From “do not drive” alerts to minor sensor fixes, learn how to cross-reference NHTSA data with your VIN to ensure your car is repaired at no cost to you.
By Keith Barry
Perhaps you received a vehicle recall notice in the mail or a notification from the User Reports recall tracker. Or perhaps you checked a car you’re interested in purchasing on the official government recall website and discovered that it still requires repairs. Can you keep driving the car? Is it dangerous? Will it cost you money to fix it? How will you get to work tomorrow?
User Reports is here to help you.
Tens of millions of cars are recalled each year to fix flaws ranging from software problems that can cause a car to stop unexpectedly to leaks that can cause a fire. Some recalls affect millions of vehicles, while others only affect a dozen or so. However, all recalls are important and all affected car owners have the same rights.
“Every safety defect puts people at risk and recalls should be taken seriously,” says William Wallace, safety policy manager at CR.
Below, we answer some of the most frequently asked questions about recalls and address problems you might have if your car is recalled.
Why was your car recalled?
The short answer is because a safety problem has been clearly identified that puts you and your car at risk, and needs repair. (There are also recalls related to gas emissions, which are typically handled by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), but this article is primarily about safety recalls.)
Vehicle safety recalls have been the purview of the federal government since 1966, when the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act was enacted. These recalls are currently overseen by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency within the Department of Transportation. However, they are usually initiated by car manufacturers, who can face fines if they do not report defects.
According to NHTSA, recalls are issued for defects that “pose a risk to the safety of motor vehicles” and that “may exist in a group of vehicles of the same design or manufacture, or in equipment of the same type and manufacture.” In other words, steering systems that don’t work or engines that stop suddenly would be subject to a recall and automakers would pay for them; but peeling paint or a faulty air conditioning system probably not, even if those problems affect multiple vehicles. (There are sometimes technical service bulletins that advise shops on how to correct these types of common problems, and automakers sometimes cover out-of-warranty repairs as well.)
Other times, vehicles are recalled because they do not meet safety standards. Examples of these types of recalls include faulty headlights or backup cameras that take too long to display images.
Can you continue driving your car before the recall repair is made?
That depends, says John Ibbotson, CR’s associate director of auto testing. “The recall notice will tell you whether or not it is safe to drive, or if you should leave it parked outside,” he adds.
Recently, many automakers have advised drivers to park certain recalled vehicles outside and away from structures due to the risk of fire. These include Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid trucks, Ford Expedition, and many Kia and Hyundai vehicles.
In rare cases, such as the recall of certain Mercedes-Benz SUVs with faulty brakes, an automaker will issue what is known as a “do not drive” warning. If you’ve been told not to drive your car, don’t tempt fate. The vehicle has a particularly serious problem that could endanger your life.
If there is no such warning, Ibbotson says, you can still drive if necessary, but you should get your car repaired as soon as possible. “Your car should be safe enough that you can drive it to the dealership for repairs or use it for other essential purposes,” he says.
Many problems that lead to withdrawal have symptoms. Knowing the signs that reveal potential problems can help drivers make an informed decision.
Automakers may also tell you specific cases when it is unsafe to drive a recalled vehicle or recommend that you avoid certain activities, such as using a declared feature that could put occupants at risk or parking near a structure if the vehicle is at risk of catching fire. For example, Subaru recently told some owners not to fill their gas tank more than half full.
Describes: iStock, NHTSA
How do withdrawals begin?
Automakers often discover problems that require recalls on their own, usually after receiving warranty claims, hearing complaints from dealers or drivers, or when a factory worker or supplier discovers a problem in the manufacturing process. Factories document the auto manufacturing process so thoroughly that manufacturers can accurately identify specific days when a defective part was installed or vehicles that were not built to standards.
For example, when a water flow meter failed at a Toyota engine factory, hundreds of engine blocks destined for Toyota and Lexus did not cool properly and developed cracks. Dealers who received those vehicles complained to Toyota that new cars at their dealership were leaking coolant, and the company launched an internal investigation. The manufacturer was able to determine which cars had defective engine blocks by comparing the serial numbers of the engine blocks that were manufactured before the water flow meter was repaired.
Other times, NHTSA investigates a problem after receiving complaints from the public. If you have a complaint about vehicle safety, learn how to report it here.
“If a manufacturer knows that one of its vehicles has a safety defect and fails to report the problem to the government in a timely manner, or presents it as a minor problem when the company knows it is actually a safety defect, the manufacturer is breaking the law,” Wallace says. That’s what happened when GM hid serious problems with ignition switches in some of its vehicles for years before finally recalling them in 2014. If an automaker is found to have hidden a safety defect, the NHTSA can fine it more than $22,000 for each violation and up to $111 million in total for a series of related violations.
How will you find out about a recall?
For recalls of any size, auto companies must send official notices by first-class mail, labeled “Safety Recall Notice” and printed with federal logos. “The notice should explain any potential safety risks and detail when and how the problem can be fixed,” says Wallace.
However, mail notices are often sent days or even weeks after the recall is announced online. Mail notices sometimes do not reach second or third owners, and auto manufacturers may not be able to contact vehicle owners who have moved addresses without notifying the local registry of motor vehicles. That’s why User Reports recommends signing up for a recall reminder service, like the User Reports Recall Tracker, or using the NHTSA website.
Major recalls often appear in national news coverage, including on CR.org.
Sometimes a recall only includes specific vehicles rather than all vehicles of a given model year. This explains why you may find out about a withdrawal, but not receive a notification. However, it is better to be proactive. It is important to have your vehicle’s vehicle identification number (VIN) on hand when checking for recalls. The VIN is a combination of 17 digits and letters and is usually located on the outside of the windshield, on the driver’s side. You’ll need this number not only to check for a recall, but also to contact your dealer to schedule a repair, so have it handy.
