Car Recalls - Why It Pays To Get Them Done

By: James Ruppert
why you should get the recall done on your car

Your safety's paramount and car manufacturers are obliged to write to you and tell you what the defect is, what could happen if the fault's not rectified, details of the repair and what you should do next.

The major upside is that you won’t have to pay for the work, so it's vital you know everything about the recall system.


Why Should I Get The Recall Work Done?

Although you may regard simply getting your car to a garage hassle, it's worth it. Without the work you could be driving an unroadworthy vehicle. This carried the risk of 3 penalty points and a £2,500 fine.

That's bad enough, but in the near futureyour vehicle will also risk failing it's MOT test if the recall work isn't done. 

MotorEasy's team of engineers are able to handle the booking for you so you don't have to deal with the garage yourself.


How To Check If Your Car Has Been Recalled

It's important not to buy a vehicle with an outstanding recall. Dealers will normally make sure any car they stock doesn't have one, but it's by no means guaranteed. This is simple to do yourself by going to the MotorEasy recall page and scanning for your car make and model, or, heading over to the DVSA and typing in your reg number.

The recall scheme is overseen by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), working closely with car manufacturers and the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA).


"a safety defect is a failure...likely to affect safe operation and pose a significant risk to the driver, occupants or others."

When is a recall a recall?

The code of practice says that a safety defect is a failure due to design and/or construction, common to a number of vehicles, which is likely to affect safe operation and pose a significant risk to the driver, occupants or others.


MOT Test Recall Changes

Recalls are becoming such a major issue, (currently 1 in 13 cars have an outstanding safety recall!), it's now recommended by a Government committee that MOT testing stations will have to scan vehicles they're testing for outstanding recall work.

Read more about the upcoming MOT changes

The tester can also now refuse to issue the car with a fresh MOT certificate, even if it’s passed the regular roadworthiness checks.

Interestingly if you do have concerns about your own vehicle and believe there could be an issue, then you can report it There is a long list of examples of safety defects, but essentially, any recall is a serious event.


Further Reading

Latest Car Recall Notifications

Car Health Check: Why Are They Free With Our Warranty?

Car Repairs: How To Book Your Free Health Check


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