How do I know if my vehicle has a recall?

To know if your vehicle has an open recall, start by entering your vehicle's VIN or license plate in our Safety Recall Checker. We will find recalls that affect your vehicle and need to be repaired.

How do I check my VIN for recalls for free?

Check your vehicle VIN for free by entering it into our Safety Recall Checker.

What happens if my vehicle has an open recall?

If your vehicle is affected by a recall, it means that NHTSA and the manufacturer have identified an issue with your vehicle. After you check your vehicle, you can contact a dealership to schedule a repair.

How long does a recall take to fix?

How long it takes to fix a recall depends on the exact repairs needed. Something simple like a software update can be done in minutes, but complex mechanical repairs may take days or weeks. Ask the dealership when you schedule your appointment.

Do you need a warranty for a recall?

Your vehicle does not need to be under warranty to get recalls fixed. Recalls for safety-related items on your vehicle are taken care of by the vehicle manufacturer at no cost to you even if your vehicle warranty has expired or if you are not the original owner of the vehicle.

How long does a recall last on a car?

A recall does not expire as long as the vehicle manufacturer remains in business or continues to make the replacement parts. Generally, recalls can be fixed for free up to 15 years after your car's date of manufacture.

Ford Lincoln Mercury Recall: Ford Recalls 1996 Models for Park Pawl Mechansim

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**The minimum 12 month/12,000 mile warranty is provided by the RepairPal Certified shop, and is subject to exclusions, including but not limited to normal wear and tear items (such as tires, brake pads, clutches, wiper blades, etc.), wheel alignments and scheduled maintenance. For additional details, terms and conditions, please refer to your selected RepairPal Certified shop’s warranty at the time of purchase. CarMax is not responsible for the price guarantee/warranty, the repair guarantee or any charges or costs pertaining to the repair of your vehicle.

RepairPal Certified Shops are third-party service providers, and they are not owned or controlled by CarMax. RepairPal Certified Shops do not perform repairs under CarMax’s Limited Warranty, and they are not necessarily affiliated with specific vehicle manufacturers. CarMax receives compensation for this relationship.

Recall FAQs

If your vehicle is affected by a new safety recall, the vehicle manufacturer will attempt to contact you by sending you a notice in the mail. This notice will detail the defect, when parts for repair will be ready, how to get your car fixed, and whether your unrepaired car is currently safe to drive or not.

If you aren't the original owner, have changed addresses, or have never visited your local dealership for service or maintenance, then you most likely will not receive a recall notice in the mail.

Another way to know whether your vehicle has an open recall is to enter your VIN or license plate into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker above. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a 17-digit alphanumeric code that can be found on the bottom edge of your car's windshield, on the driver's side. It can also be found on your vehicle's registration card.

You can check your vehicle for recalls by entering your VIN or license plate into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker found above. The VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) is a unique 17-digit alphanumeric identification code on the bottom edge of your car’s windshield, on the driver’s side. It can also be found on your vehicle’s registration card.

Checking your VIN is the best way to find out if your car is affected by any recalls. Identical vehicles of the same make, model, year, and trim may not be affected by the same recall. A VIN is unique to a specific vehicle.

Your vehicle is affected by a recall if the manufacturer or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has decided that a problem with your car makes it a safety risk or fails to meet safety standards. When this happens, the vehicle manufacturer is obligated to fix your vehicle.

Normally, you will receive a letter in the mail that explains the recall and how to get the defect fixed promptly and at no charge to you. The letter will explain what the exact defect is, when the parts will be ready, how to get your car fixed, and whether your car is safe to drive or not.

But in many cases, the manufacturer won't know you own an affected vehicle, which is why you should check your vehicle for safety recalls frequently.

Use our Safety Recall Checker to check your vehicle for open recalls.

How long it takes to fix a recall depends on many different factors:

How many vehicles are affected by the recall? How complex is the problem to fix? How many different parts are involved in the repair? Are the repair parts available? Has the dealership received the parts for the repair yet? Do dealership technicians have training to conduct the specific repair? How many recalled cars can the dealer repair each day (while also doing their daily service business)?

Recalls are unrelated to your warranty coverage. Any recalls that are issued for safety-related items on your vehicle will be repaired by the vehicle manufacturer at no cost to you. Even if your vehicle's warranty has expired and you are not the original owner of the vehicle, you are still eligible to have any open safety recalls on your vehicle repaired.

You can check for any open recalls on your vehicle by entering its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker above. If there are any open recalls on your vehicle, contact a dealer as soon as possible to have repairs done.

Safety recalls that address a defective part or system on your vehicle that came from the factory do not expire and can generally be fixed up to 15 years after the date of manufacture. Even if you are not the original owner, you can have repairs done to resolve any open recalls. This is important, especially if the recalls are safety-related. The only exceptions are if the carmaker is no longer in business or if the dealership can no longer get the needed parts. Recall repairs are generally free up to 15 years after the date of manufacture.

To check whether there are any open recalls on your vehicle, enter its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) or license plate number into the RepairPal Safety Recall Checker here. Your vehicle VIN can be found at the base of the windshield or on your registration card. If there are any open recalls on your vehicle, contact a dealer as soon as possible to have repairs done.

96V-176 Recall Summary

96V-176 Recall Solution

Ford Recalls 1996 Models for Park Pawl Mechansim

More info from NHTSA

Vehicles Affected:

Manufacturer's Report Date:

NHTSA Campaign ID Number:

Component:

Potential Number of Units Affected: