What to do if your car has an open recall

A recall campaign is opened when a manufacturer, or NHTSA, decides that a defect creates an unreasonable safety risk or that a vehicle fails a federal motor vehicle safety standard. The manufacturer files a defect report with NHTSA, and NHTSA says registered owners are notified by first-class mail within 60 days of that filing.

“Open” (or “incomplete”, “unrepaired”, “remedy not yet performed”) means the campaign covers your VIN and the manufacturer’s records do not show the remedy as done. “Closed” or “completed” means a dealer did the work and reported it. NHTSA’s VIN search shows safety recalls left unrepaired on that vehicle from the past 15 calendar years, using data supplied by the manufacturer.

A campaign usually covers a range of build dates, so not every car of a model year is included. That is why a model-year list, like the ones on our recall pages by make, is the first pass and the VIN search is the second. Our guide on how to check recalls by VIN walks through both.

Call a franchised dealer of your brand, not an independent shop. Recall work is paid for by the manufacturer, which reimburses its dealers for the parts and labor (49 U.S.C. 30120(f)); independent garages are not part of that system.

• Have the numbers ready. The NHTSA campaign number (format 24V123000, often written 24V-123) and the manufacturer’s own code from the letter or its website speed up the booking.
• Ask how long it takes. Some remedies are a software update of under an hour; others are an engine or airbag replacement that needs the car for days. Some are done over the air with no visit at all.
• Ask about the parts. Dealers often order parts per VIN once you book. If the part is back-ordered, ask to be put on the list and for the interim instructions in writing.
• Ask about a loaner. It is not a federal requirement, but many manufacturers authorize loaners or rentals for particular campaigns. Ask the dealer and, if the dealer says no, the manufacturer’s customer line printed on the recall letter.
• Read the repair order. It should name the recall and show no charge for that line. You can decline any extra work the dealer recommends.

You do not need to be the original owner, and the car does not need to be in warranty. The free-remedy duty covers the vehicle, not the purchase. The main limit is age: the duty does not apply if the vehicle was first sold more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice (5 years for tires). See are recalls free, and do they expire?

Large campaigns sometimes start before the manufacturer has enough parts. In that case owners get a first letter describing the risk and any interim steps (for example, do not use a feature, park outside, or do not charge a plug-in battery), and a second letter when the remedy is available.

Federal law sets a clock once the remedy is available. If the manufacturer chose to repair the vehicle and the repair is not done adequately within a reasonable time, it must replace the vehicle or refund the price, less a reasonable allowance for depreciation. Failing to repair the vehicle adequately within 60 days of presenting it is prima facie evidence of an unreasonable delay. NHTSA can extend that period for good cause, and bringing the car in before the date the manufacturer said the remedy would be ready does not start the clock (49 U.S.C. 30120(c)).

In practice, write down the date you presented the car and keep every repair order and email. If you are past 60 days, contact the manufacturer’s customer line in writing and mention 49 U.S.C. 30120(c).

• The dealer says the recall does not apply. Ask them to run your VIN in the manufacturer’s system. If NHTSA’s VIN search shows it as open and the dealer disagrees, call the manufacturer.
• The dealer wants to charge you. Ask for the charge in writing, name the recall, and call the manufacturer’s customer line. Charging for the remedy itself is not allowed unless the 15-year limit applies.
• You already paid for the same repair. The manufacturer must have a reimbursement plan for owners who paid before the recall; read recall reimbursement.
• The problem comes back after the repair. Tell the dealer and the manufacturer, and file a vehicle safety complaint with NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem or on the Vehicle Safety Hotline, 888-327-4236. Complaints are how NHTSA spots remedies that do not work.
• You think a recall is being handled badly. NHTSA can hold a hearing on whether a manufacturer has met its remedy obligations, on its own motion or on application by any interested person (49 U.S.C. 30120(e)).

If the dispute is over a separate, non-safety campaign or a technical service bulletin, different rules apply: see recall vs. TSB vs. service campaign.

Enter the VIN above to list every NHTSA recall for your model year with the risk, the remedy and any park-it warning, plus owner complaints by component. Then confirm open status at NHTSA. To see what has been filed in the last 60 days across every make, open the latest US recalls, updated daily.

Selling the car soon? An open recall is easier to fix before you list it; see does a recall affect resale value?