Frequently Asked Questions

A recall identifies the affected vehicles or equipment and establishes a remedy for the problem. The manufacturer is responsible for carrying out the recall and providing the required remedy under federal law.

A recall is different from ordinary maintenance, a service recommendation, or a normal mechanical repair.

Federal law places the recall obligation on the manufacturer. When a manufacturer determines that a safety-related defect exists—or NHTSA orders a recall—the manufacturer must notify affected parties and provide the required remedy.

In practice, the manufacturer then:

• determines how the defect will be corrected,
• develops the repair procedure,
• instructs its authorized dealers,
• distributes required parts,
• provides campaign information to its dealer network,
• and tracks completion of the recall.

NHTSA specifically directs consumers with an open vehicle recall to contact their vehicle manufacturer’s dealership for the recall repair.

That is why an authorized dealer plays such an important role in the recall process.

A manufacturer may identify a problem through its own testing or field information. Safety concerns can also come to light through consumer complaints, warranty information, investigations, or NHTSA activity.

A recall may be voluntary on the manufacturer’s part or may follow a NHTSA determination that a safety-related defect or noncompliance exists.

An open recall means an applicable recall has not been recorded as remedied for your vehicle.

The actual risk varies from recall to recall. Some recalls have ordinary service instructions, while others may include specific warnings such as Do Not Drive or Park Outside.

Always read the information for the specific recall and follow any instructions from the manufacturer. NHTSA also tells consumers to follow manufacturer instructions associated with an open recall.

VehicleRecalls.com does not independently determine whether a particular vehicle is safe to drive.

There can, however, be legal limits associated with the manufacturer's obligation to provide certain remedies without charge, particularly for older vehicles.

If your vehicle has an older open recall, an authorized dealer or the manufacturer can confirm current remedy eligibility.

Recall status follows the vehicle, not the original owner.

A used vehicle can have an open recall even if several people have owned it before you. Purchasing the vehicle does not automatically mean that previous recalls were repaired.

Checking the VIN lets you determine whether open recall information is currently associated with that specific vehicle.

One vehicle can be affected by multiple recall campaigns involving different systems or components.

For example, a vehicle could have one recall involving air bags and another involving an electrical component.

New safety recalls can be announced after you check your vehicle, and existing recall campaigns can be updated.

NHTSA recommends checking for open recalls regularly and says consumers should check at least twice a year because recalls continue to be issued and updated.

A result showing no open recalls today does not guarantee that the vehicle will never be recalled in the future.

The VIN identifies your individual vehicle.

You can commonly find it:

• at the bottom of the windshield on the driver side,
• on the driver-side door or doorjamb label,
• on the vehicle registration,
• or on insurance documents.

Related: Find Your VIN

It identifies the recall, not your individual vehicle.

For example:

Sample NHTSA Campaign Number

12V176000

NHTSA uses 12V176000 as an example campaign number in its recall API documentation.

A NHTSA campaign record can contain information such as:

• manufacturer,
• affected vehicle or equipment population,
• affected component,
• description of the defect or noncompliance,
• potential safety consequence,
• and manufacturer remedy.

12V176000

You may also encounter recall numbers displayed with punctuation or formatting in manufacturer documents, depending on the source.

The important point is that the NHTSA Campaign Number identifies a recall campaign, not one individual vehicle.

They identify different things.

VIN

1HGBH41JXMN109186

Identifies one specific vehicle.

NHTSA Campaign Number

12V176000

Identifies a particular federal recall campaign.

Your VIN determines whether your specific vehicle is included in an applicable recall campaign.

That identifier is separate from the NHTSA Campaign Number.

For the same recall, you could therefore see:

NHTSA Campaign Number
12V176000

Manufacturer Campaign Number
ABC123

The manufacturer example above is illustrative only.

These numbers help identify the recall. They do not identify your individual vehicle.

It is created by VehicleRecalls.com to connect a specific consumer communication with the vehicle and recall-check context associated with that communication.

You might receive a Recall Code through:

• email,
• SMS/text message,
• or a mail piece.

It allows you to begin your recall check without having to manually enter your full 17-character VIN.

Your VehicleRecalls.com Recall Code
VR-7K4M92
Vehicle
2022 Honda CR-V EX-L
Why you're receiving this
Information associated with this vehicle indicates that you should check its current safety-recall status.
Visit VehicleRecalls.com and enter VR-7K4M92 to check the vehicle referenced in this notice.

Another example:

Recall Code: RCL-83XQ5P
2021 Toyota RAV4 XLE
Use this proprietary VehicleRecalls.com code to begin your recall check without entering your full VIN.

These are sample codes only. They do not represent active consumer records and will not work on the site.

A VehicleRecalls.com Recall Code is not issued by NHTSA or any government agency.

It is a proprietary identifier used only by VehicleRecalls.com.

It should not be confused with:

• a VIN,
• a NHTSA Campaign Number,
• a manufacturer campaign number,
• a dealer repair order,
• or a government-issued identifier.

For example:

VIN: 1HGBH41JXMN109186

NHTSA Campaign: 12V176000

Manufacturer Campaign: ABC123

VehicleRecalls.com Recall Code: VR-7K4M92

Each serves a different purpose.

This can help the site identify the vehicle being referenced without requiring you to enter all of the vehicle information again.

The purpose is convenience: the code allows you to quickly return to VehicleRecalls.com and check the referenced vehicle.

Receiving a Recall Code does not by itself mean that VehicleRecalls.com is guaranteeing that an open recall currently exists.

The actual recall status should still be checked because recall information can change.

Your Recall Code

or

VehicleRecalls.com Recall Code

in the email, text message, or mail piece you received.

