If you ’re looking for a car to buy then there is one thing that you need to look out for but might not be aware of, and that is if the car has been subjected to a recall.
Recalls for cars are actually fairly common and for the most part, they are usually harmless and taken care of when your car is serviced. Only a few are subjected to a wide and well publicised recall.
Takata Airbag Recall
When you are looking at a used car, it is a good idea to know what cars have been through recalls and what it was for. In Australia one major recall that is still ongoing is the Takata Airbag recall, this recall is actually very dangerous as the faulty airbags have the potential to falsely deploy, under-inflated, and fire fragments of metal into the passengers. It has the potential to seriously injure or kill occupants of the car, in fact, the worldwide figures place the total number at 29 deaths and 320 serious injuries (source: accc.gov.au)
Currently, at the time of this article was published, there were a quarter of a million vehicles that are still affected by the Takata Airbag recall. These airbags are considered such a problem that it is not recommended you drive the vehicle at all, but rather have the car towed to a dealership and have the airbag replaced for free. Knowing which cars are affected can save you a huge hassle, and possibly your life.
Although the Takata Airbag recall is highly published, there are many that are not. Most recalls are done for free and not at the driver's expense. However, using a service such as Carify to search for your vehicle and see if it has any outstanding recall notices can help you decide if going ahead with the purchase is worthy.
Can you sell a Car with a Recall Notice?
There are rules in place to stop dealers from selling cars with active recalls. Some dealers have been forced to pay huge fines for selling, or even advertising cars for sale with active recall notices, but unfortunately, there are few protections for cars being sold privately.
A person could know about a recall but not be bothered to fix it because they have decided to sell the car. If you find out a car has active recalls, it could tell you a lot about the type of person you are dealing with and may cause you to think twice about buying that car from them.
What to do if the Car you Want to Buy has a Recall Notice?
After you have used Carify’s service by entering the car details and getting your report. You will see if the car has an active recall. You can use this report and ask the current owner to get it fixed before you purchase the car, and while they may refuse, you also have the option to walk away.
