PHOENIX (3TV/CBS 5) – A new report says 50 million cars are on the road right now with some kind of a recall. And that can be dangerous. So, the next time you’re out driving, take a look around because the motorist next to you might have a dangerous open recall they don’t even know about.
“These are cars with known safety issues that need to be repaired, and people are driving these vehicles around they have not been repaired,” Emilie Voss told On Your Side. She’s a spokesperson for CARFAX. Voss says in Arizona alone, there are 1.3 million cars with some kind of recall. And get this, 1 million of those cars are in the Phoenix area alone.
“Manufacturers do mail out recall notices. But cars get sold, people move, or sometimes we simply throw away what we think is junk mail. And so, people are not aware of these things,” Voss explained.
And one of those people with an open recall just might be you. Even if it’s a recall you think is minor, you need to take it into the dealer and get it fixed for free. Voss says, “It can be something as simple as a headlight issue but that can be a fatal problem if it’s not taken care of.”
So, how can you find out if your car currently has a recall? It’s easy. All you need is your vehicle identification number, known as the VIN, or your license plate number. If you have either of those, head to CARFAX to check your recall status. Once you’re there, just plug in your information and find out for free.
“So, it’s something we all need to do in order to get those recalls close,” Voss said. “And we’re headed in the right direction. The number of cars with open recalls has gone down about 5 percent in the last few years and that’s good news. But 50 million vehicles is still an alarming number.”
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