Puerto Rico joins Vehicle Recall Search Service effort
Puerto Rico’s Department of Transportation and Public Works has joined the Vehicle Recall Search Service, a tool that allows U.S. government agencies to automatically identify unresolved safety recalls during vehicle registration, inspection and titling.
The recall system was created in 2018 through a partnership between Carfax and the Alliance for Automotive Innovation. Since then, it has been used nearly 8 billion times, covering almost half the vehicles on U.S. roads, the groups said.
Its purpose is to alert owners to pending safety recalls so they can obtain repairs, which manufacturers typically provide at no cost.
Before Puerto Rico joined, seven states had integrated the tool into their motor vehicle systems: California, New York, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Connecticut and Maryland. Washington state also recently joined.
By embedding recall checks into official vehicle transactions, the system gives authorities another way to notify drivers about critical safety issues. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has estimated that about one in four vehicles on U.S. roads has an unresolved recall, often involving airbags, seatbelts, fuel systems or brakes.
Puerto Rico’s participation provides island drivers with the same level of recall monitoring available in participating states. When residents renew registrations or complete inspections, officials can flag vehicles with pending recalls and direct owners to address them.
The program is free for government agencies, making it a cost-effective addition to Puerto Rico’s vehicle safety efforts. Officials said the move strengthens consumer protections and supports safer roadways.
