How to Check If a Car Has Been Recalled

What Is NHTSA?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency responsible for vehicle safety in the United States. When a manufacturer discovers a safety defect — or when NHTSA's own investigation uncovers one — a recall is issued. NHTSA maintains the official database of every recall and owner complaint filed since the 1960s.

NHTSA does not just track recalls passively. The agency actively investigates complaints filed by vehicle owners. If enough complaints cluster around the same issue, NHTSA can compel a manufacturer to issue a recall even if the company does not want to. This consumer-driven process is why filing complaints matters.

How to Use NHTSA's VIN Lookup

The most reliable way to check a specific car is by its Vehicle Identification Number (VIN). Every car manufactured since 1981 has a unique 17-character VIN stamped on the dashboard, the driver's side door jamb, and vehicle registration documents.

1. Find the VIN. Look at the lower-left corner of the windshield (visible from outside) or the sticker on the driver's door jamb.
2. Visit NHTSA's recall page. Go to nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter the 17-character VIN.
3. Review the results. NHTSA will show any open (unrepaired) recalls for that specific vehicle, along with the recall description, potential risk, and recommended remedy.
4. Contact a dealer. Recall repairs are performed by authorised dealers at no cost. Call your local dealer with the VIN to schedule service.

If you do not have the VIN yet — for example, you are still browsing online listings — you can look up recalls by year, make, and model instead. This shows all recalls ever issued for that vehicle configuration, though it cannot tell you whether a specific car has been repaired.

What to Do If Your Car Has an Open Recall

Finding an open recall does not necessarily mean the car is dangerous to drive right now, but it does mean you should act. Here is what to do:

• Read the recall notice carefully — NHTSA rates risk levels and some recalls advise against driving the vehicle until repairs are made
• Call an authorised dealer and provide the VIN — they will confirm the recall and schedule the repair
• Ask about parts availability — some recalls have repair backlogs, and the dealer may offer a loaner vehicle or rental reimbursement
• Keep documentation — if you are buying a used car, an open recall gives you negotiating leverage and a paper trail

How AutoTruth Makes Recall Checks Easier

NHTSA's official site is thorough but not always user-friendly. AutoTruth pulls the same data and presents it in plain English, with a trust score that weighs recalls by severity. A single safety-critical recall (brakes, airbags, fuel system) has a bigger impact on the score than a cosmetic recall for a label misprint.

Try it yourself: search any vehicle on the AutoTruth homepage or jump straight to a report like the 2015 Honda Civic recall and complaint history. Every report shows the full recall list, owner complaints, and an overall trust score — free, no sign-up required.

Free vs Paid Recall Check Services

NHTSA's data is public and free. AutoTruth uses this same data at no cost. So why do some services charge for recall checks?

Paid services like Carfax and AutoCheck bundle recall data with title history, accident reports, odometer readings, and ownership records. If you need that full picture, they can be worth it. But for recall and complaint data specifically, you do not need to pay. NHTSA and AutoTruth cover that ground completely.

The smartest approach: use AutoTruth for recall and complaint data (free), then decide whether a paid title report is warranted based on what you find.

Frequently Asked Questions