When a manufacturer or the national highway safety regulator determines that a vehicle has a defect creating an unreasonable safety risk, the manufacturer must notify owners and repair the fault at no cost.
Recall work is free regardless of the vehicle's age, mileage or how many owners it has had. There is no expiry on the manufacturer's obligation for safety recalls.
A recall that has been announced but not carried out on a particular vehicle is described as open. Open recalls are common on used vehicles, because notices are posted to the registered owner at the time and frequently never reach later ones.
Why it matters
An open recall is a free repair on a known safety defect, so there is no reason to leave one outstanding.
How to check it
Check the VIN against the regulator's recall database, then book the work with any franchised dealer for that brand.
Does this apply to the car you are looking at?
Run the VIN or plate and see what is actually on record.
Related terms
Definitions are general guidance, not legal advice. Title rules, total loss thresholds and inspection requirements are set by each state and change over time, so confirm the position with the motor vehicle agency for the state the vehicle is titled in before relying on it.