Free US tool
Free VIN check — recalls, complaints and safety rating
Recall campaigns with the fix, what owners complain about, and the crash-test rating — straight from NHTSA. Free, no signup.
What this can and cannot tell you: NHTSA data is per MODEL YEAR, not per car. A recall listed here applies to cars like yours. Whether YOUR car was already repaired is a question for the manufacturer's recall lookup or a dealer — no free public source knows.
How it works
- Enter the 17-character VIN from your registration, insurance card, or the plate at the base of the windshield.
- We decode it with NHTSA's vPIC service and look up recalls, complaints and the NCAP safety rating for that model year.
- Read the recall remedies — the repair is free at any franchised dealer, and NHTSA's own site links from every section.
Questions
Is the VIN check really free?+
Yes. NHTSA publishes this data at no cost and we add nothing on top. No signup, no card, and we do not store the VIN.
Does a recall here mean my car is unsafe right now?+
It means the manufacturer found a defect in cars like yours and offers a free fix. Campaigns marked "do not drive" or "park outside" are the urgent ones. Whether your specific car was already fixed is not in any free public dataset — check with a dealer.
Why are there so many complaints?+
Popular models attract more complaints simply because more people own them, and NHTSA publishes no count of cars on the road to compare against. Read the pattern — which components come up — rather than the total.
Where does the safety rating come from?+
NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) crash tests. When several variants of a model year were tested we show the first one NHTSA lists and say which.
Never miss a recall again
Unbroken Car keeps your car's recalls and maintenance schedule in one place — and reminds you before things become urgent.