Automobile recalls have been coming fast and furious, already breaking the record for a single year within just six months in this year.

For the most part, automakers have been proactive in advising the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) when they plan to issue a recall on one or several of their models. The NHTSA has steered some automakers into taking that action, and have warned and fined others for resisting recall efforts or failure to ensure that campaigns are engaged and/or completed.

A recall campaign's success is predicated on two factors; making sure owners of the recalled vehicles are properly notified and encouraged to bring their vehicles to a dealer for repair; and that recalled vehicles are inspected or repaired by dealers in a timely fashion.

NHTSA Deputy Administrator David Friedman called car owner vigilance one of the most important factors in making recall campaigns a success.

"Just as every single automaker should never hesitate to recall a defective vehicle, consumers should never hesitate to get their recalled vehicle fixed," Friedman said.

In the dizzying number of recalls announced so far this year (over 37.5 million vehicles in January-June 2014), it is easy for some of these recalls to fall through the cracks of the reporting, initiation or completion phases of recall campaigns.

In a move that was probably long overdue, NHTSA has created an online search tool that provides access to a database of automotive recalls dating back 15 years.

The service is free to consumers, and the online tool requires only the vehicle identification number (VIN) to track results. There is also a list of 44 manufacturers who have already supplied their recall data to NHTSA.

VIN numbers can be found on registration documents, titles, insurance cards and on the vehicle, by looking on top of the dashboard on the driver's side or on the driver's side door post.

The search tool provides information on safety recalls that are not complete, conducted by major light automakers and motorcycle manufacturers. It will not provide information on non-safety-related recalls, or on campaigns that are fully completed. Only cars sold in the U.S. are included.

"Safety is our highest priority, and an informed consumer is one of our strongest allies in ensuring recalled vehicles are repaired," said U.S. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx. "Starting today car owners, shoppers, and renters can find out if a specific vehicle has a safety defect that needs to be fixed, using our free online tool."