Know if your car, or the car you’re buying is under recall

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Seems like every week, KSL reports on a new recall of tens of thousands of cars with serious, even deadly, flaws.  From faulty ignition switches and leaky gas tanks, to steering wheels coming loose and the Takata airbags that can explode and send shrapnel flying.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration requires automakers to notify drivers when their cars have been recalled.  Usually, this means you’ll get a letter or postcard within 60 days of your car being recalled.  The automakers will check their own records of car buyers against registrations to find the current owners.  But, many cars, especially older ones, change hands several times over the years.  This makes tracking down owners hard to do.

So how do you know if your car is on a recall list?  Grab its vehicle identification number from the registration, or from the base of the windshield and look it up on SaferCar.gov.  Within moments, you’ll know if your car has a safety recall that needs to be fixed.

If you’re buying a used car, check its VIN before you drive it off the lot.  There’s no law stopping dealers from selling you a used car that’s been recalled.