Reference

Vehicle Safety Recall Glossary

Plain-English definitions for the terms that appear on every NHTSA recall notice — so you know exactly what a "Do Not Drive" warning, "consequence summary," or "FMVSS" actually means.

C

Consequence Summary: The safety consequence of the defect — what could happen to a driver, occupant, or other road user if the defect is not repaired (e.g., loss of brake function, airbag rupture, fire).
Corrective Action: The remedy the manufacturer will perform to fix the defect — typically free repair, replacement, or refund. Federal law requires the remedy to be at no cost to the owner.
Completion Rate: The percentage of potentially affected vehicles that have actually been repaired. Low completion rates on older recalls are common because owners sell vehicles or move without updating contact info.
Component: The vehicle system or subsystem affected by a recall — for example AIRBAGS, FUEL SYSTEM GASOLINE, or STEERING:LINKAGES. NHTSA tracks recalls under standardized component categories.

D

DOT: The US Department of Transportation, the cabinet-level agency that houses NHTSA and publishes the open recall dataset that powers this site.
Do Not Drive: A NHTSA designation flagging recalls where the defect is severe enough that affected vehicles should not be operated until repaired. Manufacturers typically offer free towing or loaner vehicles for these recalls.
Defect Summary: The manufacturer's description of the safety defect — what is wrong with the affected vehicles. Required disclosure on every NHTSA recall.

F

Fire Risk When Parked: A NHTSA flag indicating the vehicle may catch fire even while turned off and parked. Affected owners are advised to park outside, away from structures and other vehicles, until repaired.
FMVSS (Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard): Federal minimum performance requirements (e.g., for airbags, lighting, brakes). A vehicle failing to comply with an FMVSS is grounds for recall, separate from a "safety defect" recall.

I

Issue Type: NHTSA classifies safety actions into four broad types: R (Recalls), C (Complaints), I (Investigations), and D (Defects). This site focuses on Recalls.

M

Manufacturer Campaign Number: The internal campaign code a manufacturer uses to track a recall in its own dealer-service systems. Owners can quote either this number or the NHTSA Recall ID when scheduling repairs.

N

NHTSA: The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — a US Department of Transportation agency that regulates motor-vehicle safety and oversees recalls. Every safety recall in the United States is filed with NHTSA.
NHTSA Recall ID: A unique identifier assigned by NHTSA to each recall. The two-character prefix encodes the calendar year and category (V = vehicle, E = equipment, T = tire). Example: 24V-001 is the 1st vehicle recall NHTSA opened in 2024.

O

ODI (Office of Defects Investigation): The NHTSA office responsible for investigating potential safety defects and pushing manufacturers to issue recalls.
Owner Notification: The legal process by which manufacturers notify vehicle owners of a recall — typically by first-class mail to the address on file with the state DMV.

P

Potentially Affected: The estimated number of vehicles in the production batch that *could* contain the defective part. Some vehicles in this population may turn out to be unaffected after inspection.

R

Recall Notice: The official letter the manufacturer mails to registered owners explaining the defect, safety consequence, and repair instructions. Required under federal law.

S

Safety Defect: A defect in a motor vehicle or item of motor-vehicle equipment that poses an unreasonable risk to motor-vehicle safety. The legal trigger for a federal recall under 49 U.S.C. § 30118.

T

TSB (Technical Service Bulletin): A manufacturer-issued repair guidance document. Unlike recalls, TSBs are not safety-mandated and repairs may not be free. Not tracked on this site.

V

VIN: Vehicle Identification Number — the 17-character code that uniquely identifies every vehicle sold in the United States since 1981. Used to verify whether a specific vehicle is included in a recall.