TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Ohio recently became the first state in the country to notify vehicle owners about recalls, each time they renew their registrations. The first recall notices were mailed out in January.
Other states may follow suit, but right now in Florida, it’s up to the driver to know if their car’s been recalled. I have contacted the Florida DMV to find out if our state is considering a similar program, but have not received an answer yet.
One in five drivers has an open recall on their vehicle. In some cases, there are vehicles on the road with safety issues and, a number of reasons, drivers aren’t aware of the risk. Used-car buyers, drivers who haven’t provided an updated address, or drivers who don’t routinely have their vehicle serviced may not receive important recall information.
Fortunately, checking for recalls is easy. All you need is your car’s vehicle identification number, which is printed or stamped on multiple places in your vehicle, including the base of the windshield.
Type the VIN into the search function at SaferCars.gov, and any recall made within the past 15 years should pop up. There may be a delay with very recently announced safety recalls. In that case VINs are added continuously.
Recalls are repaired for free.
Have a traffic question? Contact Road Rants by emailing mcensullo@wfla.com. You can also connect with me on Facebook at WFLA Meredyth.
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