How to Read a Recall Notice: Campaign Number, Consequence and Remedy
Recall notices are written for regulators first and owners second. They pack a lot into a few short paragraphs. Here is what each part of a typical NHTSA recall record means, using the same fields you see on every recall page on this site.
NHTSA campaign number
Example: 24V-744. The first two digits are the year the recall was filed. The letter is the type: V for vehicles, E for equipment sold separately, T for tires and C for child seats. The last digits are a sequence number for that year. Use this number when you call a dealer or the manufacturer — it identifies the recall unambiguously. You can search it directly in the box on our home page.
Manufacturer recall number
Manufacturers also give each recall their own code, which often looks different (letters and numbers in the brand's own format). Dealers may use this code internally. Both refer to the same campaign.
Report date
The date the manufacturer filed the defect report with NHTSA. It is not the date you will get a letter; owner letters must go out within 60 days of filing, and the fix may come later still.
Component
NHTSA files each recall under one or more component categories, such as AIR BAGS, FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STEERING or ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, sometimes with a sub-category after a colon. These categories are broad and a little inconsistent — a software problem that affects braking may be filed under electrical or under service brakes — so treat them as a rough guide. Our problem guides group recalls by these areas for each make.
Potential number of units affected
How many vehicles the manufacturer believes are in the recall population. It is an estimate and can include vehicles that, once inspected, turn out not to have the defect. A large number does not mean the defect is common in every car; it often means the manufacturer could not narrow down which cars received the faulty part.
Summary
A short description of the defect. It typically names the part, the vehicles, and what is wrong — for example, a part made with an incorrect material, a software calibration error, or a missing weld.
Consequence
This is the most important paragraph for owners. It describes what can happen if the defect occurs: "can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash", "may not deploy as intended in a crash", "increasing the risk of a fire". It is where you will find language about fire risk while parked, or the risk of a crash without warning.
Remedy
What the dealer will do and whether the fix is ready. Look for phrases like "dealers will inspect and replace", "will update the software", or "the remedy is currently under development". The remedy paragraph also gives the planned date for owner letters ("interim letters are expected to be mailed…" and "second letters will be mailed once the remedy is available"). Some software recalls are fixed with an over-the-air update — see how over-the-air recall fixes work.
Notes
Contact information: the manufacturer's customer service number and its recall code, and the NHTSA hotline. Sometimes this section also contains instructions such as "owners are advised not to drive their vehicles" or "owners are advised to park outside and away from structures". Those instructions are why this site flags do-not-drive and park-outside recalls separately.
Reading between the lines
- "May" and "can" are normal. Almost every notice says the defect may cause a problem. That wording does not mean the risk is low; it means not every vehicle in the population will fail.
- Warning signs are worth memorising. If the notice mentions a warning light, a message, a sound or a smell before failure, that is your early warning while you wait for the fix.
- Check the population, not just the model. A recall for "2022–2023 Model X" may only cover vehicles built in a short window. Your VIN check at nhtsa.gov/recalls tells you whether yours is included.
- Several recalls on the same part. Sometimes a first fix does not fully solve the problem and a second recall follows, or a recall is expanded to more vehicles. Our recall pages link related recalls on the same model.
How this site presents the notice
Each recall page here shows the official notice text in full, together with a plain-English explanation and a severity label. The explanation is produced automatically from the notice text and can contain mistakes; the notice is always the authoritative source. You can read how the severity labels are assigned on our about page.