For example:

2023 Ford Explorer Limited
Recall Code: VR-42D7KM
Visit VehicleRecalls.com and select Recall Code.

If it is still not recognized, use your vehicle's 17-character VIN instead.

A missing or unrecognized Recall Code should never prevent you from checking your vehicle by VIN.

Make sure you entered the correct Recall Code.

If the code is correct but the vehicle shown is not the vehicle referenced in your communication, do not submit a dealer request for that vehicle.

Use the site's support/contact option or check the correct vehicle directly with its VIN.

The manufacturer is responsible for the recall remedy under federal law.

For older vehicles or unusual circumstances, consumers should confirm current eligibility with the manufacturer or authorized dealer rather than assuming every possible historical recall situation is identical.

Depending on the recall and applicable law, the remedy may involve:

• repairing a component,
• replacing a component,
• replacing equipment,
• or another remedy specified by the manufacturer.

The manufacturer—not VehicleRecalls.com—determines the official remedy.

That could involve:

• completing the repair procedure,
• preparing replacement parts,
• distributing parts to dealers,
• or providing dealers with final instructions.

NHTSA explains that there can be a time period between the recall decision and remedy availability while manufacturers develop procedures, instruct dealers, distribute parts, and notify consumers.

It does not mean the recall has gone away.

The dealer may be able to confirm:

• whether your VIN is affected,
• whether the remedy is available,
• whether parts are currently available,
• and whether the manufacturer has issued interim instructions.

For recall work, that relationship is particularly important.

Under federal law, the manufacturer is responsible for the recall remedy.

The manufacturer then works through its dealer network to carry out the recall locally.

An authorized dealer can receive:

• manufacturer recall instructions,
• repair procedures,
• campaign updates,
• required parts,
• technical information,
• VIN eligibility information,
• and systems for documenting completion of the recall.

For example, an authorized Honda dealer operates within Honda's dealer network. An authorized Toyota dealer operates within Toyota's dealer network.

The manufacturer determines the remedy and organizes the recall campaign.

NHTSA explains that manufacturers may need time to:

• identify affected owners,
• develop remedial procedures,
• instruct dealers how to perform the repair,
• distribute necessary parts to dealerships,
• and notify consumers.

The authorized dealer is where that manufacturer-directed remedy is generally performed for the consumer.

NHTSA's own consumer guidance tells owners with open recalls to contact the vehicle manufacturer's dealership.

The roles are different.

NHTSA

Oversees and enforces the federal vehicle-safety recall system.

Vehicle manufacturer

Is responsible for the recall campaign and remedy required under federal law.

Authorized dealer

Carries out the manufacturer's remedy locally for affected consumers.

Vehicle owner

Checks recall status, follows applicable safety instructions, and arranges for the remedy when appropriate.

That distinction is important because an authorized dealer does not independently create the manufacturer recall.

The manufacturer is responsible for the recall and supplies the remedy through its recall process.

NHTSA directs consumers with an open vehicle recall to their automaker's dealership for the recall repair.

That is why VehicleRecalls.com connects consumers with manufacturer-authorized dealers rather than treating a recall as a generic repair-shop job.

Depending on the campaign, an authorized dealer can:

• verify that the VIN is included,
• access current campaign information,
• follow manufacturer repair procedures,
• obtain recall-specific parts,
• perform required inspections or repairs,
• submit required documentation,
• and report completion through the manufacturer's systems.

That manufacturer-to-dealer relationship is one of the major differences between a safety recall and an ordinary repair.

The vehicle manufacturer is responsible for the recall remedy. The manufacturer then uses its authorized dealer network to carry out those remedies locally.

That means the dealer shown for your vehicle needs to represent the appropriate manufacturer.

For example:

• Honda vehicle → authorized Honda dealer
• Toyota vehicle → authorized Toyota dealer
• Ford vehicle → authorized Ford dealer

VehicleRecalls.com works with participating dealers that meet its program standards, including manufacturer authorization and strong consumer ratings.

Your ZIP code helps determine which participating dealer serves your area.

The dealer must be:

• appropriate for your vehicle's manufacturer,
• authorized within that manufacturer's dealer network,
• participating with VehicleRecalls.com,
• highly rated,
• and assigned to serve the applicable area under the site's dealer-selection rules.

Federal recall responsibility sits with the manufacturer, and the manufacturer establishes the official remedy. The authorized dealer network is how that remedy is generally delivered to affected vehicle owners.

VehicleRecalls.com therefore connects consumers with appropriate manufacturer-authorized participating dealers rather than treating recall service like a generic repair-shop referral.

If you prefer another authorized dealer for your vehicle manufacturer, you can contact that dealer directly.

Before a dealer request is completed, you verify the supported phone number or email address you selected.

After successful verification, VehicleRecalls.com can send the dealer the information needed to follow up on your request.

Submitting a request does not guarantee:

• a specific appointment time,
• immediate parts availability,
• a particular repair duration,
• or immediate completion of the recall.

It helps prevent:

• mistyped contact information,
• unauthorized submissions,
• and dealer requests being created with unverified consumer information.

The supported flow may allow verification by SMS or email.

A recall check may involve:

• VIN,
• or a VehicleRecalls.com proprietary Recall Code.

If you choose to request dealer assistance, VehicleRecalls.com may also collect information such as:

• name,
• contact information,
• ZIP code,
• vehicle information,
• verification status,
• and applicable consent choices.

That may include:

• checking the vehicle,
• presenting recall information,
• verifying your contact method,
• identifying a participating authorized dealer,
• processing a dealer-assistance request,
• and managing communications you have requested or consented to receive.