Free recall check by VIN
Enter a VIN to see the safety recalls issued for that model, what each one fixes, and whether it's serious enough to stop driving.
How recalls work
When a manufacturer or NHTSA finds a safety defect, the manufacturer issues a recall and its dealers fix the problem free of charge, whoever owns the car now. (US law requires the free remedy for vehicles up to 15 years old when the recall is issued.) The letter goes to the owner on record, which is why used cars are the ones most likely to have a recall still open.
Model recalls and your car
This tool lists recalls for the year, make and model the VIN decodes to. Not every recall applies to every car of that model; some cover a single plant or a range of build dates. To know whether a recall applies to one car and whether it has been done, give the VIN to a dealer for that brand. A Carfax report also lists recalls it has on record for the VIN, and whether a remedy is available.
Before you buy
An open recall isn't a reason to walk away on its own; the repair is usually free. A “park it” recall is different: it means the car shouldn't be driven until it's fixed, so arrange the repair before you take it home.