To help car buyers, owners and renters know that their vehicles are safe and their safety defects have been addressed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration on Tuesday unveiled a new tool designed to allow consumers to search for recall information based on a Vehicle Identification Number.
“Just as every single automaker should never hesitate to recall a defective vehicle, consumers should never hesitate to get their recalled vehicle fixed,” says NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman. “By making individual VIN searches readily available, we’re providing another service to consumers – the peace of mind knowing that the vehicle they own, or that they are thinking of buying or renting, is free of safety defects.”
Also effective Tuesday under the new NHTSA mandate, all major light vehicle and motorcycle manufacturers are required to provide VIN search capability for uncompleted recalls on their own websites. This data must be updated at least weekly.
NHTSA’s VIN look-up tool directly relies on information from all major automakers, and regularly updated information from the automakers is critical to the efficacy of the search tool, the agency said.
NHTSA also has recently issued a couple of pickup truck recalls.
As part of broader recall of 124,007 vehicles, GM is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra trucks because of defective seat weld.
Toyota has recalled 16,249 Tundra modified by Gulf States Toyota, model year 2013-2014, for a problem with lug nuts.
The official NHTSA notices are summarized below.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V446000
SUMMARY:
General Motors LLC (GM) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Buick Encore and Cadillac ATS; 2014 Cadillac CTS, ELR, Chevrolet Caprice and SS vehicles; and 2014-2015 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra Trucks. Due to an incomplete weld on the seat hook bracket assembly, the front seats in the affected vehicles may not stay secured in place during a high load condition such as a crash.
CONSEQUENCE:
A seat that does not stay secured increases the risk of occupant injury in a vehicle crash.
REMEDY:
GM will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the seat hook bracket assembly weld and replace the lower seat track, as necessary, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in late August 2014. Owners may contact GM customer service at 1-800-521-7300 (Buick), 1-800-458-8006 (Cadillac), 1-800-222-1020 (Chevrolet), and 1-800-462-8782 (GMC). GM’s number for this recall is 14340.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V429000
SUMMARY:
Gulf States Toyota, Inc. (GST) is recalling certain model year 2013-2014 Toyota Tundra vehicles modified by GST as part of certain vehicle packages to be equipped with a combination of non-Toyota-brand 20-inch alloy wheels and chrome plated lug nuts. The coating on the lug nuts may give, causing the lug nuts to loosen or the wheel studs to fracture.
CONSEQUENCE:
If the lug nuts loosen, or the wheel studs fracture, the wheel may separate from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
REMEDY:
GST will notify owners, and dealers will replace 20 lug nuts and torque them to specification, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin in August 2014. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074.
NOTES:
Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.
