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The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
said owners can now search for possible safety recalls on the
agency's SaferCar.gov website by using the unique Vehicle
Identification Number.
Previously, vehicle owners searched on the NHTSA website by
make, model and year, but the number of vehicles actually
subject to a recall could be smaller than the search result.
Searching by the 17-digit VIN gives a precise result.
NHTSA is also requiring starting on Wednesday that manufacturers
of light vehicles and motorcycles provide the ability to search
for recalls on their websites using the VIN, which on cars can
be found on the dashboard on the driver's side.
Only about 75 percent of recalled cars are brought in by
consumers to be fixed and the agency said it hopes the new
search tool will boost that rate.
"Safety is our highest priority, and an informed consumer is one
of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are
repaired," Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said in a
statement.
A record 43 million vehicles have been subject to a recall this
year in the United States, a NHTSA spokeswoman said.
(Reporting by Eric Beech; Editing by Eric Walsh)
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