What To Do When A Dealer Refuses Or Delays Your Car's Recall Repair In The UK

If a franchised dealer refuses or keeps delaying a car recall repair, contact the manufacturer's UK customer relations team with the recall code and your VIN, because the manufacturer is responsible for the recall. If it still is not resolved, complain to DVSA, which investigates recalls that are not carried out in line with the Code of Practice.¹

1. The dealer

   Ask for the booking, the parts date and the reason for any delay in writing.

2. The manufacturer

   Call its customer or recall line with your VIN and the campaign code.

3. DVSA

   Report a recall that is not being run in line with the Code of Practice.

4. The Motor Ombudsman

   For businesses it accredits: poor recall work or a car sold with an open recall.

5. Small claims court

   For money you have lost, once the business has refused in writing.

Can A Dealer Refuse To Do A Recall?

A dealer can delay when parts or trained staff are not available, but it should not refuse an eligible car. Any franchised dealer of the make can carry out the work for free.²³

There is no UK legal deadline for a dealer to complete a recall repair. The Code of Practice says the work should normally be done when the vehicle is seen at a dealer, and manufacturers can add capacity when needed.⁴ So a short delay while parts arrive is normal, but a flat refusal, or a delay with no date and no explanation, is a reason to escalate.

Common Excuses, And What To Say

Most refusals fall into five patterns, and each has a simple, factual reply.

Keep the conversation calm and short. Write down who you spoke to, the date and exactly what they said, because the manufacturer will ask.

How To Escalate A Recall Complaint

Escalate in this order: the dealer's service manager, the manufacturer's UK customer relations team, DVSA, then the Motor Ombudsman for dealer conduct, or the small claims court for losses.

Who Should I Contact Next?

Each step has a different role:

1. The dealer's service manager. Ask for a date or a written reason. Many problems end here.
2. The manufacturer's UK customer relations team. The manufacturer owns the recall and can direct its dealers or send a mobile technician. Ask for a case number. Our manufacturer recall helplines page lists each brand's official contact.
3. DVSA. DVSA investigates complaints that recalls are not being conducted in line with the Code of Practice or the law.¹ Our guide on reporting to DVSA explains how.
4. The Motor Ombudsman. It cannot review the issuing of a recall, but under its codes it can consider poor recall repair work or a vehicle knowingly sold with an outstanding recall, for accredited businesses only.⁷
5. The small claims court. For money you have lost because of the delay, after the manufacturer has had a chance to respond. See car recall compensation.

A Complaint Message You Can Copy

Use this template so the manufacturer has everything it needs in one message.

Subject: Recall [campaign code] not completed, [registration]

Dear Customer Relations,

My [make and model], registration [registration], VIN [VIN], is covered by recall [campaign code]. On [date] I asked [dealer name] to carry out the recall repair. The dealer [describe what happened: refused, gave no date, asked for payment].

Please arrange the recall repair at an authorised retailer, or a mobile repair, within 14 days, and confirm the date in writing. If the parts are not available, please tell me the expected date and any interim advice for using the car.

I would be grateful for a reply by [date]. My case reference with the dealer is [reference, if any].

Yours faithfully, [Name], [phone]

Attach a photo of the recall letter if you have one. Send it by email so you have a dated record.

What If The Recall Can’t Be Fixed Yet?

Ask the manufacturer what interim measures apply. The Code expects producers to keep work moving, for example by adding capacity to the dealer network, and the dealer should explain any restrictions while you wait.⁶

Interim measures appear in some recall notices. Electric car recalls have told owners to charge only to 80 % or only outdoors, and one BMW recall advised parking outdoors away from buildings until the repair.⁸⁹ If your letter says do not drive, ask for collection or a home repair and see stop-drive recalls. For everything else, our guide on whether it is safe to drive with a recall explains how to judge the wait.

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If it's cost you money

Claiming Costs Caused By Delays

Keep receipts for hire cars, taxis and lost work, and claim from the manufacturer first. There is no automatic right to compensation, and DVSA has no powers to force companies to compensate.¹⁰

The records worth keeping are:

• receipts for hire cars, taxis and public transport
• emails and letters from the dealer and the manufacturer
• notes of every phone call, with dates and names
• evidence of lost earnings from your employer

Our guide to car recall compensation explains each route, from the manufacturer's goodwill to the small claims court.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I Refuse A Recall?

You can choose not to book it, but you stay responsible for keeping the car roadworthy, and it can affect insurance and resale.¹¹ See whether car recalls are mandatory.

Can I Use A Dealer In Another Town?

Yes. Any authorised retailer of your car's make can do the recall.²

The Dealer Charged Me For The Recall. What Now?

Ask for a refund, quoting the recall code, and escalate to the manufacturer if the dealer refuses. GOV.UK says you will not usually have to pay for repairs or parts under a safety recall.³ See whether car recalls are free.

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Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026. This page is general information, not legal advice.