How to check for open recalls by VIN

The short version

Find the 17-character VIN on the lower left corner of your windshield, type it into NHTSA's lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and read the result. If it says "0 unrepaired recalls associated with this VIN," there's nothing open on that car today. If it lists a recall, call a dealer for that brand and book the repair. It's free.

That's the whole job for most people. The rest of this guide covers where the search falls short, because a clean result doesn't always mean what it seems to.

Why the VIN matters more than the model

A recall almost never covers every car of a given year and model. Manufacturers define a recall by production dates, plants, engines or option packages, and the VIN is what ties your car to those lists. Two 2020 Explorers parked side by side can have different open recalls.

That's also why the model pages on this site can't answer the question for you. They list every recall NHTSA has filed against a model year. Of the 1,040 vehicle-years with a page here, 992 (95%) have at least one recall on file, and the median vehicle-year has 4. Some have far more:

A long list for your model year tells you to check. Only the VIN tells you what's still open on your car, because a finished repair drops off the VIN result.

Where to find the VIN

NHTSA points to three places. It's printed on a small plate at the lower left of the windshield, readable from outside the car. It's on your registration card, and it may be on your insurance card.

Read it carefully. Federal VIN rules leave the letters I, O and Q out of the character set, so a character that looks like an O is a zero.

How to run the search

NHTSA's lookup takes either a VIN or a license plate. The plate search pulls vehicle details from your state's motor vehicle records, and NHTSA notes that it can return a car you used to own if the plate moved with you. If that happens, search by VIN instead and ask your DMV to update the record.

The lookup covers most mainstream brands, and NHTSA lists the manufacturers that feed it. If you manage a fleet or a family's cars, it will take up to 100 VINs at once.

You can also go straight to the manufacturer. Most brands run their own owner sites with a VIN recall check, and NHTSA says the VIN tool shows recall information the manufacturer has supplied even before it's posted elsewhere on NHTSA's site.

What a clean result doesn't cover

NHTSA is upfront that the VIN search won't show everything. Per its own list, it leaves out:

• recalls that have already been repaired on that car
• some brand-new recalls where the manufacturer hasn't identified every VIN yet (NHTSA says VINs are added continuously and suggests checking regularly)
• recalls more than 15 years old, unless the manufacturer offers more coverage
• recalls by small manufacturers, including some ultra-luxury and specialty brands
• customer service campaigns that aren't safety recalls
• vehicles built for other countries

The second item is the one that catches people. A recall can be announced on the news this week while the lookup still shows your car as clear. If a recall has been announced for your model year and your VIN comes back clean, check again in a few weeks or call the manufacturer.

What to do when a recall shows up

Call a dealer that sells your brand. The repair is free. NHTSA's recall booklet says a manufacturer must fix the problem at no charge, and dealers generally honor recalls regardless of where you bought the car.

A few things help:

• Have the recall number ready. NHTSA's numbers look like 24V-123 and the manufacturer uses its own code too. Both appear in the recall letter and the lookup result.
• Ask whether parts are in stock before you drop the car off. Some recalls are announced before the fix exists, and the lookup will say "remedy not yet available." Our guide on what to do when the recall fix isn't ready covers that case.
• Read the recall text for any interim instruction, such as parking outside or not driving the car. Our do-not-drive recall guide covers the most serious ones.

If a dealer refuses the free repair, NHTSA's advice is to contact the manufacturer directly.

Recall repairs have an age limit

The free remedy has a cutoff. Federal law doesn't require a free fix when the car was first sold more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice, and for tires the limit is five years. NHTSA's booklet adds that manufacturers can still choose to fix older cars, and that an old car with an open recall is worth fixing either way.

A recall doesn't expire once it's issued, though. NHTSA's FAQ says so plainly: once a vehicle has been recalled, that recall never expires. If you bought a ten-year-old car with an open recall, it's still yours to have repaired.

Staying on top of new recalls

Manufacturers mail recall notices to registered owners, and NHTSA's booklet says that has to happen within 60 days of the recall being filed. The letter goes to whoever the state records show, so a car you bought used may not bring the mail with it.

Two free ways to hear about new recalls without waiting for a letter: NHTSA's SaferCar app, which alerts you when a recall hits a vehicle you've added, and NHTSA's email alerts. NHTSA also suggests checking twice a year.

Checking a car you're about to buy

A used car can be sold with an open recall. The federal rule that blocks a sale until a recall is fixed, in 49 U.S.C. 30120(i), covers new vehicles in a dealer's stock and rental fleets. Run the VIN yourself before you buy, and if something is open, ask the seller to get it done first or plan to book it yourself. Our used-car research guide walks through the rest of the checks.