App Alerts Louisiana Drivers of Recalls on Vehicles, Child Safety Seats

Lafayette, LA (KPEL News) - The National Highway Traffic Administration wants all vehicle owners to know about any issues so they can be addressed as quickly as possible. The thought of traveling down I-10 at 70 mph through Louisiana and Texas and something on your car breaking through no fault of your own is terrifying.

Most recently, Ford has issued a recall for over 456,000 Bronco vehicles sold in Louisiana and other states across the country due to a battery detection issue that poses a potential safety risk. Wouldn't it be great to have that information available in a handy app?

Read More: Over 400,000 Ford Broncos Sold in Louisiana, Texas Recalled

Most of us have received the postcard-sized mailers alerting us about a recall on our car or truck. If you're like me, you give it a cursory glance and stick it under a magnet on the refrigerator.

The NHTSA is working to not only increase vehicle recall awareness in Louisiana, but around the country. More importantly, they want drivers to get those recalls rectified as soon as possible. NHTSA Deputy Administrator Sophie Shulman said:

While not all recalls are high profile, all recalls are a safety issue. Unrepaired recalls can make your vehicle less safe for you, your family, and others on the road.

In 2023, nearly 900 recalls were issued to drivers of a variety of makes and models. Those recalls affected almost 35-million vehicles! 

READ MORE: Major Chrysler Recall

What's even more frightening is that 4,745,000 of those owners of the vehicles with recalls were instructed not to park close to any structures.

It's important to note that, if you bought your car used, any recall notices may likely go to the address listed for the original or a previous owner.

So, how do you know if there's a recall on your vehicle?

The NHTSA not only makes that information available on their website, they have also created an app that will send you alerts if a recall is issued on your vehicle. Yes! There's an app called SaferCar that makes it even easier to keep up. You can download it for free on your Apple or Android device.

Plus, they've made it easier to look up your specific vehicle in the database. When you visit the site or the app, you can now use either your VIN (vehicle identification number) or your license plate number.

You know where to find your license plate number (hopefully). If you want to search by your 17-character VIN, you'll find it in a few places:

• The lower left of your car's windshield.
• The registration card.
• Your insurance card.

The NHTSA site is handy, too, if you need to check for recalls on your child safety seat, your tires, or other equipment.

If you find a recall on your car, you can take it to any dealer who services the make and model of your car. Be aware that there won't be a charge for them to repair whatever the part is that's recalled.

Drive safe and take care of those recalls.