UK Car Recalls For Doors, Child Locks, Bonnets And Tailgates: Affected Models And What To Do

Door and latch recalls fix child locks, door handles, bonnet catches and tailgate struts that might fail or open unexpectedly. DVSA lists 93 such UK car recalls since 2020. Check your registration and, if the recall involves a child lock, keep children away from the affected door until it's fixed.

Latest Door And Latch Recalls

These are the newest UK car recalls involving doors, locks, bonnets or tailgates, newest first.

Open any reference for the full DVSA wording, which doors are affected and the fix. See how we grade recalls.

Child Lock Recalls

The biggest door recall in UK records is Nissan's 2020 child lock recall, covering about 299,631 vehicle-records across the Juke, Navara, Note, Pulsar and Qashqai.

In that recall, R/2020/220, the rear door child lock switch could move from locked to unlocked, so a rear door could be opened from inside. Child lock faults rarely show any sign, because the door works normally from outside. Test yours: with the child lock on, close the rear door and try the inside handle. If it opens, keep children out of that seat and get the car checked. If you fit a child seat in the back, see child car seat recalls as well.

Bonnets, Tailgates And Boot Struts

A bonnet that isn't held by its secondary catch, or a tailgate whose struts fail, can cause injury, so these are safety recalls.

A bonnet that flies open at speed blocks the view ahead. A tailgate that drops can strike someone loading the boot. Both are covered by recalls even though they are not part of the driving controls.

Door Handles And Glass

Handle and glass recalls fix doors that may not open in an emergency or glass that could come loose.

Door handle recalls matter most after a crash, when rescuers or passengers need to open the doors from outside. Glass recalls are usually fixed by refitting the glass with new adhesive.

What To Do Until It’s Fixed

Use the other doors for children, check the bonnet is fully latched after closing, and support a tailgate by hand until the struts are replaced.

• Child locks: seat children behind a door that passes the child lock test.
• Bonnets: after closing, press down and lift gently to check it is held.
• Tailgates: hold the tailgate open by hand, or prop it, while loading.
• Handles: make sure everyone knows which doors open normally.

Book the repair promptly with a franchised dealer. You won't usually pay for it.¹ See can you drive a car with a recall?.

How Soon Latch Problems Lead To A Recall

Half of UK door and latch recalls arrive within 18 months of the first affected car being built. Problems with latches and struts often show up quickly in daily use, because doors and tailgates are opened many times a day. Child lock faults are the exception: they can go unnoticed for years, because the door still works normally from the outside.

If you're buying a used car, test every door from inside and outside, check the child locks on the rear doors, open and close the bonnet and tailgate, and run the registration through our checker. See buying a used car with an outstanding recall.

Which Makes Have The Most?

Since 2020, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, Ford and Nissan have the most UK door and latch recalls.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does A Door Latch Recall Fail The MOT?

The recall itself doesn't; it is shown for information only.² But a door that won't open or close properly, or an insecure bonnet, can fail. See recalls and the MOT.

Is The Repair Free?

Yes, you won't usually pay for a safety recall repair.¹ See do you have to pay for a car recall?.

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Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026. Fault groups are our classification (methodology).