How to Check Your Vehicle for Safety Recalls

Did you know that there are more than 50 million vehicles on the road with open recalls? Thousands of cars from heavy hitters such as Ford, Nissan, Volkswagen, Toyota, Honda, GM, FCA, and Honda were recently added to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s list. Sometimes a manufacturer finds a part on a model that wears out faster than expected. Sometimes it’s a software issue. Other times, it takes an actual event to bring the problem to attention, like the massive Takata airbag recall that started in 2013 and continues today. Want to know if your car is subject to a recall? Here’s how to check.

1. Get your VIN ready

The first step is to find your vehicle’s 17-digit Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN. The VIN is found on most vehicles at the lower driver’s side corner of the dashboard. Some cars also have it printed on an emblem on the driver-side door jamb.

If you can’t locate your car’s VIN, check your vehicle title or registration, or you can look in your insurance documents.

2. Update your paperwork

Make sure the company that produced your car can reach you. This means keeping your registration up to date and ensuring your current address is on file. In many cases, automakers send out recall notices by mail.

Check out the registration sticker in the corner of your plate to make sure the marked year is current. You can also visit your state’s motor vehicle department’s website to see whether you need to pay fees or go through emissions testing to bring your paperwork up to speed.

3. Use the NHTSA’s website to check for recalls

Go to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall lookup page at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Plug your VIN into the provided search field, and the results will show the number and type of safety recalls that apply to your specific vehicle.

You can also search for your car by type and model year, but the VIN will give you more accurate results.

4. Check the manufacturer’s website

Most major car manufacturers offer a VIN lookup tool to check up on recalls and other notices. You can find it by browsing through menus on the manufacturer’s website or doing a web search for the manufacturer’s name plus the word “recall.”

Whether you go through the NHTSA or the automaker’s site, you should see details of the recall(s), along with instructions on what to do and how the problem will be addressed. Note that some recalls will be open when you find them, as there’s no fix yet.

5. Address the recall as soon as possible if it’s urgent

While a defective cupholder can wait, more serious issues such as fuel pump failures or faulty brakes should be fixed ASAP. Don’t wait to get a letter in the mail. If you followed our tips above and find your car is part of a recall, call your local dealership and schedule an appointment. Have the recall number ready to make things go smoother. Your dealership may offer shuttle service to get you home after you drop off your car and to bring you back to pick it up. If the recall is serious, you may even qualify for a free tow. Recall services for safety issues are generally done free of charge. If a dealer gives you a problem with this, contact a different one. Beyond that, contact the manufacturer or NHTSA directly.

Note that there are some caveats to free repairs such as salvage titles and cars that are more than 15 years old.