A recall check before buying a used car could save your life

If you’re looking to buy a used car, chances are you’ll have a checklist to ensure the make and model you’re looking at meets your needs. 

Checking a car’s MoT record or making sure there are no hidden surprises lurking within the service history are basic checks you should do before parting with any money. But when was the last time you thought to check if your potential purchase had any outstanding safety recalls? 

A safety recall is issued by a manufacturer when a fundamental design flaw or construction defect is identified, which poses a significant risk of injury or death if the parts in question aren’t replaced.

High-profile cases are often reported in the news, with Citroen and Vauxhall being some of the latest manufacturers to have cars recalled as a result of faulty airbags and brake-pedal issues. But not all campaigns make the headlines.

Thankfully, most owners are contacted by the manufacturer and the issue will be fixed before a vehicle is listed for sale.

But what happens if the vehicle’s owner fails to get the issue rectified or the recall gets overlooked? This could leave you unknowingly operating a defective car with parts fitted that could fail when you least expect it, or need them the most.

The good news is that checking if a car has any safety recalls is a simple task. The UK Government has a vehicle recall checker on the gov.uk website and all you have to do is select the car’s make and model, as well as the year of registration. Once you’ve done that, you’ll be presented with a list of any safety recalls that have been issued.

If you’re buying a model from a main dealer or reputable used-car garage, chances are they will have checked for any safety recalls and rectified possible issues before listing the car for sale. Of course, you can check by asking the salesperson you’re dealing with if you have any doubt.

When buying a car via social media, an auction, or even responding to an advert in a paper, there could be a higher chance a recall may have been missed, so it’s always a good idea to double check.

If you find there are any outstanding recalls with a car you’ve bought, all you have to do is contact the manufacturer and provide them with your car’s VIN to see if the work has been completed. 

If it hasn’t, they are legally obliged to fix the issue at no cost to you. This simple, five-minute check could end up saving your life.

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