Recalls on a Used Vehicle

In light of several large vehicle recalls over the last few years, you may be wondering how you can tell if your new “used” vehicle was a part of a recall.  Also if it was, did it have the required work done?  Keep in mind that recalls can be generated voluntarily from the manufacturer or come as a directive from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).  The good news is that regardless of the source of the recall, it is easy to access reliable, up-to-date information regarding all vehicle recalls.

A good place to start is to go on the NHTSA website or call their Auto Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 to discover if the vehicle you are buying is currently under recall or was in the past.  They have a record of recall information on all vehicles sold in the U.S. dating back to 1966. 

Navigating the NHTSA site is easy and to get started simply use the drop-down “Vehicle Safety” tab and go the “Recalls and Defects” page.  From there, you will find a list of recalls starting with the most current and also an option to search for recall information on any vehicle by inputting model year, make, and model.  You can even see a list of complaints regarding that vehicle from actual owners. 

Once you have determined there were recalls on your vehicle, your next step is to find out if the work was done.  Again obtaining this information is pretty straightforward as all recall work must be done by a dealer and the information regarding the work should be in the dealer’s database.  Provide a dealer who sells your particular make/model with the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) so they can search their records for information regarding recall repairs made to that vehicle. 

If you end up buying the vehicle, contact the manufacturer to transfer the car's VIN to your name and home address to receive any future recall information.  There is an 8-year statute of limitations from the original sale date of the vehicle to qualify for no-cost recalls.

Please check out our blog to keep you up-to-date with all the news and happenings at The Car Show as well as with any significant news from the industry. Or better yet, stop by and browse our inventory of the finest selection of Colorado Springs' used cars and trucks.