Vehicle recalls occur more frequently than most of us are aware of. This results when a manufacturer determines that a car model has a safety related defect that does not comply with the government’s safety standard. The manufacturer is then required to alert owners of this problem and may offer to repair the issue at no cost to you.

These alerts are usually delivered by mail or email, but they can often be overlooked. If you have a feeling that your car may be involved in a recall but haven’t received an alert, you can go online and check for yourself.

All you need is your VIN number which can be found in a few different places: the driver’s side lower corner of the windshield, vehicle registration, insurance card, or on a placard on the driver’s door jamb. Visit the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s recall page (www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) and enter you VIN. If your car has been issued a recall it will pop up on the page and if nothing populates then your car has not been recalled.

If your car has been issued a recall you should call your local dealer and schedule an appointment to fix the recalled issue. If you didn’t buy your car from that specific dealer, they will help you with the recall if it’s the same manufacturer.