Recall answer
How do I report an RV or truck safety defect to NHTSA?
If you think your RV, trailer, or tow vehicle has a safety defect, file a complaint with NHTSA. NHTSA reviews every complaint. A complaint is not a recall by itself. This page is not legal advice.
1. File online or call the hotline
NHTSA's resources page says to file at NHTSA.gov by choosing Report a Safety Problem, or to call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. The online form is at https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem. NHTSA's booklet also lists 800-424-9393, and 800-424-9153 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Have the VIN ready. The booklet says the hotline asks for the information its technical staff needs, and that the report is filed as a Vehicle Owner's Questionnaire.
The same booklet says you may choose whether NHTSA shares your name, address, and telephone number with the manufacturer. You are not required to allow that. The booklet says sharing it can help the process. NHTSA's resources page says the form asks if you want to share the complaint, including the VIN and identifying information, with the manufacturer.
2. What NHTSA does with the complaint
NHTSA's recalls page says your complaint is added to a public database after personally identifying information is removed, and that complaints help the agency investigate possible defects, which could lead to a safety recall. The resources page says there is no set number of complaints that opens an investigation. NHTSA reviews every complaint, along with other data.
The resources page also says you may be contacted if NHTSA needs more information, receipts, or photos, and that not every person who files is contacted. A complaint does not mean a recall will open. NHTSA's booklet says the agency has no jurisdiction over defects that are not safety-related, and it still reviews each report that suggests a possible safety defect in a group of vehicles or equipment.
RVs and trucks used on public roads are reported to NHTSA. The resources page says off-road vehicles, such as ATVs, side-by-sides, off-road motorcycles, and go-carts, are reported to the Consumer Product Safety Commission instead.
3. Check for a recall that is already on file
File the complaint, and also check the VIN. An open recall can already be on file. Use the NHTSA recalls lookup at https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls, then open the make, model, and year on RigFix to read the campaigns NHTSA has on file. A model-year campaign is not proof your VIN is included. If the problem is in a part another company made, search that equipment on the same NHTSA page. The complaint can name the part.
Where to check
- Report a safety problem to NHTSA
- NHTSA investigations and recalls
- NHTSA recalls lookup
- NHTSA booklet on safety defects and recalls
- How to check an RV or tow-vehicle VIN for recalls
- Latest recalls
- Recall and issue alerts
- Is it safe to use or tow an RV with an open recall?
- What is the difference between a recall, a warranty, and a technical service bulletin?
- How do I find a recall on an RV part made by another company?
- Does my Alliance Paradigm have a recall?
- Browse RV and tow-vehicle brands
- Grand Design recalls
Questions people ask
- How do I report an RV or truck safety defect to NHTSA?
- File online at https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem, or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. NHTSA's resources page gives both paths (https://www.nhtsa.gov/resources-investigations-recalls). NHTSA's booklet also lists 800-424-9393, and 800-424-9153 for people who are deaf or hard of hearing. Have the VIN ready.
- What happens after I file?
- NHTSA's recalls page says the complaint is added to a public database after personally identifying information is removed, and that complaints help investigations that could lead to a recall (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls). The resources page says there is no set number of complaints that opens an investigation, and that not every person who files is contacted.
- Will NHTSA tell the manufacturer who I am?
- Only if you allow it. NHTSA's booklet says you are not required to authorize sharing your name, address, and telephone number with the manufacturer (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-09/14218-MVSDefectsandRecalls_092524_v3-tag.pdf). The resources page says the form asks whether you want to share the complaint, including the VIN and identifying information.
- Is a complaint the same as a recall?
- No. A complaint is a report for NHTSA to review. It is not a recall, and it does not mean a recall will be opened. Also check the VIN at the NHTSA recalls lookup in case a recall is already on file. This page is not legal advice.
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