Free Recall Check

What is a vehicle recall?

A vehicle recall is issued by a manufacturer (or by NHTSA) when a defect is discovered that creates a safety risk or doesn't comply with federal safety standards. Common recall categories include airbag defects, brake issues, fuel system leaks, steering problems, and electrical faults.

Manufacturers are legally required to fix recalled vehicles for free — even if you're not the original owner. Recall repairs typically cost the vehicle owner nothing.

Why check for recalls before buying?

Many used cars have unaddressed open recalls. Sellers often don't know about them, or know but don't bother fixing them. Driving a recalled vehicle can be dangerous — and if you're buying, you should know:

• Whether the vehicle has any open recalls
• What the safety risk is
• What the repair entails
• Whether you can use the open recalls to negotiate the price down

Recall check vs full Carfax report

A recall check tells you about known manufacturer defects. It doesn't tell you anything about what's happened to the specific car you're looking at.

For example, a recall check won't tell you if the car was in a major accident, has a salvage title, had its odometer rolled back, or was previously a rental. For all of that, you need a full vehicle history report.

Our full Carfax report shows recalls AND accident history, title brands, service records, ownership timeline, mileage history, and more — for just $4.99. That's 87% cheaper than buying it directly from carfax.com.

Recall Check FAQ