An estimated 20% of U.S. vehicles on the road have unresolved defects tied to recalls.

The Vehicle Recall Search Service launched in 2018 by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation and vehicle data provider Carfax has been used by state motor vehicle departments, public-safety providers, inspections departments and others to pinpoint unrepaired vehicles, according to the alliance, which says almost half of cars in the U.S. have been checked.

The auto industry trade group, which represents both American and overseas automakers that sell in the U.S., says the tech tool has been used to run almost eight billion checks since its debut.

It said eight state departments of motor vehicles are currently using the search technology to check a vehicle’s recall status during registration and titling or safety/emissions inspections. They notify owners of vehicles with open recalls.

“When drivers are aware of vehicle recalls, road safety increases. That’s why we built this safety tool with CARFAX nearly seven years ago,” said alliance President and CEO John Bozzella in a press release on use of the search tool to date. 

“Additional participation from vehicle inspection programs, DMVs, insurers, auto finance companies, fleet managers, automotive parts recyclers and vehicle auction companies will go a long way to helping identify and fix even more recalls.”

As an example, Ohio, which started using the technology in 2021, has discovered 7.2 million unaddressed recall repairs.

“Thanks to our partnership with CARFAX,” said Ohio Bureau of Motor Vehicles Registrar Charlie Norman, “our individualized notification of open recalls to Ohioans as part of their vehicle registration renewal has led to 2 million recalls remedied, making our vehicles and roads safer.”

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