Ideally, there should be a system that not only tells you what recalls your vehicle could be subject to, but also what recalls have been actioned and what recalls are still outstanding.
Imagine being able to check on a possible purchase to make sure that there were no underlying issues.
I've just had my Indesit tumble dryer modified under the Hotpoint Recall Scheme. The dryer now has a green dot signifying that it has been modified under this scheme. Cars, unfortunately, don't seem to have any way to check that recalls have been actioned. Just because someone gets a letter telling them to pop in to have their dangerous braking sorted, doesn't mean that they will bother. A recall is two sided, in that the manufacturer issues a recall, and the consumer or end user complies. If either one fails, then there could be a dangerous issue that is unobserved.
Maybe recalls should be graded, with the most serious recalls being compulsory, and failure to remedy the situation would result in an MOT failure.
The insurance industry can create and maintain a database of insured vehicles, so why can't someone create a database of VINs and Recalls and Compliances?
Being able to query a VIN and determining if the vehicle has been modified in accordance with the manufacturer's maintenance schedule should be a legal requirement of selling and buying.
