If you are interested in purchasing a vehicle from a used car dealership in Canada, you must be sure of the vehicle’s condition and overall reliability before committing to that purchase.
One of the details you should keep an eye out for is open recalls. Vehicle recalls are important notices sent out to customers, and without a proper vehicle recall check, you may miss out on the important fixes your vehicles need. In this article, we will explain how you can easily check recalls by VIN in Canada.
What is a VIN number?
A VIN (vehicle identification number) is a 17-character string of letters and numbers that is assigned to a vehicle during manufacture. The 17-character VIN is attached to every vehicle (car, truck, motorcycle, etc.) manufactured since 1981. Before then, vehicles were assigned VINs of varying lengths depending on the manufacturer.
This identifier can be used to gain access to vehicle specifications such as the year, make, model, etc., of a vehicle. It can also provide access to a vehicle’s past records, such as:
- Recall history
- Accident Records
- Damage Records
- Sales History
- Auction History
- Service History
- Lien and loan records
- Maintenance history, and so on.
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Why is it important to check recalls by VIN in Canada?
A recall is issued by a manufacturer when a problem with a vehicle part that may affect the vehicle’s overall safety or performance is discovered. As soon as the safety issue is identified, a recall is sent over to the owners of a particular vehicle to inform them and prevent them from moving around with a defective vehicle that could lead to accidents on the road.
What Are the Most Common Reasons for Motor Vehicle Recalls?
Manufacturers can issue recalls on a wide range of safety issues in Canada, the most common being:
- Faulty brakes
- Defective airbags
- Steering issues
- Defective seat belts
- Faulty Tires
- Defective electrical components
- Door latches
- Fuel pumps
- Airbags, etc.
When car buyer checks for recalls by VIN number before purchasing in Canada, they can ensure that their vehicle is safe to drive and be sure that they are making good investments. Car owners, they can also verify their vehicle’s safety status and avoid being a safety threat to themselves and other road users.
How To Check Recalls By VIN In Canada?
Are you looking for the best way to check recalls by VIN number in Canada? This section adequately describes the best ways to check recalls by VIN number. If you are a car owner, be aware that your vehicle’s recall status has to be checked as often as possible to prevent putting yourself in danger. To adequately carry out a recall check, simply follow these steps:
Step 1: Locate your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)
The standard Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) is usually 17 characters long and easy to identify. However, vehicles manufactured before 1980 may have VINs that are less than 17 characters, ranging from 5 digits to 7 digits and 13 digits. These VINs can be found on a number of vehicle parts and documents. Some of the most common vehicle parts where the VIN can be found are:
- The dashboard of the vehicle
- The driver’s side door jamb
- The driver’s side door frame
- The engine block
- The certificate of title
- The registration documents and other documents
The VIN serves as a unique identifier that can be used to effectively gain access to the wealth of information stored in databases on a vehicle. After locating your Canadian VIN, you can proceed to the next step.
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Step 2: Look for an online vehicle recall checker.
With the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of your vehicle, you can now find the best online vehicle recall check tool to decode your vehicle’s information and retrieve vehicle recall information and records. We would recommend these vehicle recall check tools:
- The vehicle recall check tool is provided by PremiumVIN.
- The vehicle recall check tool is provided by Canada.ca.
The vehicle recall check tool provided by PremiumVIN
The vehicle recall check tool provided by PremiumVIN is an easy-to-use tool that provides access to vehicle recall information. With this tool, car buyers, owners, and sellers can be informed of the open recalls issued by their vehicles’ manufacturers and also find the history of previous recalls issued on those vehicles since manufacture.
Some of the information provided when customers check for recalls by VINs in Canada are:
- The recall date
- A description of the safety issue
- Consequences of the safety issue
- Remedy
- Vehicle components affected
Recall Number - Affected units
- Manufacturer’s recall number, and more
The vehicle recall check tool provided by the Government of Canada
If you are searching for a free tool to check recalls by VIN in Canada, we would recommend the vehicle recall check tool provided by Canada.ca. With the tool, you get free vehicle recall checks to easily identify safety issues whenever required. You can gain access to recalls as well as advisories and safety alerts.
Step 3: Perform a vehicle recall search
The next step to check for recalls by VIN number is to visit the website of your choice to utilize the recall check tool you prefer. Fill out the forms provided, make sure your VIN is accurately provided, and initiate the search.
Step 4: Contact your manufacturer or dealer
After identifying a recall on your vehicle, immediately contact your dealer or manufacturer, if possible, and listen carefully to the instructions. They should set up an appointment and get your vehicle repaired and in good working order at no cost.
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Frequently Asked Questions
To check if your vehicle has a recall in Canada, simply follow these steps:
- Locate your vehicle identification number (VIN)
- Look for an online vehicle recall checker.
- Perform a vehicle recall search
- Contact your manufacturer or dealer
