Vehicle safety · NHTSA data
VIN decoder with recalls.
Enter a 17-character Vehicle Identification Number to read the vehicle details NHTSA publishes and check matching safety recalls. The lookup is a starting point, not a vehicle-history report.
Decode a VIN
Result
Enter a VIN to see the decoded vehicle and recall status.
What this VIN lookup can tell you
NHTSA's vPIC service decodes manufacturer-submitted vehicle attributes such as make, model, model year, body class, fuel type and manufacturing details. The recall search uses the decoded make, model and model year to query NHTSA's vehicle-recall data.
A successful decode does not prove that a VIN belongs to a real vehicle, that the vehicle is safe, or that its title, odometer, lien, theft or accident history is clean. Recall data can also be incomplete for vehicles outside the United States or for campaigns not represented in the source. Confirm an open recall with the manufacturer or an authorized dealer. Then compare the exact model configuration in the NHTSA safety ratings lookup.
Frequently asked questions
What can a free VIN decoder tell me?
NHTSA vPIC can return manufacturer-submitted attributes including make, model, model year, body class, fuel type, drivetrain and manufacturing details. It does not provide title, lien, theft, accident or odometer history.
Does this check recalls for my exact VIN?
The tool decodes the VIN, then queries NHTSA recalls using the decoded make, model and model year. Confirm whether a campaign applies to the exact vehicle with NHTSA or the manufacturer because applicability can depend on build details not shown here.
Why is my 17-character VIN invalid?
Modern North American VINs have 17 characters and do not use I, O or Q. Check for a copied space, a zero mistaken for O, or an incorrect character. A valid format still does not prove the VIN belongs to a real vehicle.
Does TNAADO store my VIN?
No. The VIN is sent to NHTSA through a server-side proxy when you request the lookup. The proxy keeps a short-lived response cache and does not persist submissions.
Privacy and source note
Your VIN is sent to NHTSA through this site's server-side proxy so the browser does not need a cross-origin request. The proxy keeps a short-lived response cache and does not persist VIN submissions. Results show a fetch timestamp so you can judge freshness.