Find your VIN

The vehicle identification number is 17 characters, letters and digits, and never contains I, O or Q — they were excluded to prevent confusion with 1 and 0. Look at the driver's side dashboard where it meets the windscreen, visible from outside; the driver's door jamb sticker; your insurance card or registration; or the title.

Why make and model are not enough

A recall covers a production range: a defective part supplied between certain dates, fitted to vehicles built in a specific window at a specific plant. Two identical-looking cars of the same model year, bought the same week, can differ on whether they are affected.

This cuts both ways. People panic over a recall that does not apply to their car, and people assume they are fine because a neighbour's identical car was not covered. Only the VIN resolves it.

What the result means

No open recalls. Nothing outstanding today. Check again in six months — campaigns are filed continuously.

An open recall with a remedy available. Call a franchised dealer for that brand, give them the VIN and campaign number, and book the repair. There is no charge.

An open recall with no remedy yet. Manufacturers must notify owners when a defect is identified, even before the fix is engineered. Read the interim guidance carefully — this is where "park outside" instructions usually appear.

"Do not drive". Stop driving it. Have it towed to the dealer. This label is rare and is not issued casually.

Who pays, and for how long

Under federal law, manufacturers must remedy a safety defect free of charge — by repair, replacement, or refund of the purchase price less depreciation. Free means free: parts, labour, and no charge for the diagnosis.

There is a time limit people are rarely told about. The obligation runs 15 calendar years from the date of original sale for vehicles, and 5 years for tires. Past that window a manufacturer may charge, although many still repair at no cost, particularly for serious defects. The clock runs from first sale, not from when you bought it.

Buying used? The remedy obligation attaches to the vehicle, not to the original purchaser. A recall from before you owned the car is still repaired free, as long as you are inside the 15-year window. Run the VIN before you buy, not after.

If the dealer refuses

Occasionally a dealer claims a recall does not apply, or that parts are unavailable indefinitely, or that there will be a charge. Get the refusal in writing with the campaign number, try another franchised dealer for the same brand, and if it persists, file a complaint with NHTSA. The agency enforces this obligation and treats refusal complaints seriously.

Common misunderstandings

"My car is old, so the recall expired." The recall does not expire. The free-repair obligation does, at 15 years. The defect is still a defect.

"I never got a letter, so I am fine." Letters go to the registered owner on file. If you moved, bought used, or the registration lagged, the letter went elsewhere. Check by VIN regardless.

"It is just a software update." Software recalls can address braking, steering and battery thermal management. The delivery mechanism says nothing about the severity.

"It drives fine." Most recalled defects are intermittent or latent. A fuel pump that will fail without warning drives perfectly until it does not.

A note on this site's vehicle coverage

Our VIN lookup queries NHTSA's campaign data for your specific vehicle and is exact. Our general automotive feed is assembled from a watchlist of high-volume vehicles, because NHTSA publishes no endpoint listing all recent campaigns — so the feed is representative rather than complete. For a specific vehicle, always use the VIN search. This is documented in full on our methodology page.

General information, not legal or safety advice. Follow the instructions in the official NHTSA notice and your manufacturer's guidance.