Do I have to pay to fix a recall?
Short answer: no. If your car has an open safety recall, the manufacturer must fix it for free at an authorized dealer. Here's the law behind that, and exactly how to get the repair done.
The repair is free — by law
Under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act, when a manufacturer issues a safety recall, it must offer a free remedy — repair, replacement, or refund. That obligation applies at any franchise dealer for the brand, whether or not you're the original owner and whether or not the car is still under warranty.
It doesn't matter that you bought it used
The free repair follows the vehicle, not the buyer. If you bought a used car with an open recall, you take it to a dealer and they fix it at no charge. You don't need a receipt or proof of original purchase.
How to get a recall fixed
- Look up open recalls for your car by decoding the VIN or browsing recalls by make/model/year.
- Confirm the open status for your specific VIN with the manufacturer (NHTSA has no public by-VIN feed, so this is the final check).
- Call a franchise dealer for your brand, give them the recall campaign number, and book the repair. Parts availability can vary, so ask.
- For a "stop driving" (park-it) recall, ask the dealer or manufacturer about a loaner or towing while you wait for parts.
The one exception: tires
There's a narrow time limit on free tire-recall remedies (generally within a window after purchase or the recall). For nearly everything else — airbags, fuel systems, brakes, electrical — the free repair has no practical expiration, even years later.
Watch out for "recall repair" scams
A legitimate recall is fixed free at the dealer. If a third party asks you to pay to "process" a recall or claims you owe money for a recall repair, that's not how recalls work. The dealer does it for free.