Can You Sell a Car With an Open Recall? What the Law Says
New cars and rental cars must be fixed first. Used cars often are not, so the VIN check falls to the buyer.
Category: Recalls & Safety
NHTSA recalls, defect investigations and safety ratings with model years, the fix and how to check your VIN.
NHTSA Investigation Stages: From Complaint to Recall
What the letters PE, EA, RQ, DP and AQ mean on a federal safety probe, how long each stage is meant to take, and when an owner should act.
Automatic Emergency Braking Rule: What FMVSS 127 Requires
The federal emergency braking standard is final but under review, with a proposed two-year delay. Here is what it asks of new cars and what owners can do about false braking today.
Do Not Drive and Park Outside Recalls: What Owners Should Do
The two most urgent recall warnings, what each one asks of you, and how to get the car to the dealer without driving it.
Technical Service Bulletins: What a TSB Is and How to Find One
Service bulletins tell dealers how to fix common problems. Knowing that one exists for your car can save hours of diagnosis and sometimes the repair bill.
How to Check Car Recalls by VIN or License Plate for Free
A free federal lookup tells you in seconds whether your car has an unrepaired safety recall and whether parts for the fix are ready yet.
NHTSA vs IIHS Safety Ratings: Different Tests, Different Scores
A five-star car can miss an IIHS award, and the reverse happens too. Each program measures different crashes, so the two ratings work best together.
How to Report a Vehicle Safety Problem to NHTSA
Filing a safety complaint takes about 10 minutes. Here is what to have ready, what happens after you hit submit, and why one report can matter.
Are Recall Repairs Free? Who Pays and the 15-Year Limit
Federal law makes the automaker pay for safety recall repairs, with no warranty needed. The exceptions are age, tires and work done before the recall was announced.
Hyundai and Kia Theft Fix: Software Update, Cylinder Protector
Millions of key-start Hyundai and Kia cars lack an engine immobilizer, which made them easy to steal. Here is which models are affected, what the free fixes are and how to claim theft compensation.