“Do Not Drive” and “Park Outside” notifications are recalls issued jointly by automakers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA):

Are you driving a car that has an urgent safety recall of “do not drive” or “park outside?”

According to the most recent CARFAX data, more than 2.5 million cars are tagged with these urgent safety recalls, yet they remain unrepaired, with thousands of these cars on the road in New Jersey.

Out of the 2.5 million cars on the road that are tagged with safety recalls of do not drive or park outside, CARFAX data shows 50K to 100K of those cars are in New Jersey.

Do Not Drive:

A do not drive recall advises drivers not to operate their vehicles because a serious safety issue could lead to an accident or physical harm. One of the most recent do not drive recalls involves 90,000 older model BMWs due to the potential of exploding airbags.

Park Outside:

A park outside recall is issued for vehicles with a high risk of causing a fire.

“The fire risk is so great that not only do they not want you to park it inside the garage, they don’t want you to park it next to the garage. If you can park it, park it away from any structure,” Patrick Olsen with CARFAX said.

Olsen adds while manufacturers do send these urgent recall notices via mail, if the car has been sold to someone other than the original owner, drivers may not know about the recalls or if they know about it and are not taking action.

“One thing I think a lot of consumers do is they’ve gotten a recall notice that they got months to go or years ago, and they think, ‘well by this point nothing’s happened, so I must be in the clear,’ and nothing could be farther from the truth,” Olsen said.

There are about 200 separate models from various automakers. To see the list of those 200 cars with do not drive” or park outside recalls, click here.

• A Do Not Drive recall advises drivers not to operate the vehicles because a serious safety issue could lead to an accident or physical harm.
• A Park Outside recall is issued for vehicles with a high risk of causing a fire. Drivers are advised to park the vehicles outside of garages and parking structures and away from buildings. Both of these recalls are rarely issued.

DOES YOUR CAR HAVE AN OPEN RECALL?

If you’re not sure whether a vehicle you own has one of these recalls, you can check for any unfixed recalls for free on Carfax.

The good news for consumers whose cars have any recall is that they can get the specified repair work done for free at a dealership affiliated with the brand of their vehicle. If you need help finding a nearby dealership, check the Carfax Directory.

All recalls need to be taken seriously, but these two types are more time-sensitive than most because they urge owners to either not operate their vehicle, or to park away from any structure to avoid a fire. There have been serious consequences from some of the problems that these vehicles are being recalled for.

Among them:

• The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says 23 people have been killed in the U.S. because of exploding Takata airbags; more than 400 people have been injured. These airbags have had an issue with their chemical composition and have, at times, had the metal that encases the airbag turn into shrapnel inside the car’s cabin.
• NHTSA says more than 3,100 Hyundai and Kia models under recall have caught fire nationwide. The agency says one person has been killed and more than 100 have been injured.
• General Motors says 19 Chevrolet Bolt EV electric cars have caught fire, but the automaker says there have been no reports of injuries or deaths as a result.

These are not the only issues that these urgent recalls have been issued for, but they are the most well-known.

“Despite efforts by state and federal governments – and the auto industry itself – too many consumers are driving in vehicles that have been deemed too dangerous to drive, or that shouldn’t be parked in or near a home for fear of a fire,” said Faisal Hasan, General Manager for Data at Carfax. “Officials and communities need to break through consumer recall notice fatigue and drive home the message: We can save lives today by getting these recalls fixed.”

Which Vehicles Are Affected?

There are about 200 vehicles from many automakers over many model years that have been affected. Below are the vehicles facing either a Do Not Drive recall or a Park Outside recall:

‘Do Not Drive’ Vehicles

‘Park Outside’ Vehicles