Recall answer
What if a dealer will not do an RV recall repair?
Start with the recall letter. If a dealer will not do the free remedy the letter describes, NHTSA's booklet says to tell the manufacturer. If the parts are not available, the letter is supposed to say when the remedy will be ready, and it can tell you what to do until then. This page is not legal advice. Read the recall letter for your VIN, and ask the manufacturer named in that letter if you are unsure.
1. Read the date and the precautions in the letter
49 CFR 577.5 says the letter must describe any precautions you should take before the defect is remedied. For a repair, it also must give the earliest date the manufacturer reasonably expects dealers or other shops to have the parts and instructions. NHTSA's recalls page says to follow any interim safety guidance in the notification and to have the part fixed for free.
49 CFR 577.7 says the manufacturer must send the owner notice no later than 60 days after it files the defect report. If the remedy is not available when that notice goes out, the manufacturer must send a second notice within a reasonable time once the remedy is available.
NHTSA's booklet says there is often a wait while the manufacturer finds owners, prepares the repair, instructs dealers, and ships parts. The booklet says a dealer is not required to do the repair before the date in the letter. It also says that during that wait there is no separate legal path to force an immediate repair, and that NHTSA requires an interim letter, with short-term steps, when the manufacturer needs extended time. A separate answer covers that wait, the second notice, and what to do while the parts are not ready.
2. If the dealer refuses the free repair the letter already allows
NHTSA's booklet says that if a dealer refuses to repair the vehicle in accordance with the recall letter, you should notify the manufacturer immediately. The booklet says that in most cases the manufacturer's agreements require its dealers to honor the recall at no extra charge, no matter where you bought the vehicle or the equipment. That is what the booklet says about those agreements. It is not a promise that every shop will say yes.
Call the manufacturer named in the letter and ask which dealer or service shop can do that campaign. Bring the letter and the VIN. 49 CFR 577.5 says the letter must tell you that you may complain to NHTSA if you believe the manufacturer, distributor, or dealer has failed or is unable to remedy the defect without charge. For a repair, the same rule describes a reasonable time as not longer than 60 days after you first ask for the repair, once the earliest repair date in the letter has passed, unless NHTSA gives the manufacturer more time.
NHTSA's resources page says you can file a complaint if a dealership tells you the recall repair is not covered by the warranty. File at https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem or call the Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236. A complaint asks NHTSA to review what happened. It does not by itself order the dealer to do the repair that day.
Where to check
- NHTSA booklet on safety defects and recalls
- Report a safety problem to NHTSA
- 49 CFR 577.5, what the letter must say
- 49 CFR 577.7, when the letter is sent
- How to check an RV or tow-vehicle VIN for recalls
- Latest recalls
- Recall and issue alerts
- Who pays for an RV recall repair?
- Is it safe to use or tow an RV with an open recall?
- What if the parts for an RV recall are not available?
- How long does an RV recall repair take, and which dealer can do it?
- Does my Keystone Montana have a recall?
- Does my Jayco North Point have a recall?
- Keystone recalls
Questions people ask
- What if a dealer will not do the recall repair?
- If the dealer will not do the repair described in the recall letter, NHTSA's booklet says to notify the manufacturer immediately (https://www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/2024-09/14218-MVSDefectsandRecalls_092524_v3-tag.pdf). You can also file a complaint with NHTSA at https://www.nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem or call 888-327-4236. 49 CFR 577.5 says the letter must tell you that you may complain if the dealer or manufacturer has failed or is unable to remedy the defect without charge.
- What if the parts are not available?
- 49 CFR 577.5 says the letter must give the earliest date the manufacturer reasonably expects the parts and instructions to be at the shop. 49 CFR 577.7 says the manufacturer must send another notice once the remedy is available if it was not ready for the first letter (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-V/part-577/section-577.7). NHTSA's booklet says a dealer does not have to do the repair before that date, and that NHTSA requires an interim letter when the wait is extended.
- Does another dealer have to do the repair?
- NHTSA's booklet says that in most cases the manufacturer's agreements require its dealers to honor the recall at no extra charge, no matter where you bought the vehicle. Call the manufacturer named in the letter and ask which shop can do that campaign. The booklet is describing those agreements. It does not say every shop is required by the letter alone.
- Will a complaint force the repair?
- A complaint asks NHTSA to review the report. NHTSA's resources page says the agency reviews complaints. It does not say a complaint orders a same-day repair. This page is not legal advice.
Related answers
- How to check an RV or tow-vehicle VIN for recalls
- Who pays for an RV recall repair?
- What is the difference between a recall, a warranty, and a technical service bulletin?
- Can I get reimbursed if I already paid for a repair that was later recalled?
- Is it safe to use or tow an RV with an open recall?
- How do I report an RV or truck safety defect to NHTSA?
- Do RV recalls expire?
- Can I buy or sell a used RV or truck with an open recall?
- What if the parts for an RV recall are not available?
- How do I find a recall on an RV part made by another company?
- How long does an RV recall repair take, and which dealer can do it?
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