RecallLensGuides · Updated 2026-11-10
How to check if a product has been recalled
There is no single U.S. recall list. Each agency publishes recalls for the products it regulates, so the first step is knowing where to look.
Which agency covers what
| Product | Agency | Where to search |
|---|---|---|
| Cars, trucks, motorcycles, tires, car seats and other vehicle equipment | NHTSA | nhtsa.gov/recalls (by VIN or by vehicle) |
| Food, drugs, medical devices and other FDA-regulated products | FDA | FDA enforcement reports, also as open data on openFDA |
| Most other consumer products: toys, appliances, furniture, heaters, strollers | CPSC | cpsc.gov/Recalls |
What a recall record tells you
- Vehicles: the campaign number, the affected models and years, the defect, the safety risk and the remedy. For whether the work is done on your vehicle, use a VIN lookup. Free-repair rules: are car recall repairs free?
- FDA products: the product and lot or code information, the reason, the recall class and the status. What the classes mean: FDA recall classes explained.
- CPSC products: the product, model numbers and often UPCs, the hazard, the remedy the company offers (such as a refund, repair or replacement), the units affected, where it was sold, and a consumer contact.
Staying informed
CPSC offers recall emails. For vehicles and many products, registering with the manufacturer means it can contact you directly when a recall is issued.
Search all three at once
In Claude, the free RecallLens connector searches NHTSA, FDA and CPSC recall data from one chat, for example: "Any recalls on a 2019 Honda CR-V?", "Class I recalls on peanut butter this year" or "recalled space heaters sold at Costco". Each answer links to the official record.
Look it up from a chat
RecallLens is a free connector for Claude that looks up NHTSA vehicle recalls (by make, model and year, by VIN, or by campaign number), FDA food, drug and device recalls and CPSC consumer product recalls, and links each answer to the official record. No sign-in or API key. Add it to Claude.
This guide summarizes public federal rules in plain English. It is not legal advice. Rules have exceptions and can change; read the linked text, and for a specific vehicle or product ask the manufacturer, dealer, pharmacist or the agency. RecallLens is published by Starry Night and is not affiliated with NHTSA, FDA, CPSC or any government agency.
Questions
Who handles recalls in the United States?
It depends on the product: NHTSA covers vehicles and vehicle equipment such as tires and car seats, FDA covers food, drugs, medical devices and other products it regulates, and CPSC covers most other consumer products, such as toys, appliances and furniture.
Can I get recall alerts by email?
CPSC offers recall emails through its email signup page. Many manufacturers also notify registered owners directly, so registering a product or vehicle helps.