CARFAX: Free Recall Search Service Tops 10 Billion Checks Nationwide

Vehicle Recall Search Service Empowers States to Continuously Identify Open Recalls

CENTREVILLE, Va., March 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- During Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, CARFAX is announcing that its free Vehicle Recall Search Service, a powerful search tool built in partnership with Alliance for Automotive Innovation, has checked vehicles in the U.S. more than 10 billion times for unfixed safety recalls. Of the open recalls found, more than 30 million were repaired.

At no cost to participating entities, states and eligible businesses and organizations can identify vehicles with open recalls, reducing the number of unfixed safety issues, and boosting road safety. Participants can check recall status during registration and titling transactions, or as part of safety and emissions inspections, in order to notify owners about open recalls.

"CARFAX data shows some critical recalls have declined in recent years and that progress is encouraging. This Vehicle Recall Search Service has now checked more than half of all vehicles on U.S. roads," said Faisal Hasan, Vice President of Data Acquisition at CARFAX. "Still, one in five vehicles still has an unfixed recall, an ongoing risk for drivers. We encourage more states to participate. There is more work to be done."

Since launching in 2018, the Vehicle Recall Search Service has supported state motor vehicle agencies, public safety departments, and inspection programs, in identifying millions of vehicles with unresolved recalls. Today, eight state DMVs participate: California, New York, Ohio, Arizona, Texas, Connecticut, Maryland and Washington, with Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory, joining most recently.

Ohio began using the Vehicle Recall Search Service in 2021 and has since checked more than 13 million unique VINs, identifying over nine million open recalls. The Ohio BMV said in a statement: The Ohio BMV believes that making information easily accessible is essential. Since the inception of the Ohio Recall Program, the number of recalls remedied has steadily increased. Ohio attributes this growth to including recall information on vehicle registration renewal reminders, sent in accordance with Ohio law, as well as adding a "Check for Recalls" link to its website. 

Consumers and vehicle owners can also check for open recalls at no cost by visiting carfax.com/recall or by downloading the free CARFAX Car Care app, which provides maintenance reminders ranging from routine oil changes to potentially life-threatening recalls.

"Almost a decade ago, we set out with CARFAX to build a tool that helps identify and close open vehicle recalls — and 10 billion checks later, it's clear the partnership is working. When drivers know about recalls and get their vehicles fixed, road safety increases. Who isn't for that?" said John Bozzella, president and CEO of Alliance for Automotive Innovation. "We can get even more vehicles checked if additional organizations, including state DMVs, sign up to use this no-cost, easy-to-use vehicle recall service."

Editor's Note: An interview can be made available at any time. Please reach out to Em Nguyen at [email protected]. In Ohio, Ohioans can also "Go Paperless!" by signing up to receive vehicle registration renewal notifications via email and/or text message. 

About CARFAX

CARFAX, part of S&P Global Mobility, helps millions of people every day confidently shop, buy, service, and sell cars with innovative solutions powered by CARFAX® vehicle history information. The expert in vehicle history since 1984, CARFAX provides CARFAX Car Listings, CARFAX Car Care, CARFAX History-Based Value , and the flagship CARFAX Vehicle History Report to consumers and the automotive industry. CARFAX owns the world's largest vehicle history database and is nationally recognized as a top workplace by The Washington Post. Shop, Buy, Service, Sell – Show me the CARFAX®.

S&P Global Mobility is a division of S&P Global (NYSE: SPGI). S&P Global is the world's foremost provider of credit ratings, benchmarks, analytics, and workflow solutions in the global capital, commodity, and automotive markets.

About Alliance for Automotive Innovation

From the manufacturers producing most vehicles sold in the U.S. to autonomous vehicle innovators to equipment suppliers, battery producers and semiconductor makers – Alliance for Automotive Innovation represents the full auto industry, a sector supporting 11 million American jobs and more than 5 percent of the economy. Active in Washington, D.C., and all 50 states, the association is committed to a cleaner, safer and smarter personal transportation future. www.autosinnovate.org

SOURCE CARFAX