle Recalls

Understanding vehicle recalls is essential for any vehicle owner or licensed driver. While vehicle recalls are often stressful or inconvenient, they are essentially a legally required method of communication designed to protect you and those you share the road with from defective vehicles or vehicle parts as our friends at Herschensohn Law Firm, PLLC will share more about below:  

Understanding Vehicle Recalls  

Essentially, their meaning is straightforward: vehicle recalls are issued in order to protect the safety of all road users, and you individually. To gain an understanding of and keep informed about vehicle recalls, it is important to recognize the primary reasons for vehicle recalls, how to keep informed, as well as vehicle owner rights, for responding to motor vehicle recalls. 

Common Reasons For Recalls 

In recent years, vehicle recalls have been issued for the following common reasons: 

  • Defective airbags or seatbelts 
  • Wiring issues that may cause fire 
  • Defective steering or brakes, which may compromise vehicle control 
  • Defective fuel system components, which increase the risk of leakage in the event of a collision or fire 

Staying Informed About Recalls 

Check Regularly 

As a vehicle owner, it is essential to remain current on any recall information for your vehicle and particularly important if you drive an older vehicle or have recently purchased a used vehicle.  

Register Your Vehicle 

To this end, every vehicle owner is encouraged to register his or her vehicle with the appropriate manufacturer upon purchase. However, as a car accident lawyer will share, this will not obviate or absolve claim that the dealership must and will legally repair, replace or cover the full cost of the refund in the event of a vehicle recall.  

Pay Attention To Recall Notices 

Finishing up, in the event that a recall is in place for your vehicle, a vehicle owner will receive a vehicle recall notice in the mail from the vehicle manufacturer. The vehicle recall notice will outline the recall including associated risks, the possible consequences, and what a vehicle owner must do to have the problem or defect fixed. 

Responding To A Vehicle Recall 

If you have received a vehicle recall notice in the mail, respond  without wasting time. As soon as you receive this notice, contact a local dealership or a dealership that sells your vehicle and is licensed to repair your vehicle to schedule an appointment 

Keep Records 

Document all communication you have with the manufacturer, dealership, or licensed repairer of your vehicle concerning any recall repairs so that future purchasers will always know the car’s recall history.  If you experience issues with your vehicle, contact a lawyer near you for help immediately.