US vehicle recalls and complaint patterns, explained

Safety and legal disclaimer

This page sets out how you should use Recall Explained and what you can and cannot rely on. Please read it carefully before using the site.

No safety or legal advice

  • Recall Explained summarises recall campaigns and complaint patterns from public National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) datasets.
  • We do not provide safety, legal, financial, or purchasing advice. The information on this site is general and cannot take your specific situation into account.
  • Nothing on this site should be used as the sole basis for deciding whether a particular vehicle is safe to drive or safe to buy.

Not a replacement for the official VIN lookup

  • The only authoritative way to check whether a specific vehicle is subject to an open recall is the official NHTSA VIN lookup and direct communication with the manufacturer or dealer.
  • Recall Explained does not know whether a particular vehicle has been repaired or whether the owner has been contacted.
  • You should always use the official VIN lookup in addition to any summary you see here.

Data accuracy and limitations

  • We try to process and organize NHTSA datasets carefully, but there can still be errors, missing records, or mismatches in our processed data.
  • The site may not show the very latest campaigns or complaints at all times. There can be lag between NHTSA updates and our next data refresh.
  • We provide no warranty that the information on this site is complete, current, or free from mistakes.

Independent project

  • Recall Explained is an independent project that uses public NHTSA data.
  • It is not approved, endorsed, or operated by NHTSA or by any vehicle manufacturer.

By using this site you accept that you are responsible for your own safety decisions and that you will check critical information with the official sources and your dealer.