Summer is finally here and you are ready to hit the road with your family. The car that has taken you around town to work, to school, and to other activities will now take your family farther from home. You are looking forward to the change in routine and the quality time with your family, but what would happen if your car broke down? While you can’t predict every possible car issue before you get on the road, you can be aware of any recent recalls that could jeopardize your family’s fun and safety.
Check for Recalls Before Your First Vacation Day
2014 was a year of record car recalls. According to Fortune magazine, more than 60 million vehicles were recalled last year, more than double the previous record for recalled vehicles set in 2004. Additional recalls have been announced during the first half of 2015. Accordingly, it is important to know if your car is on the list.
Some of the more significant recent recalls have included:
- Takata airbags. This may be the biggest recall in United States history. It is currently estimated that it affects about 34 million vehicles—about one of every seven vehicles on the road. The recall was issued because there is a chemical in the airbag that can become too hot and cause the airbag to explode. Toyota, Honda and Nissan are just some of the car manufacturers impacted by this recall. You can find out if your car has an affected airbag by entering your vehicle identification number (VIN) at www.safercar.gov/vin.
- Ford cars. Ford recently recalled approximately 400,000 Ford Fiestas, Fusions, and Lincoln MKZs because of faulty latches in the doors that could cause the doors to open unexpectedly while the vehicle is in motion. Additionally, approximately 500,000 Ford vehicles have been recalled because of a defect that could cut the gasoline flow.
- GM Chevrolet Malibus. Approximately 470,000 vehicles were recalled because of a problem that could cause the seatbelts to weaken.
- Fiat Chrysler vehicles. Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) will reportedly face a public government hearing on July 2, 2015 to determine if FCA properly carried out 20 recalls involving about 10 million vehicles in recent years.