When you throw down a hefty sum of money on a car, especially one that’s brand new and straight off the production line, you expect it to work exactly as it’s supposed to without any complaints… at least for several years. But, in some instances, you might be told that you need to return your car even if it seems to be running without fault because an underlying issue has been discovered, like a ticking time bomb waiting to cause trouble. Here’s what you should do if your car is recalled by the manufacturer.
If your car is far beyond the realms of a recall and is in fact ready to return to its original form of metals, plastics and fabrics via the scrap yard, then sell it with Scrap Car Comparison. We’ll find you the best price for your vehicle offered by scrap specialists in your local area. Our network of scrap dealers covers 99% of the UK, meaning that wherever you are, we’ll be able to get you a buyer for your car or van that’s willing to pay you a great price! Better still, our network is so vast that we can even offer free collection as standard – No catch and no hidden fees! Call 03333 44 99 50 or use our scrap car price calculator to find out how much your car could be worth today!
What Is A Car Recall?
A car recall (also applicable for other kinds of vehicles, including vans and motorbikes) involves the manufacturer identifying a problem with their vehicle that could prove to be dangerous or even deadly, before requesting that all drivers of the affected models return them to the company. Once returned, the cars will either be repaired, replaced or even refunded, depending on the severity of the issue.
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What Can Cars Be Recalled For?
Car recalls are put in place for a number of reasons, but they are all generally linked to driver safety. The problem itself might be fairly minor, but if the consequences of not rectifying it could cause an accident, manufacturers will consider recalling the impacted vehicles.
However, on some occasions the afflicted parts of the car could be quite serious, with brakes, steering, airbags, seat belts or even tyres often being the root cause of recalls. Obviously, manufacturers don’t want their cars to cause an injury or death on the road, so whether the issue is small or large, they’re likely to request that you bring your car back to them so that they can put you back on the road with confidence.
How To Find Out If Your Car Has Been Recalled
If your car has been recalled, the manufacturer will attempt to contact you directly. In this day and age, with practically every company signing you up to emails, texts, phone calls and post by default when you buy with them, it’s unlikely that they’ll struggle to let you know if your vehicle has a hidden fault. But, if you’re concerned that your car could be an accident waiting to happen and you’ve missed any correspondence from the manufacturer, you can use the DVSA’s service to check for recalls in place for your specific make, model and year of car.
What Happens If Your Car Is On A Recall List?
If your car ends up on a list of vehicles that are being recalled, you’ll be contacted by the manufacturer and able to book it in to be inspected and/or repaired. Typically, you’ll be able to take the car to your nearest dealership and will likely be offered some assistance in making your way back home.
The urgency of the problem will be discussed should you choose to speak to the manufacturer about it, with them advising on how soon you should bring the car in and whether or not you should drive it in the meantime.
Should I Get A Courtesy Car If Mine Is Recalled?
There’s no guarantee, because this will ultimately be down to the manufacturer to decide, but if you’re dealing with a respectable company with good customer service or your car is set to be out of action for a long time, you could expect a courtesy car. If one is not offered automatically, don’t be afraid to ask if one can be arranged for you!
Is It Illegal To Sell A Car With An Outstanding Recall?
If you’re thinking of buying a car from a professional dealership, then yes, it’s illegal for them to sell any vehicle with an outstanding recall in place, until the problem has been fixed. On the other hand, if you’re looking to sell your car that has had a recall notice put out, you should notify any potential buyers of this fact before selling the car. You can legally sell it, but not only is it morally wrong and potentially dangerous to do so without being honest about any recalls, it can also impact the price that the car could fetch. A car with defects is going to be worth less, even if the manufacturers are willing to repair it for free.
Should I Worry About A Car Recall?
No, you shouldn’t worry about a car recall. First of all, they’re fairly rare and even when they do occur, it’s usually only a small batch of a particular model or even trim that’s affected, meaning that the chances of your particular vehicle being called back are slim.
If your car has already been recalled, it’s still not worth stressing over. Just make sure that you follow the advice of the manufacturer and do (or don’t do) as they say until the repair work is completed. If your car does have to be taken off the road for a lengthy period of time, a courtesy car should be offered which will remove any stress that you might have had about being without any personal transportation.
Can A Recall Affect Insurance?
If your car becomes subject to a motor vehicle recall notice, the insurance won’t be affected as long as you actually follow up with the manufacturer to get the problem fixed. If you don’t get the impacted component repaired or replaced and choose to go about your day, your insurance policy could absolutely be invalidated if the issue ends up damaging your car.
For example, if there’s a problem with the car’s heater and you ignore the recall, you won’t be able to claim on your insurance when that dodgy heater sets the vehicle on fire.
Worse still, if there’s a recall notice out for your car but you decide not to return to the manufacturer to get it fixed, and the fault then directly causes an accident (like rear-ending someone after recalled brake components fail, for example) then you might even end up in trouble with your insurance company and the police!
If you’re ready to sell your car as scrap or salvage whether it’s defective or not, get a price from Scrap Car Comparison in around 30 seconds and find out how much your vehicle could be worth today! Our network of specialist buyers covers 99% of the UK so find out where your local scrap dealers are today and we’ll put you in touch with those that are willing to pay the most for your car! We’ll even arrange for your vehicle to be collected at no extra cost, no matter where it’s being picked up from! So, get a price for your car today by calling 03333 44 99 50 or by using our scrap car price calculator now!
