A safety recall occurs when a manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) finds that a condition or defect that could affect the safety or operation of a vehicle may exist in a specific vehicle or series of vehicles. The manufacturer notifies its authorized dealers and the registered vehicle owners of the condition or defect so that the registered owners can take the vehicle to the authorized dealer for diagnosis and repair.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is an agency within the United States Department of Transportation that carries out vehicle safety programs. Part of NHTSA’s work is to set and enforce safety performance standards for vehicles and vehicle equipment and investigate vehicle safety defects.

HOW DO I FIND OUT ABOUT UNREPAIRED SAFETY RECALLS WHEN I AM SHOPPING FOR A CAR AT BRADY AUTO SALES?

You can visit the NHTSA website at www.nhtsa.gov/recalls. NHTSA’s website also has information on safety recalls based on vehicle year, make, and model, as well as general safety-related information. Brady Auto Sales also provides printed open recall reports on all in stock vehicles in its stores upon request, which may include safety recall information on some manufacturers’ vehicles. Before you purchase a car, your sales consultant or finance manager will review with you a VIN-specific safety recall look-up results from the NHTSA website. Please note, the NHTSA and all other recall related websites are not controlled by Brady Auto Sales. Brady Auto Sales does not warrant the accuracy or completeness of their information.

DOES BRADY AUTO SALES FIX UNREPAIRED SAFETY RECALLS?

Some of our cars may have unrepaired safety recalls on them. There are several reasons for this, but at the core is the fact that the current recall system is based on the manufacturer’s relationship with its dealers and registered vehicle owners, and not with independent dealers. Among other things, this means that manufacturers have not authorized Brady Auto Sales to complete recall repairs and close out unrepaired safety recalls. Before you purchase a car from Brady Auto Sales, your sales consultant will review with you a VIN-specific recall look-up results from the NHTSA website. Brady Auto Sales notifies customers prior to purchasing to have unrepaired safety recalls fixed by the manufacturer immediately. 

HOW DO I LEARN ABOUT UNREPAIRED SAFETY RECALLS AFTER I BUY MY BRADY AUTO SALES CAR?

Manufacturers use state vehicle registration data to issue safety recall notices. If you do not maintain your state registration information, a future safety recall notice may not be sent to you. Make sure to update your address if you move.

Brady Auto Sales also recommends that you register your car with the manufacturer as soon as you make a purchase. The details for registration vary by manufacturer, but you will usually need your address, date of purchase, VIN, and the year, make, and model of your vehicle. By registering, you will receive information on unrepaired safety recalls, as well as other important information, directly from the manufacturer. You also will be listed with the manufacturer as the current owner if a new safety recall is issued. As with www.safercar.gov, most manufacturers have VIN-specific safety recall look-up tools on their websites.

You can also use the NHTSA VIN-specific safety recall look-up service to check for unrepaired safety recalls at www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.

WHAT DO I DO IF MY VEHICLE HAS AN UNREPAIRED SAFETY RECALL? WILL I HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING?

Contact a manufacturer-authorized repair facility, which is required to fix unrepaired safety recalls at no cost to you.