Free tool

Recall checker

Check a VIN for open safety recalls reported to NHTSA — for a car you own now or one you used to.

Straight from NHTSA

SourceNHTSA

Scopeopen recalls

Any VINyours or not

Costfree

17-character VINs · 1981 and newer

Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)

Nothing is stored unless you save the VIN to a garage. 0 / 17 characters

Example resultwhat a real check looks like

1HGCM82633A004352 2003 Honda Accord EX · decoded from the VIN 2 open recalls

NHTSA 14V-700

Remedy available

Reported Oct 2014
2.1M vehicles in campaign

Air bags — driver frontal inflator

Risk

The inflator may rupture on deployment and send metal fragments into the cabin.

Remedy

A franchised dealer replaces the driver frontal air bag inflator at no charge.

NHTSA 11V-260

Inspection required

Reported May 2011
318k vehicles in campaign

Suspension — front lower control arm

Risk

Corrosion can weaken the arm; in severe cases it separates and steering control is lost.

Remedy

Dealer inspection, with replacement of the affected arm where corrosion is found.

Previously reported NHTSA 08V-593 · Fuel pump relay — remedy completed 2009 Closed

Reading the result.

Four statuses

Remedy available

Parts and instructions are in place. Book it with any franchised dealer; the repair is free.

Parts not yet available

The recall is real but the fix is not shipping yet. Manufacturers must notify owners again when it is.

Inspection required

Only some vehicles in the campaign need the repair. The dealer checks first, then acts.

No open recalls

None reported for that VIN at the time of the check. Not a promise that none existed before.

How recall data works

Recall information comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). A result of "no open recalls" means none were reported for that VIN at the time of the check — always confirm with the manufacturer for safety-critical repairs.

UpdatedNHTSA publishes campaigns as manufacturers file them; a check reflects the data on the day you run it.

CoverageSafety recalls only. Service bulletins, warranty extensions and goodwill programmes do not appear.

AgeVIN-level lookups are reliable for 1981-and-newer vehicles with 17-character numbers.

What to do next

01

Write down the campaign number

The NHTSA number is what a service desk needs. It saves a phone call spent describing the part.

02

Call any franchised dealer

Recall work is free and does not require you to have bought the car there.

03

Save the VIN to your garage

Re-check it later in one click, whether the car is still yours or someone else's now.