Recalls

Recalls are potential safety hazards to you, your passengers and other people on the road.

Be sure to check if your vehicle, or the vehicle you’re thinking of buying, has any outstanding recalls.

What’s a recall?

A manufacturer will issue a recall when a component of a vehicle is found to be faulty. Recalls are regulated federally by Transport Canada.

The manufacturer is required to notify the vehicle owner of a recall. If you bought the vehicle used or you have moved you can contact the manufacturer and request an update to the manufacturer’s database.

An automotive business must disclose if a vehicle was ever bought back by the manufacturer under the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan as part of the vehicle history.

How can I find out if my vehicle, or the vehicle I want to buy, has an outstanding recall?

You can check with the manufacturer if your vehicle has any outstanding recalls.

Before entering into a purchase contract for a new vehicle, you will want to take the following steps to ensure any outstanding recalls have been corrected:

• Ensure the automotive business discloses if the vehicle was every bought back by the manufacturer under the Canadian Motor Vehicle Arbitration Plan.
• Be sure to get the vehicle inspected by an independent mechanic.
• Always buy a vehicle history report.
• Check with the manufacturer to see if there are any outstanding recalls.

You can also check Transport Canada’s Motor Vehicle Safety Recalls Database for existing recalls.