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Car Recall Check

Check a car for safety recalls for free. See the recalls for its model with the defect and the fix, plus its MOT history and car details.

  • Free, no account needed
  • Official DVSA recall data
  • Links to the GOV.UK check

What does a free recall check show?

Everything below is in the free Basic Car Report. No payment and no account.

  • Outstanding recall status

    Whether DVSA records a safety recall on the car that hasn’t been fixed, or that all its recalls have been, where DVSA holds an answer.

  • Recalls for the model

    The DVSA safety recalls for the same model, built around the same time as this car.

  • The defect and the fix

    What each recall is for, how the manufacturer fixes it, when it was launched and which build dates it covers.

  • Official GOV.UK check

    A link to the GOV.UK recall checker, which confirms whether a recall applies to this exact car.

  • MOT history

    Every recorded MOT test with its advisories and failures, and the mileage at each one.

  • The rest of the report

    Tax and SORN status, ULEZ status, car details and emissions.

What each result means

A safety recall is issued when a manufacturer finds a defect that could affect a car’s safety, such as a fault in the brakes, airbags or steering.

  • Outstanding safety recall

    Get it fixed

    DVSA records at least one safety recall on this car that hasn’t been fixed. A franchised dealer can tell you what it is from the registration or VIN.

  • No outstanding safety recall

    All fixed

    DVSA records show the car has had at least one safety recall, and all of them have been fixed.

  • Recalls for the model

    May apply

    Recalls issued for the model around when this car was built. Not every car of the model is affected, so confirm whether one applies to this car.

  • Check on GOV.UK

    Official check

    When DVSA holds no recall answer for the car, the report links to the GOV.UK checker, which confirms whether a recall applies to it.

What to do if a car has a recall

Call a franchised dealer
Give them the registration or the VIN. They can see which recall is open and whether it applies to this car.
Book the repair
Recall work is done through the manufacturer’s dealer network, and you won’t usually have to pay for the repair or parts.
Buying? Settle it first
Ask the seller to have it done before you collect the car, or for the dealer’s confirmation that it already has been.

Used cars are where recalls get missed. The manufacturer writes to the registered keeper, and a car that has changed hands is where that letter goes astray, so check any used car before you buy.

What a recall check can’t tell you

A recall check won’t tell you whether the car is safe to pay for. Outstanding finance, write-off history and stolen records aren’t held in public DVLA or DVSA records, so no free check can show them.

Before you hand over money, run a Full History Report to check the car’s history for finance, write-offs and theft.

Where does our recall data come from?

DVSA MOT records
Whether a recall is outstanding on the car, where DVSA holds an answer for it.
DVSA recall data
The published list of vehicle safety recalls, matched to the car’s make, model and build date.
GOV.UK
The official recall checker, which confirms whether a recall applies to an exact car.

Each Basic Car Report shows when it was last checked, and you can refresh it for the latest records.

More free car checks

Car recall check FAQs

How do I check if a car has a recall?

Enter the car’s registration at the top of this page. The Basic Car Report lists the safety recalls for its model with the defect and the fix, shows whether a recall is outstanding where DVSA records it, and links to the official GOV.UK check.

Is the car recall check free?

Yes. It costs nothing and you don’t need an account or card details. The recalls are in the free Basic Car Report, with the MOT history, tax and car details.

Does a recall for the model mean this car is affected?

Not necessarily. A recall covers cars of a model built in a particular period, and often only some of them. The GOV.UK recall checker, or a franchised dealer checking the VIN, confirms whether it applies to this exact car.

What does “no outstanding safety recall” mean?

DVSA records show the car has had at least one safety recall and all of them have been fixed.

Is recall work free?

Usually, yes. Safety recall work is done through the manufacturer’s dealer network, and GOV.UK says you won’t usually have to pay for the repair or parts, however many owners the car has had.

Why do used cars miss recalls?

Manufacturers write to the registered keeper when a recall is launched. If the car has changed hands, or the keeper moved without updating the V5C, the letter can go astray and the repair never gets booked.

Does the £15 Full History Report include recalls?

No. Recalls are free here and in the Basic Car Report. The Full History Report covers what a free check can’t show: outstanding finance, write-off history, stolen status, previous owners, mileage checks, plate changes, and import, export and scrapped records.

Check a car for recalls for free

See the safety recalls for its model, its MOT history and car details in the free Basic Car Report.

  • No payment or account
  • Official DVSA recall data
  • Upgrade to the Full History Report any time