Does it seem like you are hearing more about automobile recalls than in the past? In 2015, there were over 51 million vehicles recalled and in 2014, 63 million vehicles were recalled. Both 2014 & 2015 far exceeded the 30 million automobile recalls from 10 years ago.
So, what’s changed? Are cars less safe today than they used to be? According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, the death rate of 1 fatality per 100 million miles of vehicle travel is the lowest mark since they began tracking this type of data.
Then why the dramatic increase in recalls? Edmunds.com asked major automakers, federal regulators, and independent safety groups and received very similar answers:
- The government, specifically the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has put pressure on automakers to order recalls.
- Negative press coverage. Remember the faulty ignition switch and the accidental unintended vehicle acceleration issues? These problems had been known about for years before recalls were ordered. Automakers have taken note and looked at issues that might have been noted in the past but not acted on, and have issued recalls on them now.
- Common parts. Today’s complex automobiles often have parts like electronics and software that are developed by other companies. More and more the industry is seeing the same part used by multiple manufacturers.
Another issue on this topic: what if you’re not the original owner of the car? How would you know if there was an outstanding recall? This gets a little scary because used car dealerships are not required to tell you about any outstanding safety recalls. Fortunately, there’s a very easy way to find out. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website allows car owners to search for recalls by VIN number.
To look up recalls on your car, follow this link: Search for recalls by VIN
(If the link does not work, visit www.nhtsa.gov and click on Vehicle Safety > Recalls & Defects > Search for Recalls by VIN)
Simply type in your car's vehicle ID number (VIN) and you’ll learn about any recalls affecting your vehicle. I did this recently and I had 4 recalls that I knew absolutely nothing about. The NHTSA has an extremely helpful and informative website.
Safe driving and Happy Holidays
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