INDIANAPOLIS — You could soon get a notification about a safety recall on your car the next time you renew your Indiana registration.
State Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, filed House Bill 1506 that would require the Bureau of Motor Vehicles to alert vehicle owners about manufacturer-issued safety recalls during the registration or renewal process.
Call 6 Investigates found one in four Indiana vehicles has an unfixed recall.
PREVIOUS: One in four vehicles has unfixed recall
More than 600,000 vehicles on the road in Indianapolis have unfixed recalls on them, according to an analysis from vehicle history website Carfax. That's up from 472,000 in 2016.
Experts say many people don't even know their care has a recall because it’s easy to skip over an email or a postcard in the mail, plus vehicles often change owners which makes it tough to track recalls.
Soliday said his legislation would better ensure the safety of vehicle owners and other motorists on the road.
“By law, car manufacturers are required to alert vehicle owners of any issued recalls on a car,” Soliday said. “However, if a vehicle changes owners, it can become more difficult to contact the correct person. By laying the groundwork for the BMV to inform owners of any open recalls, Hoosier motorists can be informed more quickly of potential safety issues and take steps to get their vehicles fixed.”
The bill has passed the House and now moves onto the Senate for consideration.
Does Your Car Have a Recall?
- Go to the federal government’s website SaferCar.gov and put in your VIN (or call 1-888-327-4236).
- Go to the MyCarfax app and put in your license plate number.
- Go to sites like Autocheck and put in your VIN-If a recall pops up, call your dealer or manufacturer to set up an appointment to get your vehicle fixed.
- Bring your recall letter or postcard with you, if you have one.
- Use free tools to stay up to date on recalls such as Carfax , Autocheck and NHTSA.
- Report a safety problem with your vehicle with NHTSA.
