Consumer Responsibilities Regarding Auto Safety Recalls

You may have more rights than you are aware of when it comes to vehicle safety recalls.  What many people don't realize is that the consumer also has certain responsibilities.  Reporting safety defects is the first.  Often, manufacturers as well as government agencies that enforce safety requirements are unaware of defects until a consumer complaint is filed. 

Frequently people ignore minor problems, not defining them as safety defects.  If you are unsure, check with your dealer or an authority to make sure the issue is not serious.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency that manages recalls as well as recall information.  Any of the following options can be utilized to submit a report:

-Visit NHTSA online: http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov

-Use the online form: http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain//index.cfm

-Write the NHTSA: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
                                    (NEF-11) Department of Transportation
                                    Washington, DC 20690

-Call the NHTSA Auto Safety Hotline:  (888) 327-4236

Not only can you help keep yourself and your family safer, but your report may also create the need for a recall.  This will in turn help protect others.  

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

Consumers are also responsible for participating in recalls and following the appropriate instructions.  If you know that your vehicle or some component of it is under recall, it is your responsibility to take the recommended measures.  For example, if your car has a defect that allows the gearshift to slip out of gear, and you do not take the vehicle in to have this problem repaired, you will have a much more difficult time convincing a court that the manufacturer should be held liable in the case of an accident caused by the defect. 

The NHTSA reports that about one-third of all consumers that are sent notice, fail to comply with recall advice.  In some cases, notice may not have reached the consumer, but in many other situations, consumers just don't make the effort to have the defect repaired.  This can result in accidents, injuries, property damage, and even fatalities.  Since automakers are required to make repairs or replacements free of charge in most instances, it doesn't make much sense for vehicle owners to disregard recall notices. 

While automakers have no choice but to contact owners of registered vehicles, there are times when the current owner does not receive notification.  Often it occurs when a recall notice is sent to a previous owner, who doesn't contact the current owner.  Sometimes the manufacturer simply cannot locate the new owner, or the notification gets lost or reaches the wrong address. 

For these reasons and others, consumers need to take an active role in learning about safety recalls.  There are several options for obtaining this information:

-Call or visit your local dealer to learn of any recalls for which you may not have been notified.  The dealership should be able to locate this information easily, via the computer.  Ask the dealer to send you the information in writing.

-Call the NHTSA hotline: (800)-424-9393

-Carfax:  Offers vehicle histories, previous owners, accidents, and recalls, etc.
http://www.is-it-a-lemon.com/

-Consumer Complaints Search Engine:  Database for locating reports
http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/cars/problems/complain//index.cfm

Make sure your vehicle measures up to safety standards, and if you find it does not, do something about it.  The life you save could be your own or that of someone you love.