Complying with the recall is mandatory for the issuance of the CRLV; understand how it works

Vehicle maintenance should be one of the biggest concerns of anyone who has a vehicle, as having the car in full operation is a matter of safety and can still save you a lot of money. But, in addition to the problems caused by accidents or daily use, there are also failures that come from the factory and that’s where the recall comes into play.

In Brazil, there is a direct relationship between the regularization of production defects and the documentation of the automobile, since the recall is a mandatory requirement for the vehicle to be able to receive the Vehicle Registration and Licensing Certificate (CRLV). Many owners are still unaware of this legal requirement and end up facing problems when licensing the vehicle.

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• Compliance with recall is mandatory for release of circulation certificate

Understand, below, how the procedure of what to do to regularize your situation works.

What is vehicle recall and what is its purpose?

According to the Ministry of Justice, the recall is the way in which a supplier/manufacturer comes to the public to inform that its product or service presents risks to consumers, whether it is a risk to the safety of the population or the environment. The determination is described in Law No. 8,078/90 (Consumer Protection Code – CDC).

From this, a public call is initiated, a mandatory process in which there must be the recall of products, the clarification of the facts and the presentation of solutions. When an automaker opens a recall call, it summons owners of the affected models to an authorized dealership or service center.

The objective is to replace or repair defective components to prevent serious accidents and mechanical or electrical failures before they cause irreparable damage. And it is worth noting that this is done free of charge, at no cost to the owner.

What is the relationship between the recall and the CRLV?

The CRLV is the document that proves that the vehicle is properly registered and licensed to circulate legally in the country. For this document to be issued or renewed, your car needs to be in full compliance with the safety standards established by traffic agencies.

In this way, if the vehicle has a pending recall, that is, if it was recalled by the automaker, but the owner did not take the car to be repaired within the legal deadline, the Traffic Department (Detran) system will apply restrictions. The blocking of the issuance of the CRLV happens after 12 months of the call and works as a tool to force the regularization of the car.

Without the updated document, the vehicle is prevented from running, and the driver will be subject to traffic violations if caught circulating. Driving with an expired CRLV is a very serious infraction, with a fine of R$ 293.47 and 7 points on the National Driver’s License (CNH).

What to do when the vehicle is recalled

The first step is to check if your product is covered by the recall campaign. If so, you should contact the supplier and go to the location indicated by the manufacturer. Most automakers have a page on their website dedicated to recall guidance.

After performing the free repair, the automaker writes off the pending issue in the system, releasing the vehicle for the issuance of the CRLV. When it comes to repairing, there are no limitations if the product was purchased from third parties, in Brazil or abroad.

It is also interesting to follow the communications of the automakers and official bodies so as not to miss the deadlines of the call. Usually, notifications are sent to the registered address of the vehicle, but it is highly recommended to make preventive consultations.

You can check if your car has any pending recalls through the following channels:

• Senatran Services Portal: official website of the National Traffic Secretariat centralizes recall information for all brands.
• CNH do Brasil: the mobile application displays alerts directly on the profile of the registered vehicle.
• Official automaker websites: manufacturers maintain an exclusive recall section where you just need to enter the chassis or license plate number to check the history.