A repossession can linger on your credit reports for many years, and even impact your ability to qualify for a car loan for up to a whole year. However, car repos eventually fall off your credit reports.

Hopefully, you never have to deal with getting your car repossessed. But if it's about to happen, or already has, we have some little-known facts surrounding vehicle repossession.

A voluntary repossession can harm your credit score for up to seven years, but it has benefits worth considering.

It's very possible that you still owe your lender money after your vehicle is repossessed. It's called a deficiency balance, and here's what it may include.

A joint auto loan has two borrowers, also called co-borrowers. Often, co-borrowers are spouses or life partners. But what happens if the car is repossessed? Well, both of you could be on the hook.

Hiding your vehicle from a recovery company is a means to an end. Your auto lender is likely to take a drastic step to recover the car if the recovery company can't find it, which means more hassle for you, too.

If you know that vehicle repossession is around the bend, then it may be a good idea to consider surrendering it instead of waiting for the repo man. Here are the benefits to returning the car yourself, and other options to consider before voluntarily surrendering.

A vehicle repossession can be well within a lender's rights if something goes wrong with the auto loan contract. We cover how a repo can start, how you could stop it, and the impact a repossession can have on your credit.

Many auto lenders sell repossessed vehicles at auction to cover the remaining loan balance. If your car was towed away, you can try to win it back at auction if it comes to that, but there are some things you should know.

If you try to hide your car from the repo man, the lender is likely to take the issue to the next level. Here's what you need to know.