Is your car unsafe? Investigation reveals over a MILLION drivers have missed recall notices
Car makers must inform owners if a car is recalled and needs fixing - but more than 2.2 million have slipped through the net since 2012
MILLIONS of cars that have been deemed unsafe by manufacturers could still be on the roads, according to an investigation by car magazine Auto Express.
Around 2.2 million vehicles have been recalled in the last five years due to a variety of reasons, according to the motoring title and the the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA).
More than half of the recall notices have not been picked up by owners, with just 47.7 per cent of troubled cars returned to dealers for repairs.
Faults on affected models include faulty airbags, fire risks and steering failures.
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Top 10 car recalls since 2012
Car makers issue recalls when faults after a problem is uncovered.
The vast majority of recalls are done as a security measure but it’s important you get your car checked if an issue has been identified.
have come up with a list of the 10 biggest recalls issued by car manufacturers in the UK, based on the number of vehicles affected.
One of the biggest issues that has affected vehicles since 2012 was caused by the Takata airbag scandal, which affected millions of models including those made by BMW, Honda and Toyota.
Manufacturers send recall letters to owners using data from the DVLA but it’s not always easy to track down the current owner of an older vehicle.
It means that some slip through the net, leaving millions of potentially unsafe cars on the road.
You won't have to pay for the problem to be fixed.
Car makers are under no obligation to pay compensation for the inconvenience but they may arrange for a hire car but this is usually done on a case by case basis.
How to check if your car has been recalled
Use the DVLA’s Vehicle Recalls website to search your make and model of your car.
You’ll probably need to dig out your vehicle logbook to look up the date your car was manufactured.
A vehicle recall checker which searches using your registration number was launched by data company HPI last year but it costs £2.99, each time you use it.
Fixes are usually done by the manufacturer or car dealership.
Independent mechanics or garages that operate outside the manufacturer network are not authorised to do recall work.
You shouldn’t have to pay for it and you can complain to the garage if they try to charge you.
You may have to pay for an unrelated problem that is found during the process but your garage should chat this through with you before doing the work.
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