Vehicles are a lot more than four wheels and an engine. Designs are complex, and while that can make life easier in many ways, complexity also means more opportunities for something to go wrong. When something does go wrong, automakers work with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to issue vehicle recall notices. Depending on the issue, there's another option to ramp the alert up a notch.
"A safety recall can be elevated to a Do Not Drive Order if it presents a very real, a very immediate sense of danger," explained Alex Ansley, Division Chief for Recall Management with NHTSA.
He says a Do Not Drive Order means the driver or others could be in danger if the recall issue is not resolved quickly, especially if the manufacturer believes a crash or loss of vehicle control is possible.
"It's all about the safety risk and how immediate that safety risk is to you," Ansley said.
A Do Not Drive Order was recently issued for more than 457,000 vehicles. According to NHTSA, the vehicles impacted were previously fitted with recalled, unrepaired Takata Airbags. Takata Airbags are at the center of one of the largest vehicle recalls in United States history. To date, NHTSA has confirmed 27 people in the U.S. have been killed and at least 400 people have been injured by exploding Takata airbag inflators.
Even with this recent Do Not Drive Order issued, Ansley says safety recalls are elevated to that level relatively infrequently. He adds that the NHTSA's been tracking such orders back to 2012.
"We've only had around 150 or so Do Not Drive recalls, and that's a pretty small drop in the bucket when you're looking at about 1,000 recalls a year," said Ansley.
While some vehicle owners might be tempted to put off taking their car or truck in for a repair after a recall, it's not a good idea to delay.
Safety recall and Do Not Drive notices will come in the mail and explain the next steps vehicle owners need to take. In the case of a Do Not Drive Order, the notice should explain how to arrange for a dealer to retrieve your vehicle. In all cases of safety recalls, affected vehicles are repaired at no cost to owners, even for older models.
"In some cases, the manufacturer will offer a rental vehicle, or depending on the recall, there might be an option for a mobile repair, or for a technician to go to the owner's home and make the repair," Ansley listed, adding that there is no standard guidance but the onus is on the manufacturer to get impacted vehicles fixed.
If your vehicle is under recall and you're having a difficult time getting a repair, let the NHTSA know. It may put pressure on the automaker to act.
NHTSA recommends checking to see if your vehicle is subject to any recalls twice a year. Consumers can do that by looking up their VIN online or automatically with NHTSA's Safer mobile app.
