Vehicle Recall Check: Is Your Car Affected?

Has your car been recalled? Vehicle recalls can affect safety-critical components. Here's how to check if your car is on the list.

Vehicle Recall Check: Is Your Car Affected?

Vehicle recalls happen when a manufacturer discovers a safety defect. They're more common than you'd think — over 2 million vehicles are recalled in the UK every year.

What gets recalled?

Recent major recalls have involved:

• Airbags (Takata recall — the largest in history, affecting millions of cars)
• Braking systems — faulty brake lines or ABS modules
• Seatbelt mechanisms — buckles that don't engage properly
• Engine fires — fuel system defects causing fire risk
• Steering failure — power steering pump or rack defects
• Software — electronic systems malfunctioning (increasingly common in modern cars)

How to check for recalls

1. DVSA recall checker: Check at gov.uk/check-vehicle-recalls using your registration
2. Manufacturer: Contact your dealer with your VIN number
3. MOT records: Some recall-related issues show up as MOT advisories or failures

What happens if your car is recalled?

• The manufacturer must fix the defect free of charge, regardless of the car's age
• You'll typically receive a letter, but not always — checking proactively is smart
• Unfixed recalls can affect your insurance and resale value

Start with the basics

Check your vehicle's MOT and tax status first — then consider a full history report to see if there are any patterns in the MOT history that suggest recall-related work.

Check your vehicle details — free