If you are lucky enough to buy or lease a new car, you can expect to receive written notice in the event the make and model you are driving is subject to a recall. But used car owners may not receive such notices.

An auto recall happens either voluntarily by the manufacturer or upon the direction of the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) when a defective and/or dangerous condition is discovered affecting a particular part or system in the one or more vehicle models.

Popular categories for vehicle recalls include mechanical, electrical, and software systems, with mechanical recalls comprising 83% of all recalls in 2015.

The number one recall in automotive history is the Takata® airbag recall. While over 11million have been repaired or replaced, there are countless other vehicles with defective and dangerous airbags still on the road. The Takata® airbag inflator is defective because the metal housing canister can explode upon the airbag’s deployment, sending metal shards throughout the passenger cabin. A chemical used in the airbags degrades over time and with exposure to certain unfavorable environmental conditions, making the unrepaired air bags like a ticking time bomb, even in minimal impact incidents. So far, 13 deaths have been attributed to the defective Takata® airbags.

Recalls are done at the no cost to the vehicle owner. So why haven’t these vehicles been repaired? Part of the problem is due to the difficulty in tracking the current owner once the vehicle has been sold by the original owner. Sometimes, especially with older vehicles, the car may have changed hands numerous times. So recall notices are not making it into the current owner’s hands.

What can you do, as the owner or potential buyer of a used car, to ensure that your vehicle is not subject to a recall?

You can input your vehicle identification number or VIN # into these websites: safecar.gov or VINCheckPro.com. There is no cost to do this and you will find out all the pertinent recall information regarding that particular vehicle. You can also check the website of Auto Recall and Lemon Law attorney, Timothy Abeel & Associates, for an extensive list of Auto Recalls.

Nearly all vehicles will be affected by a recall at some point in the span of its lifetime. Just the Takata® airbag recall alone affected tens of millions of models of nearly every automotive manufacturer. There are other big recalls including Mazda rear hatch systems and Nissan brake fluid leaks that may ignite. New recalls happen constantly.

Stats from January, 1985 to September 2016 indicated that some of the best auto manufacturers in terms of recall rates include Porsche, Mercedes, Kia, Tesla, and Mazda. Those getting the worst ratings included Volkswagen, Chrysler, Honda, Hyundai, and BMW.

If you have questions regarding an automotive recall, or believe you are driving a lemon, contact the Law office of Timothy Abeel & Associates for a free case evaluation. Call 888-611-5481.

Timothy Abeel & Associates is a national law firm that handles lemon law claims across the country. Reviews can be seen on AVVO, Google, Glen Mills Yelp, Roseland Yelp, & Pittsburgh Yelp.