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What are car recalls, and could yours be at risk? Here’s everything you need to know about car recalls and how to check if your vehicle is affected.

Car recalls happen fairly often in the car industry. They’re usually issued when a car manufacturer or the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) spots a possible safety or performance issue with a specific car model.

These problems can be anything from small electrical glitches to serious safety issues such as faulty airbags or suspension problems. The good news is most recalls are precautionary, and are designed to fix things before they become dangerous.

In the UK, recalls have been on the rise. By mid-2024, DVSA had recalled over 1.2 million cars, a big jump from past years. Major recalls have continued into this year, including Stellantis’s August fire safety recall across several brands and the Citroen/DS airbag recall in July. Most of these were preventative checks to keep drivers safe.

In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about car recalls: why they happen, how they might affect you, and how you can quickly check if your car is involved.

Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Á«»¨Ö±²¥. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.

Why can a car be recalled?

A car recall happens when a car manufacturer – usually with oversight from the DVSA – finds a possible safety or performance problem with a car. These issues can affect how safe the car is to drive, how it performs, or whether it meets legal regulations.

Recalls generally fall into two categories:

1. Safety recalls: These are faults that don’t make the car unsafe to drive right away. Most of the time, owners can keep using their car while they wait to get it fixed. Common examples include glitches with driver assistance systems, or parts that weren’t fitted properly.
2. Stop-drive recalls: These are much more serious and mean you shouldn’t drive the car until the problem is fixed. They don’t happen often, but when they do, it’s usually because of major issues with steering, brakes, the engine, drivetrain, or other key safety systems. The most recent example of a stop-drive recall is Stellantis’ (they own car brands such as Citroen, Peugeot, and Vauxhall) ongoing Takata airbags recall.

If a problem isn’t serious enough for a full recall, the DVSA might issue a Consumer/Garage Warning, or change maintenance and servicing rules instead. When a recall does happen, the car is checked and repaired for free if a fault is found. In rare cases, the manufacturer may even buy the car back to take it off the road for good.

How do I know if my car has been recalled?

The most common way you’ll find out about a car recall is through a letter (or sometimes an email) from the car manufacturer. They’re legally required to let the registered keeper know if a safety recall is issued. For big recalls, you might even hear about it on the news or spot it online before the letter arrives.

If you’re not sure whether your car has ever been recalled, you can check it yourself on the official . All you need is your car’s registration number, and it will show any outstanding safety recalls that haven’t been fixed, and your car’s MOT history.

No registration number? No problem. You can also search by the car’s make, model, and year of manufacture. This is handy if you’re looking at buying a used car and want to double-check its recall status.

Some car manufacturers also have their own online tools to check for recalls. For example, in the ongoing Takata airbag recall, and both offer dedicated recall checkers. All you need to do is enter your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), and the system will tell you if your car is affected.

Bear in mind that these services only show safety recalls – minor faults or non-safety issues may not appear. But if you ever have any doubts, we’d advise speaking to your local dealer or the manufacturer’s customer service team to confirm whether your car is affected.

What should I do if my car is recalled?

If you find out your car has been recalled, the first step is to contact the manufacturer or an authorised service centre and book it in for the repair. There’s no expiry date on recalls: even if you’ve bought a used car with outstanding recall work, you can still get it fixed free of charge. Do bear in mind that for older models, replacement parts can sometimes take longer to source, and in rare cases, the manufacturer may offer to buy back your car if a safe repair isn’t possible.

While you technically don’t have to rush, we’d strongly recommend getting the work done as soon as possible, especially if it’s a safety recall. In the case of a stop-drive recall, you shouldn’t use the car at all until it’s fixed.

The good news is that the repair won’t cost you anything as the manufacturer or dealer covers all recall work. In some cases, they may even offer a courtesy car or collect your vehicle if the issue is serious.

Car recall FAQs

Does a recall affect the value of my car?

Recalls are fairly common across all makes and models, and in most cases they don’t affect a car’s value. The only time a recall might have an impact is if it relates to a very serious or highly publicised safety issue, which could cause a small dip in resale prices.

What really matters is whether the recall work has been completed. Leaving a recall unresolved is more likely to lower your car’s value, since buyers see it as a red flag. In the UK, dealers are legally required to fix any outstanding safety recalls before selling a car. So, if you’re buying from a dealer, it’s not something you need to worry about.

Do I have to pay for recall work?

No, recall repairs are always free of charge. Because recalls are linked to safety-related problems, usually caused by design or manufacturing faults, it’s the manufacturer’s responsibility to put things right. It doesn’t matter if your car is new, old, or bought second-hand, you’ll never be charged for recall work.

For carmakers, however, recalls can be extremely costly. Some of the biggest campaigns, such as the Takata airbag recall, have run into the billions.

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Remember, you can buy a brand new or used car right here on Á«»¨Ö±²¥. And you can sell your car, too. We’re here to help you through every step of your car-changing journey.