Independent US vehicle-safety check — not a government site
SmartVINReport

the defects on file · straight from nhtsa

Find the recall before you buy the car.

Enter a VIN to see any open safety recall, straight from NHTSA. A recall means the maker flagged a defect that can hurt you — brakes, airbags, fuel systems — and by federal law they fix it free, however old the car is. On a used car, it's one more thing to confirm before you commit.

Unlimited lookups Real NHTSA data No signup
Example · NHTSA recall campaigns2019 Honda CR-V

Model line

CR-V

2017–2022 affected

Open campaigns

3

brakes · airbags · fuel pump

Latest · 10–17

22V-461

remedy available, fixed free

Most-checked vehicles in the US

These three model lines see the highest recall lookup volume from US buyers. If you drive one, it's worth checking the year-by-year recall breakdown — there's a reasonable chance at least one campaign affects your vehicle.

Honda Civic Recalls (2016–2023)

One of the most-checked vehicles in the US. Multiple recall campaigns spanning fuel system, airbag inflator, and electronic safety components.

Toyota RAV4 Recalls (2016–2023)

One of America's best-selling SUVs. Recall history includes fuel evaporative system, transmission control, and seatbelt anchor campaigns.

Ford F-150 Recalls (2016–2023)

America's best-selling truck. Major recall campaigns covering brake system, rear-view camera, transmission, and powertrain components.

How vehicle recalls actually work

A recall starts when either the automaker or NHTSA concludes that a defect poses an unreasonable safety risk or breaks a federal motor-vehicle safety standard. What gets recalled runs the whole range — from a required label fix to the serious stuff that causes fires, a sudden loss of control, or an airbag that does not deploy.

Once a recall is issued, the manufacturer is required to notify registered owners by mail, provide the repair at no cost to the owner, and continue making the repair available indefinitely. The repair is performed by any authorized dealer of that manufacturer — you don't need to go back to where you bought the car. Every NHTSA recall is assigned a campaign number (the format looks like 20V-123 or 21E-456) that tracks the specific issue and authorizes the dealership service system to process the repair.

The recall database we surface on this site pulls directly from NHTSA's public API. Each recall record includes the affected component, the failure mode, the consequence if unaddressed, the manufacturer's remedy, and an estimated count of vehicles affected. We don't modify the data, we don't paywall it, and we don't require an account — we present it cleanly so US buyers can make informed decisions before purchase or before service.

How to read NHTSA recall data

NHTSA is the US federal authority for vehicle safety. When a manufacturer or NHTSA identifies a safety defect, a recall campaign is opened and the manufacturer must notify registered owners and repair the defect at no cost. Our pages match these campaigns to a vehicle by make, model, and year so you can see what applies before you buy or service a car.

Recall data is model-level: it tells you a campaign applies to a year/make/model, not whether a specific car has been repaired. The overlap across a model's production years can be substantial, so check the exact year you're considering, and confirm completion of any open recall with the manufacturer using the full 17-character VIN.

There are three factors that affect how recall data should be interpreted in practice. First, the country of manufacture matters for warranty: the VIN's first character shows where a vehicle was built, which has the same recall coverage but may carry different warranty terms. Second, climate exposure compounds defect risk: a recall affecting cold-weather operation (battery, fuel line freezing, heater core) is more relevant for vehicles that have spent years in the snow-belt than the same model driven only in the Southwest. Third, salvage and rebuilt titles vary by state: state rules around what makes a vehicle a write-off after a collision differ significantly, and rebuilt vehicles may have had recall-mandated parts replaced with non-OEM substitutes during repair.

What to do if your car has an open recall

If your VIN check returns one or more open recalls, the path forward is straightforward but worth doing properly. Here's the workflow we recommend:

  1. 1

    Read the Consequence statement on each recall

    Each NHTSA recall includes a Consequence field describing what could happen if the defect goes unaddressed. Most recalls are advisory and can wait for your next service appointment. A smaller subset (involving airbags, fuel systems, brakes, steering) are urgent enough that NHTSA explicitly recommends not driving the vehicle until repaired. Read this section first — it determines urgency.

  2. 2

    Note the campaign number and your VIN

    The campaign number (formatted like 20V-123) is how dealerships look up the specific repair procedure. Save it along with the recall summary and your full VIN somewhere accessible — phone notes, screenshot, email to yourself. You'll need both when you contact the dealership.

  3. 3

    Call any authorized dealer of your vehicle's manufacturer

    You do not need to return to the original selling dealer. Any authorized dealer of your make can perform the recall repair at no cost. Mention you have an open recall, provide the campaign number, and ask about availability of parts and labour time. For uncomplicated recalls, you can often book the appointment immediately.

  4. 4

    If the remedy is "not yet available," wait for parts

    Some recalls are issued before manufacturers have fully produced replacement parts. If yours is in this state, the dealer will note your VIN and contact you when parts arrive (usually 60-90 days). For interim safety measures (alternative transportation, mitigation steps), call the manufacturer's customer service number listed on the official recall notice.

