Safety recalls
An open recall is a repair the manufacturer pays for
First, check if your truck has one. Two minutes with the VIN. Plenty of owner-operators are running with an open recall and don't know it.
How to check
1. By VIN at NHTSA
Go to NHTSA's official lookup and enter the 17-digit VIN. It's on the driver's door jamb, the windshield and the registration. If an open recall shows up, it's yours.
Look up my VIN at NHTSA2. By make on Recalert
See what recalls your make has put out, which parts and model years keep showing up. Then confirm with your VIN.
At the time of writing, Recalert lists 15,251 NHTSA recalls (vehicles, tires and child seats), including 207 from Freightliner and 193 from Volvo.
Why it matters
- A safety recall repair is free. The manufacturer has to do it at an authorized dealer, no charge for parts or labor.
- If the recall is on brakes, steering or the fuel system, it's not for later. It's for this week.
- And if you already paid for that repair out of pocket, ask the dealer: some manufacturers reimburse.
Fault code vs. recall: not the same thing
Fault code
The engine computer sets it: SPN/FMI, check engine, derate, regen. It tells you what's failing on your truck today. You pay for the repair. That's what DERATE handles.
Safety recall
The manufacturer issues it when a model has a safety defect. It doesn't always light anything up. The manufacturer pays for the repair.
A code can be a symptom of a part that already has a recall. That's why it pays to check both.
Heads up: Recalert is also owned by VARGER Group LLC, the same company behind DERATE. We point you there because it puts NHTSA recalls by make in one place. NHTSA is still the official source.
Got a code on the dash?
Snap the dashboard or the scanner. DERATE tells you what it is, whether you can keep driving, and what to tell the mechanic.