Carfax also sells full vehicle reports.
General Motors Company is giving millions of vehicle identification numbers (VINs) to Carfax for its cars, trucks and crossover models with so-called “open recalls” or ones that have not been performed.
This means that starting in May owners of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac vehicles, as well as customers in the market for used models, will be able to check for unrepaired safety, non-compliance and emission recalls through Carfax at www.carfax.com/recall. The VINs provided also include used Hummer, Saab, Pontiac and Saturn models – brands that GM no longer sells after its post-bankruptcy reorganization.
A recall may be mandated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), though none ever has been, as makers negotiate and shape the recall with NHTSA, and then conduct a “voluntary recall” of the defective vehicles.
Such a process – with its obvious conflict of interest – came under heavy criticism during Congressional hearings concerning NHTSA’s lack of action over Toyota and Lexus unintended acceleration and floormat entrapment defects, which have led to at least 52 alleged deaths and will be the subject of litigation for many years.
Voluntarily service actions issued by auto manufacturers, called technical service bulletins or TSBs, are another way for companies to repair defects that makers say are non-safety related problems, which sometimes stretches credulity. However, TSBs saves automakers the costs in dollars or reputational damage that a formal safety recall incurs.
NHTSA documents and tracks both types of actions. However, its website is poorly organized and difficult to use – another source of criticism during the Toyota hearings.
Consumers using the free Carfax service can help significantly increase completion rates on open recalls, according to Carfax research. About four out of five GM owners complete recall repairs within 18 months of being notified of a recall, which sadly is about the average for most makes.
“We know some people do not take their vehicles in for recall repairs when they get their letters. Carfax makes it easy for consumers to find out whether a vehicle they are considering has an open recall and increases the chances of that repair being made,” says Jamie Hresko, GM vice president of Global Quality.
“If that recall is handled well in the dealership, it can lead to more satisfied customers,” Hresko concluded. It can also lead to safer vehicles on the road, which benefits us all.
In addition to regular mail required for safety recalls, GM’s OnStar operators alert owners of open recalls and they are included in monthly OnStar diagnostic reports emailed to owners who opt for the service.
Carfax says that millions of people every year rely on to help them buy and sell used cars. Using the vehicle’s unique 17-character VIN, a Carfax Report is instantly generated from a database of more than 7 billion records reported by more than 34,000 data sources.
Carfax reports are free at thousands of Chevrolet, Buick, GMC and Cadillac dealerships for GM Certified Pre-Owned and used vehicles.
“Open recall information is important for any used car buying decision,” said Gerry Bayer, vice president of Carfax. “Carfax continues to work with automotive leaders like GM to make this and other important details readily available to car buyers and sellers through Carfax Vehicle History Reports.”
With the exception of those involving tires, recalls are in effect for the lifetime of a vehicle. Under federal law, recalls must be remedied at no cost to consumers. If you identify an open recall, take the vehicle to an authorized dealer to have it repaired.