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.
Yes. Under federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120), the automaker must fix a safety recall free of charge at a franchised dealer of that brand, whether or not the car is still under warranty and no matter how many owners it has had. The main exception is age: the free remedy does not apply if the vehicle was first sold more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice.
The same law lets the automaker choose how to fix the problem, sets a deadline for repairs that drag on, and requires a plan to pay back owners who fixed the defect before the recall was announced.
Who pays for a recall repair?
The vehicle manufacturer pays. The dealer does the work, bills the automaker, and charges you nothing for the parts or labor in the recall remedy.
The obligation follows the vehicle, not the original buyer. A third owner who bought the car privately gets the same free repair as the person who bought it new. You do not need a service history, a warranty or proof that you bought it from a dealer. You need the car and, ideally, the VIN and recall number from the owner letter or from a free VIN recall check.
If the dealer finds other problems while the car is in the shop, those repairs are not part of the recall and you can decline them.
What can the automaker do to fix the defect?
For a vehicle, the manufacturer picks one of three remedies: repair the car, replace it with an identical or reasonably equivalent vehicle, or refund the purchase price minus a reasonable allowance for depreciation. Almost every recall uses the repair option.
If the automaker chooses repair and does not fix the problem adequately within a reasonable time, it must replace the vehicle or refund it instead. The statute says that failing to complete an adequate repair within 60 days after you present the vehicle is prima facie evidence of an unreasonable delay. NHTSA can extend that 60-day period for good cause by publishing an order in the Federal Register before the period ends.
Whenever you bring the car in for a recall, ask for a repair order with the date on it. That paper is your record of when you presented the vehicle if the repair drags on.
Is there an age limit on free recall repairs?
Yes. The free-remedy requirement does not apply to a vehicle the first purchaser bought more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice or NHTSA order. For tires, the limit is 5 calendar years.
| Item | Free remedy required if first sold within | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Cars, trucks, motorcycles | 15 calendar years before the notice | 49 U.S.C. 30120(g), extended from 10 years by the FAST Act of 2015 |
| Replacement equipment, such as car seats | 15 calendar years before the notice | 49 U.S.C. 30120(g) |
| Tires | 5 calendar years before the notice | 49 U.S.C. 30120(g) |
Some automakers fix older vehicles anyway, especially for serious defects, so call the brand’s customer service line before assuming you will pay. The NHTSA lookup also shows only recalls from the past 15 calendar years, which is why a very old car can show nothing.
Tire recalls have their own timing rule. You generally have 180 days after receiving the notice, or after being told replacements are available, to present the tire for the free remedy.
Can I get reimbursed if I paid for the repair before the recall?
Often, yes. Federal rules at 49 CFR 573.13 require every vehicle recall to include a plan for reimbursing owners who paid to fix the defect before the recall notice.
The reimbursement window usually starts one year before the automaker notified NHTSA of the defect, or earlier if NHTSA had opened an engineering analysis before that. It ends 10 calendar days after the automaker mails the last owner notification letters. The owner letter states the exact dates and where to send the claim.
The automaker may ask for no more than the following:
- Your name and mailing address.
- The vehicle’s make, model, model year and VIN.
- The NHTSA or manufacturer recall number.
- Proof that you owned the vehicle when the repair was done.
- A receipt showing the repair addressed the defect and what you paid.
- If the repair should have been covered by warranty, proof that a dealer refused the claim or that the warranty repair failed.
The rule does not require that the earlier repair was done at a dealer or that it matches the automaker’s remedy exactly. Keep every repair receipt for this reason.
Where can I get a recall repair done?
Any franchised dealer of the vehicle’s brand can do the recall work, including dealers other than the one that sold the car. Independent shops cannot perform the recall remedy at the automaker’s expense.
Call ahead with the VIN and the recall number so the dealer can order parts. Popular recalls can have waits of several weeks. For a defect that makes the car unsafe to drive, our guide to do not drive recall notices explains how to ask for towing and a loaner.
If a dealer refuses to do a recall repair or tries to charge you, ask for the refusal in writing, call the automaker’s customer service line, and consider filing a report with NHTSA. Our guide to reporting a vehicle safety problem walks through that process.
Bottom line
If your car is under 15 years old from its first sale, a safety recall repair should cost you nothing at a franchised dealer, and an earlier out-of-pocket fix may be reimbursable. Older cars and tires fall outside the free-remedy rule, but the automaker may still help if you ask.
FAQ
Do I need to be the original owner to get a free recall repair?
No. The free remedy attaches to the vehicle, so any owner can have it done. Bring the car and the VIN to a franchised dealer of the brand.
Is a recall repair free if my warranty has expired?
Yes. A safety recall is separate from the warranty, so an expired warranty does not matter. Only the 15-year age limit, counted from the first sale, can remove the free-remedy obligation.
Does the dealer have to give me a loaner car during a recall?
Federal law does not require a loaner for most recalls. Some automakers offer loaners or rental reimbursement for specific recalls, especially “do not drive” campaigns, so ask the dealer and the automaker before the appointment.
How long does the automaker have to fix my car?
If the remedy is a repair, failing to fix the car adequately within 60 days of presenting it is treated as evidence of unreasonable delay, which can require a replacement or refund. NHTSA can extend that period for good cause.