  5. 5

    Keep documentation after the repair is complete

    Once the recall is performed, request the service receipt showing the campaign number and repair date. This documentation is valuable when you later sell the vehicle (it answers the buyer's question "have all recalls been addressed?") and protects you if the same issue recurs after repair.

Browse recalls by make & model

Jump directly to the recall breakdown for any model we cover — 39 models across 15 manufacturers, each with a year-by-year view of NHTSA recalls.

Toyota

Toyota CamryToyota RAV4Toyota CorollaToyota HighlanderToyota Tacoma

Honda

Honda CivicHonda CR-VHonda AccordHonda Pilot

Ford

Ford F-150Ford EscapeFord ExplorerFord Edge

Chevrolet

Chevrolet SilveradoChevrolet EquinoxChevrolet Traverse

Hyundai

Hyundai ElantraHyundai TucsonHyundai Santa Fe

Kia

Kia SportageKia SorentoKia Soul

Mazda

Mazda CX-5Mazda Mazda3

Nissan

Nissan RogueNissan AltimaNissan Sentra

BMW

BMW 3 SeriesBMW X5

Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz C-Class

Volkswagen

Volkswagen TiguanVolkswagen Golf

Subaru

Subaru OutbackSubaru ForesterSubaru Crosstrek

RAM

RAM 1500

Dodge

Dodge Grand Caravan

Jeep

Jeep Grand CherokeeJeep Wrangler

Or check a specific VIN

Frequently asked

How do I know if my car has an open recall?
The fastest way is to enter your 17-character VIN in our decoder above — it cross-references the NHTSA recall database and shows the recall campaigns associated with your vehicle's year, make, and model. Alternatively, you can browse by manufacturer and model below for a year-by-year breakdown. Recall data is model-level, so confirm with the manufacturer using the exact VIN whether a specific car's recall work was completed.
Are NHTSA recalls free to repair?
Yes. By US federal law (Motor Vehicle Safety Act), manufacturers must repair recall defects at no cost to the vehicle owner, regardless of whether the vehicle is under warranty or how old it is. This applies to recalls issued within the past 15 years for cars sold in the US through authorized dealerships. The repair is performed by any authorized dealer of that manufacturer — you do not need to return to the original selling dealer.
How do I confirm a recall was actually repaired?
Recall data is model-level — it tells you a campaign applies to a year/make/model, not whether a specific car was fixed. To confirm the repair on a used car, run the exact 17-character VIN through the manufacturer's recall lookup or call any authorized dealer with the VIN and campaign number. Dealers can see the service history tied to that VIN and tell you whether the recall work was completed.
What does the recall "campaign number" actually mean?
Each recall is assigned a unique NHTSA campaign number (formatted like 20V-123 or 21E-456) that identifies the specific issue, its scope, and the assigned remedy. The dealership uses this number to look up the repair procedure in the manufacturer's service system. When you bring your car in for a recall fix, mention the campaign number — it speeds up the service write-up and ensures the correct repair procedure is applied. The campaign number is also useful for tracking whether the repair has been performed if you buy a used car later.
How serious is a recall — should I stop driving immediately?
NHTSA classifies recalls by severity. Most are advisory and can wait until your next scheduled service appointment (weeks to a few months is reasonable). A smaller subset are urgent — affecting airbags, fuel systems, brakes, or steering — where NHTSA explicitly recommends parking the vehicle until repair. Our recall pages show each recall's Consequence statement (what could happen if unaddressed) and Remedy (what the fix involves). For ambiguous cases, the conservative move is to call the manufacturer's customer line or your dealer and ask whether the recall affects safe operation in the meantime.
I bought a used car — am I responsible for unfixed recalls?
You as the new owner are not legally liable for performing the recall, but you bear the safety risk of driving a vehicle with a known defect. Used car dealers in many states are required to disclose known open recalls before sale, but enforcement varies and private-sale transactions usually have no such requirement. The safer assumption: every used car purchase should include a VIN-based recall check, performed before money changes hands. If open recalls are found, the seller should be expected to address them or reduce the price accordingly.
My recall says "remedy not yet available" — what does that mean?
When manufacturers issue a recall, they sometimes do so before parts or repair procedures are finalized — this is required because federal law mandates timely notification once a defect is identified, even if the fix is still in development. "Remedy not yet available" means the manufacturer has acknowledged the problem and is producing replacement parts or finalizing the service procedure. You will receive a follow-up notification (usually within 60-90 days) when the fix is ready. In the interim, the manufacturer may offer alternative measures (loaner vehicles, mitigation steps) — contact the customer service line listed on your recall notice for specifics.
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Data disclaimer:Vehicle history information on SmartVINReport.com is compiled from publicly available government sources, primarily the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Reports may not include all incidents, recalls, or issues related to a specific vehicle. Data is provided "as-is" without warranty of completeness or accuracy. Always obtain a professional pre-purchase inspection before buying any used vehicle. SmartVINReport.com is not liable for purchasing decisions made based on report contents.