About RecallScout

RecallScout is a free, independent tool that helps US drivers check whether their vehicle has an open safety recall or has generated owner complaints with federal regulators. All data comes directly from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the US government agency responsible for vehicle safety.

What We Do

We aggregate and index NHTSA recall and complaint data to make it easier to find. You can search by make, model, year, or VIN number. For each vehicle we show all associated recalls, owner complaints, crash and fire statistics, and NHTSA safety ratings where available.

Why Recalls Matter

A recall is issued when a manufacturer or NHTSA determines that a vehicle or equipment creates an unreasonable risk to safety. Once a recall is issued, the manufacturer is required to fix the defect free of charge at any authorized dealer. Despite this, tens of millions of vehicles on US roads have open, unrepaired recalls at any given time.

Checking your vehicle takes less than a minute. If your car has an open recall, contact your dealer to schedule a free repair.

Independence

RecallScout is an independent website. We are not affiliated with NHTSA, the US Department of Transportation, or any vehicle manufacturer. We do not sell vehicles, parts, or services. Our only goal is to make safety recall information more accessible to the public.

Data Sources

All recall and complaint data is sourced from the NHTSA public API. Data is updated regularly. For full details on our data sources and their limitations, see our Data Sources page.