Decode any VIN.
Read its whole record.
Paste a 17-character VIN for an instant forensic breakdown — check digit, country, year, manufacturer — then the official NHTSA record: open recalls with stop-driving alerts, owner complaints, and crash-test ratings. No sign-up. We never store your VIN.
What you get, free
Instant VIN forensics
Check-digit math that flags a typo or an altered VIN, plus country of origin, model year, and manufacturer — decoded in your browser, offline, before anything loads.
Open recalls
Every recall NHTSA has on file, with plain “stop driving” and “park outside” alerts for the dangerous ones. Recall repairs are free at any dealer.
Owner complaints
What owners actually report breaking — crashes, fires, injuries, and the parts that draw the most complaints.
Crash-test ratings
Official NHTSA NCAP star ratings: overall, frontal, side, and rollover — pulled straight from the source.
We don’t sell you what you can get free
Most “VIN check” sites bury free government data behind a $25–$45 subscription that auto-renews. VinSleuth shows that data for free — and is straight with you that we don’t have accident history, salvage/flood titles, or odometer records. That’s paid NMVTIS data, and we won’t pretend otherwise. When you genuinely need it, we point you to an honest paid report instead of dressing one up as ours.
Popular recall lookups
Frequently asked questions
Is the VIN decoder really free?
Yes — completely free, no account, no paywall, no card. We read official NHTSA data (vehicle specs, recalls, complaints, crash ratings) and show it in one place. We make money only if you choose to buy a paid history report or get an insurance quote through a partner link.
Does this show accident history or salvage titles?
No, and we won’t pretend it does. Accident history, salvage/flood title brands, and odometer records come from NMVTIS and paid providers — that data isn’t free and we don’t have it. NHTSA gives us specs, recalls, complaints, and crash ratings. For the title/accident half, we link you to a paid report.
Where do I find my VIN?
The 17-character VIN is stamped on the driver’s-side dashboard (visible through the windshield), on the sticker inside the driver’s door jamb, and printed on your registration and insurance card. It never contains the letters I, O, or Q.
Can you check recalls by VIN exactly?
NHTSA has no public by-VIN recall API, so we decode the VIN to its make, model, and year and look up every recall reported for that vehicle. For a VIN-specific “is it still open” status, confirm with the manufacturer or at nhtsa.gov — repairs are always free at a dealer.
Do I have to pay to fix a recall?
No. By federal law, safety-recall repairs are free at any franchise dealer for the affected make, regardless of who owns the car or whether it’s under warranty.
Get alerted when your car is recalled
Drop your email and we’ll send a plain-English heads-up if a new NHTSA recall is issued for a vehicle like yours. No spam, no hype. Unsubscribe anytime.