Check your cars for safety recalls
Enter a VIN, up to 10 for a fleet, or a year, make and model. You'll see every safety recall filed for that model, with the fix and any warning not to drive the car or to park it outside. Turo blocks new bookings on cars with open recalls, so check before Turo does.
Results are by model, not by VIN. NHTSA's public data lists every recall for a year, make and model, and some recalls cover only part of a model's production. To see which recalls are still open on your car, enter its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or ask a dealer. Your browser fetches the data directly from NHTSA, and Fleetwire never sees or stores your VINs.
What the results mean
Each recall is a campaign the manufacturer filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration after finding a safety defect. The campaign number (like 20V682000) is what a dealer's service desk asks for. Every recall lists the component that's affected, the consequence (what can happen if it fails), and the remedy, the fix the manufacturer will do. Recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer.
Most recalls are routine: book the repair and keep renting. A few come with an advisory from the manufacturer. Don't drive means the car shouldn't be driven until it's repaired, and park outside means a fire risk serious enough that it shouldn't be parked in a garage or near buildings. The tool puts those first. Some recalls are fixed with an over-the-air software update and never need a dealer visit.
Why a recall shows up for a car that's already fixed
NHTSA publishes recalls by year, make and model, and that's what this tool shows. A campaign can cover only cars built in a certain plant or date range, and a car that's had the repair still shows the recall here. NHTSA's own VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls shows which recalls are unrepaired on one specific car. Use this tool to see what could affect your fleet, and the VIN search to confirm each car.
Why recalls matter more when you rent
A recalled car is a liability risk once someone else drives it. On Turo, the stakes are concrete: Turo checks every listed car's VIN for open safety recalls, asks hosts to remove a recalled car within 72 hours of the notice, and restricts new bookings until the repair shows up in NHTSA's database. That can take days after the dealer finishes the work. Several states with car-sharing laws also bar re-listing a recalled car until it's repaired. If you find out about a recall before the restriction does, you can book the dealer around your trips, not the other way around.
Frequently asked questions
How do I check if my car has a recall?
Enter your VIN above to see every recall filed for your car's year, make and model. To see which of those are still open on your specific car, enter the same VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, or call a franchised dealer for that brand. Manufacturers also mail recall notices to the registered owner.
Is this tool free?
Yes, with no email and no account. It reads NHTSA's public recall database straight from your browser, so you can check as many cars as you like, up to 10 VINs at a time.
Does this check my exact car by VIN?
No. The VIN is used to look up the year, make and model, and the recalls shown are for that model. NHTSA's VIN search at nhtsa.gov/recalls is the authoritative answer for one car's open recalls, because it includes repairs dealers have already reported.
Who pays for a recall repair?
The manufacturer. Safety recall repairs are free at a franchised dealer for that brand, whatever the car's age or mileage. If you've already paid for the same repair before the recall was announced, the manufacturer may reimburse you. Ask the dealer.
Can I keep renting a car with an open recall?
It depends on the recall and your platform. On Turo, an open safety recall restricts new bookings until the repair is recorded with NHTSA, and in some states the law bars renting the car until it's fixed. A recall with a don't-drive or park-outside advisory means the manufacturer considers the car unsafe to use until it's repaired.
Is Fleetwire affiliated with NHTSA?
No. Fleetwire isn't affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation. This tool reads NHTSA's public recall and VIN-decoding data, which anyone can use.
Can I get alerts when a new recall comes out?
Yes. Fleetwire's recall alerts check every car in your fleet against NHTSA's database each day and text you when a new recall comes out, with the details on that car's Maintenance tab.
Recall alerts on Fleetwire
Hear about the next recall before your renter does
Fleetwire checks every car in your fleet against NHTSA's recall database each day. When a new recall comes out, you get a text, and the component, fix and any don't-drive advisory land on that car's Maintenance tab.
- ✓Checked daily for every car you add
- ✓Don't-drive and park-outside advisories flagged first
- ✓Included in every plan, with nothing to set up
Recall and VIN data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public APIs, shown as published. Fleetwire isn't affiliated with or endorsed by NHTSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation. Not legal or safety advice.