What Is a NHTSA Recall — and Should You Worry?
Not all recalls are the same. A car with five low-severity recalls is safer than one with a single critical one that was never fixed. Here's how to read recall data like a buyer who knows what they're looking at.
What is a car recall?
A recall is issued when the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) determines that a vehicle has a safety defect or does not comply with federal motor vehicle safety standards. The manufacturer is required by law to notify owners and fix the problem — for free.
Recalls are issued at the manufacturer's request or after NHTSA investigation (often triggered by owner complaints). They cover everything from a faulty brake sensor to an airbag that could kill you instead of protect you.
Importantly: a recall does not automatically mean a car is unsafe to drive right now. The severity of the defect, whether the recall has been completed, and the conditions under which the defect manifests all matter.
Recall severity levels
DBB uses a four-tier severity model derived from NHTSA's component categories and defect descriptions. Use this to interpret recall counts in our quality index.
Directly affects vehicle control or crash survivability — brakes, steering, airbags, seatbelts, fuel systems. These are the ones that cause accidents and injuries.
Examples: Takata airbag inflator rupture, GM ignition switch defect, Ford accelerator spring
→ Verify the recall has been completed before buying. Check NHTSA VIN lookup.
Significant risk of injury or fire in certain conditions, but not an immediate control failure. Powertrain, suspension, or electrical issues that could cause a hazardous situation.
Examples: Engine stall at speed, potential tire blowout, wiring fire risk
→ Important to have addressed. Not immediate danger at every moment, but investigate.
May cause reduced performance, intermittent failure, or safety issues in edge cases. Emissions, minor electrical, or ADAS (driver-assist) systems.
Examples: Incorrect fuel gauge, turn signal failure, rearview camera display issues
→ Should be fixed — free through the dealership — but lower urgency than critical.
Minor defects that rarely cause safety issues. Cosmetic, label compliance, or edge-case software bugs.
Examples: Incorrect owner's manual, mislabeled tire pressure, minor software glitch
→ Worth getting fixed when convenient, but unlikely to affect your decision to buy.
Open vs. completed recalls: this matters
A recall count tells you how many recalls were issued. It doesn't tell you whether they were fixed. For used car buyers, the distinction is critical.
Open recall: the defect has been identified and a fix exists, but this specific vehicle has never been brought in for the repair. You can check any VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls for free. If a car has open critical or high recalls, require the seller to complete them at a dealer before you buy — or negotiate the hassle into the price.
Completed recall: the defect was repaired under the recall. This is actually a positive data point — it means the car had a known issue and it was professionally fixed at no cost to the owner.
How to check open recalls for any VIN
- Go to nhtsa.gov/recalls
- Enter the VIN (17-character code on the dash or door jamb)
- View all open and completed recalls for that specific vehicle
- For open recalls: contact any franchised dealer (not just the original dealer) for a free repair
When a recall history should make you walk away
DBB shows recall count, severity breakdown, and complaint volume for any make, model, and year — plus a BUY/NEGOTIATE/WALK verdict based on the full picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does a car with recalls automatically fail inspection?▾
No — in most US states, open recalls do not cause a vehicle to fail a state inspection. Some states (California, New Jersey) are moving toward recall-related inspection requirements, but most do not. This means a car with an open critical recall can pass inspection and be legally sold. It's your job to check.
Can I get a recall fixed for free on a car I just bought?▾
Yes — as long as the recall is open (not yet repaired), any franchised dealer for that make must perform the recall repair for free, regardless of whether you're the original owner. Call a dealer with the VIN and they'll confirm the open recalls and schedule the repair.
Is a high recall count always bad?▾
Not necessarily. Some very reliable brands issue more recalls because they proactively investigate potential issues (Toyota has a high recall rate but is consistently ranked as one of the most reliable brands). What matters more is the severity of the recalls and whether they were completed. A car with 8 low-severity recalls, all fixed, is safer than one with 2 critical recalls that are still open.