Guide
Overview
Recalls in the United States are run by four federal agencies, each with its own database. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration covers vehicles, tires, child car seats and equipment, and its lookup by vehicle identification number shows the open recalls on a specific car, which the manufacturer must fix free unless the vehicle was first sold more than 15 years before the recall notice. The Food and Drug Administration covers food, drugs, medical devices, cosmetics and animal food, the Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service covers meat, poultry and egg products, and the Consumer Product Safety Commission covers most other consumer goods.
Recalls.gov brings the four together in one search, and a used car, a crib or a medication can be checked in a minute. Most recalls are voluntary, announced by the manufacturer under agency oversight, and the notice states the hazard, the remedy and how to reach the company.
Official sources on this page were checked on September 25, 2026.
Guide
Vehicle Recalls, NHTSA
NHTSA Recall Search (by VIN)
Guide
Food & Drug Recalls, FDA
Guide
Consumer Product Recalls, CPSC
Guide
Additional Recall Resources
Guide
Vehicle recalls by VIN
The 17 character vehicle identification number is on the dashboard at the base of the windshield, on the driver's door jamb and on the title, and entering it at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's recall lookup shows the unrepaired recalls on that vehicle. The lookup covers cars, light trucks and motorcycles from the major manufacturers, and a separate search by make, model and year shows recalls, investigations, complaints and technical service bulletins. The SaferCar app watches a saved vehicle and alerts the owner to new recalls.
- NHTSA recalls lookup by VINOpen recalls on a specific vehicle by identification number, checked September 25, 2026
- NHTSA VIN decoderDecode a VIN to confirm the make, model, year and plant, checked September 25, 2026
- DMV RecordsState motor vehicle records and title histories
- Automobile InformationVehicle history, title and lien resources
Guide
Food, drug and device recalls
The Food and Drug Administration posts recalls, market withdrawals and safety alerts daily and publishes a weekly enforcement report that classifies each recall: Class I where use could cause serious harm or death, Class II where harm is possible but unlikely, and Class III where the violation is unlikely to cause harm. Its recall database is searched by product, company and date. Meat, poultry and egg product recalls are announced separately by the Food Safety and Inspection Service, and the two agencies share the FoodSafety.gov recall feed.
- FDA recalls and safety alertsFood, drug, device and cosmetic recalls posted daily, checked September 25, 2026
- FDA enforcement reportsSearchable classified recall database, checked September 25, 2026
- USDA FSIS recallsMeat, poultry and egg product recalls, checked September 25, 2026
- FoodSafety.gov recallsCombined food recall and outbreak feed, checked September 25, 2026
Guide
Consumer products, boats and everything else
The Consumer Product Safety Commission posts recalls of toys, furniture, appliances, electronics, clothing and household goods, with the hazard, the number of units and the remedy, and its SaferProducts.gov database holds consumer incident reports on products that have not been recalled. The Coast Guard posts boat and marine equipment recalls, and the Environmental Protection Agency handles pesticides and vehicle emissions defects. A product bought second hand or received as a gift is checked the same way as a new one.
- CPSC recallsConsumer product recalls with hazard and remedy, checked September 25, 2026
- SaferProducts.govConsumer incident reports and the recall database, checked September 25, 2026
- Recalls.govOne search across vehicle, food, drug, product and boat recalls, checked September 25, 2026
- Coast Guard boat recallsBoat and marine equipment recalls, checked September 25, 2026
Straight answers
Product & Vehicle Recalls Search, questions
How do I check if my car has a recall?
Enter the 17 character vehicle identification number at the NHTSA recalls lookup. It shows the unrepaired recalls on that vehicle, and the manufacturer must make the repair free.
Are recall repairs free?
Yes for vehicles first sold within the 15 years before the recall notice, at any dealer of that brand, and tires follow their own shorter rule. For consumer products the remedy is a repair, replacement or refund stated in the recall notice.
Where do I check food and drug recalls?
The FDA posts food, drug, device and cosmetic recalls daily, the USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service posts meat, poultry and egg recalls, and FoodSafety.gov combines the food recalls in one feed.