To check if your vehicle has pending recalls, visit nhtsa.gov/recalls and enter your car’s VIN. If there is a pending recall for your specific vehicle, it will appear there.
Are recall repairs free?
In most cases. Federal law requires that all safety recall repairs be free for cars up to 15 years old. This is counted from the time the car was sold to the first owner, rather than based on the model year or date of manufacture. But if your car is older, it doesn’t necessarily mean you’re out of luck, Wallace says. “For cars over 15 years old, manufacturers and dealers often voluntarily offer a free recall repair, so we encourage you to ask,” he adds. For example, a major recall of airbags in 2020 it covered millions of Honda, Isuzu and Mitsubishi cars since 1998.
It is important to note that a free recall repair does not extend to other related components that might need to be replaced in the process. If the car is too rusty to install replacement parts, the recall will not cover rust repair. Similarly, if the dealer determines that your vehicle is unsafe for reasons unrelated to a recall (if the tires are worn or the brakes are failing, for example), they can rightly recommend that you fix those problems immediately.
Sometimes an unscrupulous dealership may use a recall repair to try to get other benefits. If a recall dealer tells you that your car needs other expensive repairs, take it to a trusted mechanic for a second opinion before committing to anything beyond the recall repair.
If your car is 15 years old or younger and a dealer refuses to perform a recall repair or tries to charge you for the repair, Wallace recommends that you contact the car manufacturer and report it.
How long does it take to repair a recalled car?
Today, owners can fix a recall themselves using an over-the-air software update. Manufacturers such as Ford, GM, Mercedes-Benz and Tesla have already used over-the-air updates to address product recalls. The process is similar to updating a phone or computer.
If a physical repair is needed, it may take weeks from the initial announcement of the recall for dealers to be informed and equipped to make repairs. However, once ready, most repairs are quick. But other recalls are more complex.
Sometimes automakers initiate a recall before a solution is found, as in the recent case of the Nissan Frontier recall. In that case, owners will receive two notices: one when the recall is announced and another when there is a solution available. wearable. At other times, dealers do not have access to enough parts to repair all the cars that need it, as was the case at the beginning of the recall. airbag by Takata.
Sometimes a recall repair is not enough and the car needs to be returned for repair. In the case of some Nissan Altimas, the vehicles had to be taken in for repair four times! And other times, repairs are so complex that the dealer may have to return the car to the factory, which could take several weeks.
When scheduling a recall repair, ask your dealer how long it should take.
In extremely rare cases, an automaker might buy back or replace your entire vehicle. This typically occurs only if an irreparable defect exists, as happened after Subaru discovered faulty welds on several new Legacy sedans and Ascent and Outback SUVs in 2018. A welding robot at the factory was poorly programmed, and because the faulty welds compromised the structural integrity of the vehicles, they had to be scrapped.
Will you receive a loaner car?
In general, automakers don’t owe owners of recalled cars anything more than a timely and safe repair, not even a cup of stale coffee at the dealership. For example, when BMW issued a recall related to airbags In 2019, ordering owners not to drive their vehicles, the manufacturer stated that those affected would not receive alternative transportation.
Although federal law does not require a loaner car, manufacturers occasionally offer one, and it doesn’t hurt to ask if your car is subject to a recall. Dealers may also offer a loaner vehicle at their own cost.
But in reality, you’re not likely to need a loaner car, since most recall-related repairs can be resolved within an hour or two.
Describes: User Reports
What happens if you already paid for a repair?
If you have already paid to repair an issue that will later be subject to a recall, you may be entitled to a refund from the manufacturer. However, the repair must have been completed within a specific time frame and the refund request must be submitted as soon as possible after receiving the recall notice. In some cases, homeowners only have 10 days to request a refund and must always provide documentation proving the cost of the repair. Details regarding dates and eligibility for refunds are specified in the withdrawal notices.
According to NHTSA, even outside of these specific limits, manufacturers have often voluntarily agreed to reimburse vehicle owners for repair costs that would have later been covered by a recall.
Can a used car for sale have an open recall?
Unfortunately, yes. Federal law specifically prohibits the sale of new cars with open recalls, but there is no similar law for used cars.
This means that consumers are largely on their own. Before you buy a car, enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and check for any unrepaired recalls. (You should be able to find the VIN in the dealership’s online ad or on the car itself if you are at the dealership.) If there are any pending withdrawals, be sure to resolve them as soon as possible.
If you buy from a used car dealer, ask them to resolve outstanding recalls before delivery. Just like a consumer, you can take the car to a new car dealer to have the work done at no charge. Some dealers may not be trained to do this. Just like buying from a declared seller, you may need to handle this task yourself.
With any used car, you should have a mechanic inspect it before purchasing. Although this inspection costs money up front, it is worth it. If the previous owner did not do the work to repair a recall, he or she may also have skipped maintenance and repair tasks.
Should you be worried because your car was recalled?
In general, no. A timely and comprehensive recall that fixes a problem shows that automakers and regulators take safety seriously.
“Recalls can be uncomfortable, but they’re actually a positive thing,” says Jennifer Stockburger, director of operations at User Reports’ Auto Test Center. “While their severity may vary, a recall means that the manufacturer will fix or take corrective action to address a safety issue, so they should be taken seriously.”
User Reports is a self-sustaining, nonprofit group that works aspect by aspect with buyers to form a fairer, safer, and extra healthy world. CR does now not endorse products and services or merchandise, and does now not settle for marketing and marketing. Copyright © 2026, User Reports, Inc.
