Check Recalls by VIN
Free lookup of NHTSA safety recalls for any car, truck or SUV sold in the United States. Enter the VIN to identify the vehicle and list every recall campaign, including “Do Not Drive” and “Park Outside” advisories.
What this tool does
The VIN is decoded with NHTSA’s vehicle database to find the make, model and model year. We then query NHTSA’s recall database for every campaign that lists that vehicle. Results come straight from NHTSA and are refreshed daily.
Before you buy a used car
Check the VIN for open recalls, then read the model’s best-and-worst-years page to see how that model year compares with its siblings on NHTSA owner complaints. Recalls are fixed for free; complaint patterns tell you what tends to go wrong after the warranty ends.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check recalls by VIN?
- Enter the 17-character VIN from the driver’s door jamb, the dashboard (visible through the windshield) or the registration. We decode it with NHTSA’s vPIC database and list every safety recall campaign NHTSA has on file for that make, model and model year.
- Does this show whether the recall was already fixed?
- No. NHTSA’s public data lists campaigns by make, model and year, not repair status for an individual VIN. To confirm whether a repair was completed, call any franchised dealer of that brand with the VIN, or use the manufacturer’s own recall lookup.
- Are recall repairs free?
- Yes. By federal law manufacturers must perform safety recall repairs free of charge, regardless of the vehicle’s age or mileage, at authorized dealers.
- Where is the VIN on my car?
- Most commonly on a plate at the base of the windshield on the driver’s side, on the sticker inside the driver’s door jamb, and on your registration and insurance card. A VIN never contains the letters I, O or Q.
- Do you store my VIN?
- Lookups are cached for up to 24 hours so repeat checks do not hit NHTSA’s servers again. VINs are not linked to any account or personal data.