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Got A Car Recall Letter? How To Read It, Check It's Genuine And Book The Free Repair

Recall data from DVSA, updated 15 October 2026.

A car recall letter is the manufacturer's notice that your vehicle needs a free safety repair. It is sent to the registered keeper at the address on DVLA records.1 Read the urgency wording first, then book the repair with a franchised dealer of your make.2

What A Recall Letter Looks Like

A genuine recall letter names your vehicle, often with its VIN, describes the defect and the risk, explains the fix, and tells you how urgently to act and who to contact.

The parts of a recall letter Vehicle Manufacturer UK Campaign code25XX1 IMPORTANT SAFETY RECALL Your vehicleAB12 CDE · VIN WF0XXXGBXXX123456 The defect The risk The fix Do not drive until the repair is done How to book 1 Who it is from 2 Campaign code 3 Your vehicle 4 The defect 5 The risk 6 The fix 7 Urgency 8 How to book
  1. Who it is fromThe manufacturer or its UK importer, never a third-party firm asking for payment.
  2. Campaign codeThe manufacturer’s reference. Quote it when you book; look it up on our code page.
  3. Your vehicleRegistration and VIN, so you can check it is your car.
  4. The defectWhat is wrong with the part.
  5. The riskWhat could happen if the fault occurs.
  6. The fixThe repair, inspection or software update, normally free at a franchised dealer.
  7. UrgencyAny instruction such as do not drive, or a limit on use.
  8. How to bookThe helpline or dealer route, and what to have ready.
The parts of a recall letter
Sample letter for illustration only. Not from a real manufacturer.

The six parts to look for are:

  1. The sender. The manufacturer's UK company, not a dealer group or a third party.
  2. The campaign code. The manufacturer's reference for the recall, such as a Ford code like 25SC4 or a three-character Stellantis code. Our recall code lookup matches it to the DVSA recall.
  3. Your vehicle. The model and usually the 17-character VIN, sometimes the registration.
  4. The defect and the risk. What is wrong and what could happen if it is not fixed.
  5. The remedy. The fix, such as a part replacement, an inspection or a software update.
  6. The urgency and contact details. Whether you can keep driving, any interim instruction such as a charging limit, and how to book with a franchised dealer.

Some letters also quote the DVSA recall reference, which looks like R/2025/527. Many do not, which is why the campaign code matters.

Is My Recall Letter Genuine?

Check that the campaign appears for your car on a registration or VIN check, and call a dealer on a number from the manufacturer's own website. Genuine recalls never ask you to pay or give bank details.2

The quick checks are:

  • The code matches a real recall. Enter it in our recall code lookup or run your registration through the checker.
  • The VIN is yours. Compare it with your V5C logbook.
  • The contact route is official. Use the number on our manufacturer recall helplines page, checked against the manufacturer's own site, rather than using a number from an unexpected text.
  • There is no payment request. A safety recall repair is free.
  • There is no rush to click. Genuine letters do not ask you to confirm details through a link.

Some manufacturers also call or text about urgent recalls, so verify any call by ringing a number from the manufacturer's own website. Forward scam texts free to 7726.3 Our page on car recall scams shows real examples.

What To Do After You Get The Letter

Read the urgency line, check your registration, call a franchised dealer with the campaign code and VIN, book the repair and keep the job card.

The five steps in order are:

  1. Read the urgency line. "Do not drive" means leave the car parked. See whether it is safe to drive with a recall.
  2. Check your registration to see the recall in plain English and whether any other recalls apply.
  3. Call a franchised dealer of your make with the campaign code and your VIN to hand. Any authorised retailer of the brand can usually do the work.4
  4. Book the repair and ask how long the car will be in and whether parts are in stock.
  5. Keep the job card that names the recall once the work is done.

Our guide to how a recall repair works covers timings, courtesy cars and proof of completion.

Why Didn’t I Get A Recall Letter?

Letters go to the keeper on DVLA records, so an old V5C address, a recent purchase, a personal import or a vehicle without DVLA keeper records, such as a caravan, can mean the letter never arrives.15

Likely cause Why it happens What to do
Your V5C address is out of date Letters go to the address DVLA holds1 Update your address with DVLA, then run the check
You bought the car recently The letter went to the previous keeper Check the registration and VIN yourself
The car is a personal import The UK manufacturer may not hold its details1 Check by VIN with the manufacturer
It is a caravan or trailer There is no DVLA keeper record; caravan registration (CRiS) is optional5 Check by the CRiS VIN with the manufacturer
It is a child car seat Many manufacturers have no buyer details6 Use our child car seat recall finder
Your car is outside the build range Recalls often cover only some VINs Confirm by VIN with the manufacturer's helpline or a dealer

If the registration check shows an outstanding recall and you have no letter, trust the check and book the repair. See where to find your VIN if the manufacturer or dealer asks for it.

