Daylight Saving Time Is a Good Time to Check for Car Recalls
As most Americans set their clocks back for daylight saving time Sunday, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reminding car owners that the time change can double as a time check — specifically, a check for open recalls that may affect your safety.
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NHTSA’s annual Vehicle Safety Recalls Week begins today, and the agency is highlighting not just the importance of checking for recalls, but also the ease. For instance, you can sign up at NHTSA.gov/Alerts to be notified by email if your vehicle is affected by a future recall.
Another option is to download the all-new SaferCar App in either the Google Play or Apple App stores. Once you’ve added your car, vehicle identification number, and equipment like car seats and tires, the app will alert you when it discovers a recall matching your criteria. To find your vehicle’s VIN, look on your registration or insurance card, the driver-side doorjamb or the driver-side dashboard near the windshield. Snap a photo of it with your phone to make referencing it easier.
Through NHTSA’s website, you can also use a VIN lookup tool to see if your car is under a recall from any time in the past 15 calendar years. The site is updated with new recalls each business day most weeks of the year.
Millions of vehicles are affected by recalls every year, and issues can range from seat belts to suspensions, faulty brakelights to deadly airbag modules. A simple email signup or search via one of NHTSA’s tools as daylight time kicks in can help ensure you stay safe no matter what time it is.
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