Getting a notice in the mail about a safety recall of your vehicle can be alarming. It might make you worry about the quality of the car or truck you’ve recently purchased, especially if it’s a used vehicle no longer covered by a warranty.
However, if you do receive a safety recall letter from the company that made your car, know that you’re not alone. Car manufacturers work with Transport Canada to issue hundreds of recalls every year that affect thousands of vehicles. Some are for major defects like the faulty Takata airbags that began to make headlines 10 years ago. However, most recalls are to fix problems so minor they’d never make the news.
What are the car company’s responsibilities?
First, no matter what is wrong with your recalled car or how old it is, the manufacturer pays all of the costs to fix it. Once the car company becomes aware of a safety defect, they will figure out what they need to do. That might mean designing a new part or, if the recall affects the car’s electronic safety systems, installing new computer software.
- For any recall, the car manufacturer has to send a letter to the owner of every affected car and truck.
- Each car company sends out its own recall letters, but Transport Canada says they all have to contain the same information.
- The letter must tell you that your car has been recalled. It has to explain what the problem is, how they will fix it and how long it will take.
- Finally, it must tell you how to contact the company if you have questions.
What are your responsibilities?
If you get a recall letter from the company that made your car, the letter will explain what to do next. But first, the car maker has to know where to send it. When you buy a used car, register your purchase with the manufacturer by contacting the company directly or calling one of its dealers. This guarantees that you, not the car’s previous owner, will receive any future recall notices.
It’s easy to find out if there are any recalls that apply to a used car you’ve just bought, even before a letter comes in the mail. Transport Canada’s website has a database of recalls on all makes and models. Some car company websites have a page where you can enter the VIN (vehicle identification number) to find out if there are any recalls on your car or truck. You can also visit one of the manufacturer’s dealerships, where they can look up the VIN.
If your car is recalled, it’s up to you to arrange to have it fixed. But don’t just show up at the dealer. If the recall was just announced, they may not have the parts they need to fix your car. Call the service department first. If they have what they need to do the repair, you can book an appointment to bring your car in.
Should you stop driving the vehicle?
It’s very rare that a car company will recommend you stop driving the vehicle until the recall is fixed. However, if your car is recalled, Transport Canada suggests you get it fixed as soon as possible, for your “own personal safety … that of (your) passengers, subsequent owners and other road users.”
In addition, if you think something about the way your car is designed isn’t safe, you can report it to Transport Canada. If enough other people complain about the same thing, Transport Canada will do an investigation and may force the car company to recall the car.