The Letter Is For A Car I’ve Sold, Or For A Previous Owner

If you have sold the car, tell the manufacturer and make sure DVLA has the new keeper. If you have just bought the car, the recall still applies and is still free for you.2

Recalls follow the vehicle, not the owner. A letter addressed to the previous keeper is still valid for the car, and the free repair is available to whoever owns it now. If a letter arrives for a car you no longer own, a short note to the manufacturer saying when you sold it helps them reach the new keeper.

Reminder Letters: Why You May Get More Than One

Manufacturers send follow-up letters until the recall is done. The Code of Practice treats about three notifications per motorist as reasonable, and repairs remain available after a recall closes.7

A reminder does not mean the recall has become more serious. It usually means the manufacturer's records still show the work as outstanding. If you have already had the repair done, send the job card to the manufacturer so the record can be corrected. See what an outstanding recall means for help when a completed recall still shows.

Staying informed

How To Get Recall Notifications

Keep your V5C address up to date, sign up for MOT reminders and register with your manufacturer's owner app if it offers recall alerts.

GOV.UK's free MOT reminder, sent by text or email a month before the MOT is due, might tell you if your vehicle has been recalled, depending on the manufacturer. It is not available in Northern Ireland, where postal reminders are used.8 Checking your registration here before each MOT is a simple habit that catches recalls from every manufacturer.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I Have To Respond To A Recall Letter?

There is no legal duty to book the repair, but you are responsible for keeping the car roadworthy, and ignoring a recall can affect insurance claims.9 See whether car recalls are mandatory.

How Long Do I Have?

There is no deadline. The recall stays in force and the repair stays free, even after the manufacturer stops actively chasing it.7 See whether car recalls expire.

I Got An Email Or Text Instead. Is That OK?

Some manufacturers also email owners. Verify the recall on the manufacturer's own website or with our checker before clicking any link. See car recall scams.

Data: DVSA vehicle recall data (Open Government Licence v3.0), updated 15 October 2026. The sample letter is fictional and for illustration only.

Sources

  1. Under the Code: Producers may use DVLA to locate registered keepers (8.6). Recall work should normally be done when the vehicle is seen at a dealer (8.5). Producers may supplement the dealer network (7.7). Independent importers take on producer duties; personal imports are covered; exports are not (12 to 13).
  2. The Code does not itself say repairs are free. GOV.UK guidance says "You will not usually have to pay for any repairs or parts under a safety recall." gov.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.
  3. NCSC: Forward scam texts to 7726 (free on most UK networks). To report a scam call, text 7726 with "Call" followed by the number. Screenshots can go to report@phishing.gov.uk. ncsc.gov.uk
  4. Manufacturers direct owners to any of their authorised/franchised retailers for recall work, not only the selling dealer: Vauxhall: "contact your authorised repairer". BMW: "contact a BMW Approved Retailer". Audi: "contact your Audi Centre" or book online under warranty repair/recall. Volkswagen: "contact your local VW retailer". Renault/Dacia: "your retailer will replace the affected parts free of charge". audi.co.uk, bmw.co.uk, renault.co.uk, vauxhall.co.uk, volkswagen.co.uk Checked 15 Oct 2026.
  5. CRiS (Central Registration and Identification Scheme): Set up by the National Caravan Council in 1992 and run by HPI. Every new tourer gets a 17-character CRiS VIN, stamped into the chassis, etched on windows and held on an electronic tag. Since 2016 it is also on a VIN Chip sticker inside the front window and in the front locker. The 10th character is the model year (which runs from the previous September). cris.co.uk, caravanguard.co.uk, theaa.com
  6. GOV.UK on recalls and the MOT: Your MOT certificate may show a safety recall in England, Scotland and Wales, depending on the manufacturer. Some child car seat owners won't get a letter because the manufacturer has no details.
  7. Code timelines: Producers normally respond to DVSA within 28 days (5.5); DVSA reviews are typically monthly (5.4). DVSA must be notified "as soon as the safety defect has been confirmed" (6.1). 3 notifications per motorist is seen as reasonable (8.3). Response rates are reported every three months (11.1).
  8. GOV.UK MOT reminders: Free by text/email, one month before the MOT is due (cars/vans). The reminder "might tell you if your vehicle has been recalled for a safety reason. This depends on the manufacturer." Not available in NI (postal reminder 7 weeks before). DVSA helpline 0300 123 9000, Mon, Fri 8am, 5pm. gov.uk
  9. GOV.UK: you are legally responsible for keeping your vehicle safe to drive. Ignoring a problem can affect insurance claims. Driving a vehicle in a dangerous condition can bring a fine of up to £2,500, a driving ban and 3 penalty points.