protect yourself

protect yourself

About 5 million used cars under recall were sold last year before the recalled parts were fixed. Here’s how to protect yourself:

FIND OUT IF THERE’S A RECALL: Get the 17-digit vehicle-identification number from the seller, or copy it from the left side of the dashboard near the windshield. Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s VIN lookup site at https://vinrcl.safercar.gov/vin/ and key in the number. The site will tell you if there are any open recalls.

GET A VEHICLE- HISTORY REPORT: You can pay a third party such as Carfax or Experian’s AutoCheck for a vehicle-history check. It will show the car’s ownership history, if it’s been in a crash, and if there are open recalls.

ASK THE DEALER: Many dealers check used cars for open recalls. Ask them to do it while you’re watching. Many have policies of repairing recalls before selling cars, and others will give you a vehicle-history report at no charge.

CONSIDER A CERTIFIED PRE-OWNED VEHICLE: Manufacturers’ certified pre-owned cars often cost more, but all major manufacturers say they check for recalls and fix the cars before selling them.

Source: Associated Press