The National Safety Council is urging all vehicle owners to check for open recalls during Vehicle Safety Recalls Week (March 2-8).
Nearly 55 million vehicles on the road have open recalls, NSC says. Vehicle owners can check for free at CheckToProtect.org – and repair costs are covered by the manufacturer. Simply enter the vehicle identification number or license plate number to find out.
For instance, data from Carfax – an NSC partner in vehicle safety recall efforts – shows that nearly 1 million vehicles need to be examined for an issue that, unless repaired, could make kids in car seats less safe. LATCH systems, required in passenger vehicles since 2003, use metal loops in a vehicle and hooks and straps on a car seat to safely secure seats. System defects can include faulty welds, misaligned anchors or problematic coatings that can prevent car seats from being installed correctly or remaining secure.
The Carfax data also shows that these recalls affect vehicles across many makes and model years, making recall checks especially important for families, says Lonny Haschel, senior program manager for mobility safety at NSC.
If your car is affected by a recall, call a dealership to schedule an appointment and to make sure replacement parts are available.
