Editorial policy & sourcing standards

This page explains how Recall Explained publishes information, what sources we use, what we consider authoritative, and what the site can and cannot tell you. The goal is simple: help you take calm, correct next steps.

Our mission (in plain terms)

Recall Explained summarises vehicle recall campaigns and complaint patterns from public US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) datasets.
We explain common recall wording in plain language, highlight common pitfalls, and route you to the right verification step.
Our default stance is VIN first. Model level summaries provide context, but they do not decide whether your specific vehicle is affected.

VIN first: the one rule we do not bend

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.
Model pages and year by year summaries can help you understand context and patterns. They cannot confirm inclusion for your exact vehicle, because campaigns are often scoped by build dates, plant, trim, parts, or VIN ranges.
If you are an owner, a buyer, or a seller and you need the truth about a specific car, you should use the official VIN lookup: https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What we publish

1) Make and model pages

These pages summarise recall campaigns and complaint counts by model year to help you see patterns over time.
They are designed for context, not for VIN level status.

2) Guides

Guides are evergreen explainers that answer common questions such as how recalls work, what common recall letter phrases mean, how to read complaint counts, and what to do next.
Guides should route readers into the core flow: Guides → Latest recalls → make/model pages → official VIN lookup → authorised dealer.

3) Latest recalls

This section is an entry point for recent campaigns and commonly searched recall topics.
It is paired with VIN first guidance so users do not conclude inclusion from headlines.

Sources and what we treat as authoritative

We use a simple source hierarchy. For each type of claim, we prefer the source that is authoritative for that claim.

Authoritative for VIN status: the official NHTSA VIN lookup (nhtsa.gov/recalls).
Authoritative for campaign details: official NHTSA recall campaign records, including campaign identifiers, descriptions, scope language, and remedy notes.
Supporting sources: manufacturer communications (owner letters and official guidance) when clarifying procedure, remedy rollout, or service steps.
Signals, not verdicts: NHTSA owner complaints. Complaints can surface patterns, but they can also be noisy and biased, so we treat them as signals rather than proof.

We do not treat third party headlines, forums, or social posts as authoritative sources for recall status. They can be a reason to check, but they are not a basis to conclude.

How we handle complaint data

Complaints are owner reported experiences. They can be useful early signals, but they are not a verdict on a vehicle’s safety or quality.
Raw complaint counts can mislead because of factors such as how many vehicles are on the road, how long a model year has existed, and attention spikes after news coverage.
When we present complaint patterns, we aim to encourage calm interpretation and reinforce the next step: check recall status by VIN and follow official guidance.

Freshness, lag, and why results can differ

There can be lag between NHTSA updates and our next data refresh. The site may not always show the very latest campaigns or complaint records at all times.
A recall campaign can exist before the remedy is widely available. Parts, software, and dealer instructions can take time to roll out.
Owner letters can arrive later than the campaign announcement, or not arrive due to normal reasons such as address changes, used vehicle ownership, or timing.

If you see an apparent mismatch, the safe process is still the same: confirm by VIN on NHTSA, read the official campaign language, and contact an authorised dealer if your VIN shows an open recall.

Language standards and safety framing

We avoid sensational wording. Recall topics are stressful enough. The tone is intentionally calm and plain.
We do not declare whether a vehicle is safe or unsafe to drive. Urgency depends on the specific campaign and official instructions.
We separate patterns from proof. Model level summaries highlight context and themes. VIN level checks decide whether a campaign is open for a specific vehicle.

What we do not do

We are not a substitute for the official VIN lookup. Recall Explained does not know whether a particular vehicle has been repaired or whether the owner has been contacted.
We do not provide safety, legal, financial, or purchasing advice. Nothing on this site should be used as the sole basis for deciding whether a vehicle is safe to drive or safe to buy.
We are not a replacement for an inspection. Data cannot assess the condition of a specific vehicle.

Corrections and feedback

We try to process and organize NHTSA datasets carefully, but errors, missing records, or mismatches can occur. If you believe a page is incorrect or confusing, please contact us and include:

The page URL
A one sentence description of what looks wrong
If relevant, the recall campaign number (do not send your VIN)

Use the contact page.

Privacy and VINs

We do not need your VIN to publish educational information.
When we link to VIN lookup, we send you to NHTSA’s official tool rather than collecting VINs ourselves.

For details, see Privacy.