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Safety recall check

Find out whether a car has an outstanding safety recall that has not been fixed. The flag comes from DVSA records and appears in every free check, alongside the MOT history, tax and mileage.

Free. No sign-up.

What this check shows

  • Whether the DVSA records an outstanding safety recall
  • A clear warning on the free report if there is one
  • The effect on the Vettly Score (6 points)
  • Full MOT history, tax and mileage in the same report
See it in the sample report

What a safety recall is

Manufacturers recall vehicles when they find a fault that could affect safety, such as a part that may fail early. The registered keeper is normally contacted and asked to book the car in, and the work is done free, usually by a franchised dealer for the make.

The problem is that recall letters go to the registered keeper, and not every keeper acts on them. Letters get missed when cars change hands, and some owners never get round to it. So a used car can be carrying a known safety fault that nobody has fixed.

Recalls can cover anything from an airbag or seat belt to a fuel leak or an electrical fault. Some are precautionary and some are urgent, which is why it pays to know about one before you buy.

What the flag means

The free check shows whether the DVSA records an outstanding recall on the car. If it does, the report flags it clearly and the Vettly Score drops by 6 points. The flag tells you there is a recall, not what it is for.

To find out the details, contact a franchised dealer for the make with the registration or VIN, or use the GOV.UK recall checker. They can tell you what the recall covers and whether the work is still needed.

It is worth running the free check again shortly before you buy, because records can change between your first look and the day you collect the car.

Before you buy

Ask the seller whether the recall work has been done. Records can lag behind, so a recent repair may not show yet, but a dealer invoice or job sheet will settle it. If the work has not been done, ask the seller to book it before you collect the car, or book it yourself straight after.

A recall is not a reason to walk away on its own. But find out what it involves before you buy, and agree with the seller who will arrange the work. If the advice for that recall is not to drive the car until it is fixed, get the work done before you take it home.

The rest of the free check

The recall flag is one of many things the free check looks at. Read the MOT history for faults that keep coming back, check the mileage for drops, and look at the tax and export flags. Then follow our used car buying checklist at the viewing. If you are serious about the car, the full history check adds finance, write-off and stolen checks from £4.49.

Questions

Safety recall check: common questions

Do I have to pay for recall work?
No. Safety recall work is done free of charge, usually by a franchised dealer for the make, however many owners the car has had.
How do I find out what the recall is for?
Contact a franchised dealer for the make with the registration or VIN, or check on GOV.UK. They can tell you what the recall covers and whether the work has been done.
Can I still buy a car with an outstanding recall?
Yes, but find out what the recall is for first, and agree with the seller who will arrange the work before you collect the car.
Why might a fixed recall still show as outstanding?
Records can take time to update after the work is done. If the seller says it has been fixed, ask for the dealer invoice or job sheet.
Does a recall affect the Vettly Score?
Yes, an outstanding recall costs 6 points. It counts as a warning rather than a serious problem, because the fix is free.

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