New Vehicle Recall Safety Website Shows Consumers If Vehicle Recall Issues Have Been Fixed

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has created a new online search tool, a vehicle recall safety website, for consumers to use their car’s VIN (vehicle identification number) to look up whether or not the car fell under a vehicle recall, and if the recall was effective in fixing the problem.

The service officially launched on Wednesday, August 20th.

The search tool allows consumers to look up any car with a VIN number to find out if the car has been subject to any vehicle recalls,  and if the issues raised by the vehicle recall have been fixed.

The service is available not only through a website, but on an app for iOS and Android devices.

According to the Deputy Administrator of the NHTSA, David Friedman, many car owners do nothing to address potential problems when they are notified of vehicle recalls.

“These vehicles can sometimes be sold or rented to someone who is completely unaware of that recall,” he said. “In many cases that can put an owner’s life at risk, and risk the safety of others on America’s roads.”

“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,” he added.

“Safety is our highest priority, and an informed consumer is one of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are repaired,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a statement. “Starting today car owners, shoppers, and renters can find out if a specific vehicle has a safety defect that needs to be fixed—using our free online tool.”

“We’re glad to make VIN lookup for consumers easier,” said Alan Adler, a spokesman for General Motors Co., which has issued numerous vehicle recalls this year, covering 26 million cars dating as far back as 2004.

“These cars should be fixed before they get out on the road, even for just a test drive,” said Rosemary Shahan, president of Consumers for Auto Reliability and Safety. “Who wants to be the dealer that sold someone the ticking time bomb car and a whole bunch of people get injured?”

The Strom Law Firm Can Help with Defective Products and Vehicle Recall Cases

Every year, thousands of consumers sustain serious injuries from defective products. A defective product lawyer can help you with an injury you may receive. Many of these injuries could be avoided if the manufacturers or distributors of these products took additional steps to ensure consumer safety. Defective products that commonly cause injuries include medical devices, pharmaceutical products, and other defective products such as toys, cars and automotive parts.

If you have experienced a problem with a defective product in your automobile, especially if a defective part has led to an auto accident or personal injury, and a proper vehicle recall notice has not been issued, you may be entitled to compensation. The attorneys at the Strom Law Firm can help. We can help you with complicated auto insurance claims, and make sure you receive the compensation you deserve to help you with lost income and medical bills. Our attorneys are licensed to practice in South Carolina, Georgia, and New York. We offer free, confidential consultations to discuss the facts of your case, so contact us today at (803) 252-4800.