NHTSA Recalls by VIN | Get Vehicle Recalls, History & More

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is a federal agency that works to improve highway safety. And it offers free recall lookup by VIN. So if you’d like to get more safety details like recalls of a vehicle, NHTSA is a good source. In this post, we’ll share with you how to check NHTSA recalls by VIN and get vehicle history.

How to check recalls on NHTSA?

To check recalls on NHTSA, you should first have your VIN at hand. Then visit the NHTSA official website to initiate the search process. Here’s how:

1. Locate the VIN of the vehicle. It’s normally found on the driver’s side dashboard near the windshield, or on the registration and insurance documents.
2. Visit the NHTSA recall lookup page.
3. Enter the VIN and click GO. And you’ll view the recalls related to the vehicle.

Click the Learn More button, you can also get the safety ratings, technical reports, complaints, and investigations related to the vehicle.

How to get a full vehicle report?

NHTSA surely is a strong tool for you to check for vehicle recalls. However, multiple factors will affect the safety of a car, except for recalls. For example, titles, accident & theft records, odometer readings, prices, and more.

Especially when you’re buying a used one, it’s more important to have a look at the full vehicle history. To do that, we tried and selected three VIN lookup tools that we trust: BeenVerified, Bumper, and EpicVIN.

1. BeenVerified

BeenVerified is a strong vehicle search tool. With access to data collected from state-level government agencies, insurance providers, and auto industry partners, it can reveal everything you need to know about a vehicle. Enter the VIN, then it will generate a report containing recalls, titles, and detailed history.

1. Go to the BeenVerified vehicle lookup page.
2. Enter the VIN and click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait for BeenVerified to search through the database and generate a report. Once done, you’ll need to select a plan before viewing the vehicle history.
   

2. Bumper

Bumper is an Approved NMVTIS (National Motor Vehicle Title Information System) Data Provider. It’s a leading vehicle search tool that gathers information from government authorities, insurance providers, and more. Apart from safety details, it will show you title records, accident & theft records, and more.

1. Go to Bumper.
2. Enter the VIN and click SEARCH.
   
3. Wait for Bumper to check through its database. When finishes, it’ll give you everything it can find that is linked to the vehicle, including recalls, odometer readings, and more.
   

3. EpicVIN

EpicVIN is also an NMVTIS-powered vehicle data provider. With over 350 million data records from reliable resources, it’s capable of offering you genuine information like warranty details, recalls, odometer readings, theft records, hidden damages, and more.

1. Go to EpicVIN.
2. Enter the VIN and click Check VIN.
   
3. Wait as EpicVIN finds the information related to the VIN. Then you’ll receive a report containing everything you need to know about the vehicle.
   

Free VIN lookup platforms

1. NICB (theft & salvage records)

NICB VINCheck is a free VIN lookup tool provided by the National Insurance Crime Bureau. It gives you a vehicle’s theft and salvage records quickly and costs no money.

2. Decode This (specs)

Decode This provides basic vehicle specifications by VIN for free. But unlocking the full report will cost dozens of dollars. If you’d like more detailed vehicle info at a lower price, you can try BeenVerified.

That’s pretty much all you need to know about how to check NHTSA recalls by VIN. Note that running a VIN lookup should not take the place of a thorough mechanical inspection by a professional and full consultation with the car dealer. We hope you find the post helpful!

By Arlee Hu

As a dedicated content creator at Super Easy, Arlee’s passion lies in discovering the finest products, services, and ingenious how-tos for our valued readers, all while delivering helpful tips and a unique perspective. Prior to joining Super Easy, Arlee gained experience as an English-Chinese interpreter for a government foreign affairs office while she was at graduate school and later for an online course platform. These roles demanded her ability to quickly grasp essential knowledge in diverse fields within tight deadlines. Now, Arlee leverages her exceptional skills in rapid learning and information retrieval at Super Easy, aiming to provide readers with the most up-to-date and relevant information available.In her leisure time, Arlee enjoys traveling and has already explored 12 countries, all meticulously planned and organized by herself. Additionally, she contributes to international media platforms by offering her translation expertise, gaining valuable practical experience along the way.

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