Vehicle Recalls

Check US (NHTSA) and EU (Safety Gate) manufacturer recalls for your vehicle for free

What is NHTSA?

The NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) is the US federal agency responsible for road safety.

Founded in 1970, it oversees vehicle safety standards for vehicles sold in the United States and manages the public safety recall database. Each year, more than 1,000 recall campaigns are issued, affecting millions of vehicles.

The NHTSA database is public and free. SwissCarInfo integrates it directly to allow you to check whether your vehicle is affected by a safety recall.

International scope

Although NHTSA recalls are issued in the United States, they often concern vehicles sold worldwide, as the same components and defects are shared across markets.

What is EU Safety Gate?

EU Safety Gate (formerly RAPEX) is the European Union's rapid alert system for dangerous products, including motor vehicles.

Managed by the European Commission, it centralises recall notifications issued by the 31 EEA countries (EU + Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein). National authorities report vehicles presenting safety risks.

The search is done by European type approval number (e.g.: e1*2007/46*0172), which allows you to precisely find the recalls concerning your vehicle type.

Official data

The data comes directly from the European Commission's official database, updated weekly with new notifications from member states.

Why check for recalls?

Critical safety

Recalls concern defects that can endanger the lives of drivers and passengers (brakes, airbags, steering...).

US + EU coverage

SwissCarInfo combines NHTSA (USA) and EU Safety Gate (Europe) data for maximum recall coverage.

Imports & Swiss market

Vehicles imported from the United States or the EU are directly affected by these safety recalls.

100% free

Recall verification is completely free. The data is public and regularly updated.

Example: the Takata crisis

The Takata airbag recall affected 67 million vehicles worldwide, numerous brands (Honda, Toyota, BMW, Mercedes, Ford...) and was responsible for dozens of deaths. This recall was reported by both NHTSA and EU Safety Gate.

Frequently asked questions

Yes, in many cases. Car manufacturers often use the same components for vehicles sold in the United States and Europe. A defect identified in the USA frequently concerns the same models sold in Switzerland. This is particularly true for recalls related to airbags, electronic systems and engine components.

The European type approval number (e.g.: e1*2007/46*0172) is a unique identifier assigned to each type of vehicle approved in Europe. It consists of the approval country (e1 = Germany, e2 = France, etc.), the base directive and the type number. It can be found on the vehicle registration document and in SwissCarInfo vehicle sheets.

Yes, checking recalls (US and EU) is completely free on this page, including all details. No subscription is required.

NHTSA is the American agency: it covers recalls issued in the United States, searchable by VIN or brand/model/year. EU Safety Gate (formerly RAPEX) is the European system: it covers recalls issued in the 31 EEA countries, searchable by European type approval number or brand/model.

These are NHTSA-specific alerts. Park It (red) means the vehicle should no longer be driven until the repair is carried out -- the defect presents an immediate danger. Park Outside (orange) means the vehicle should be parked outside (fire risk). These alerts are rare but very serious.

SwissCarInfo Search

Full search in the Swiss database: type approval, VIN, license plate, brand/model, IVI registration number.

SwissCarInfo Database

  • Vehicles 732'443
  • PDF sheets 43'920
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  • Updated 13.03.2026

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Complete technical sheet

Access your vehicle's complete sheet: technical data, equipment, recalls, and much more. Search by type approval, VIN or license plate.

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