How to Check a Used EV for Recalls and Software Updates

Here's a fun fact about electric cars: some of them get fixed while they're parked in the driveway overnight. No appointment, no waiting room, no stale coffee. That's the upside of software.

The flip side is that a used EV's history now includes more than oil changes and brake jobs. It also includes recalls and software updates, and you want to know where the car stands on both before you buy it. The good news: checking takes about two minutes and costs nothing.

Step 1: Find the VIN

The VIN (vehicle identification number) is the car's 17-character ID. You'll usually find it:

On a small plate at the base of the windshield, on the driver's side
On a sticker in the driver's door jamb
On the title and registration

Ask the seller for it before you go see the car. A seller with nothing to hide will share it. Then, when you see the car in person, check that the VIN on the car matches the one on the title.

Step 2: Check it at NHTSA

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is the federal agency that oversees vehicle safety recalls. Its free lookup tool is at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Go to nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Type in the 17-character VIN.
Read the results. The tool shows safety recalls on that specific vehicle that have not yet been fixed.

A few things to know about the results:

No unrepaired recalls is what you want to see. It means no open safety recalls are on record for that VIN.
NHTSA describes the VIN tool as covering recalls from about the last 15 years. For most used EVs, that's the car's whole life.
If the seller says a recall was just fixed but it still shows as open, ask for the repair paperwork. Records can lag behind the repair.
It's a safety recall check, not a full history report. Don't expect accident history or service records from it.

Take a screenshot of the result with the date. You may want it later.

Why some recall fixes are just software

Many EVs can download software updates over a cellular or Wi-Fi connection. That's called an over-the-air update, or OTA for short. It works like a phone update: the car downloads it, then installs it, usually while parked.

Because so much of an EV is controlled by software, some safety recalls can be fixed that way too. A well-known example: in December 2023, Tesla filed recall 23V-838 covering about 2 million vehicles over its Autosteer driver-assistance feature. According to NHTSA's recall record, the remedy was an over-the-air software update, free of charge. NHTSA's recall records now include a flag showing whether the remedy is an over-the-air update.

That's handy, but it raises a question for a used-car buyer: has this car actually received the update? A few ways to find out:

Check NHTSA first. If the VIN shows no open recalls, the manufacturer's records say the fix is done.
Look at the software version on the car's screen (usually in a settings or "about" menu) and take a photo.
Ask the seller whether the car has been connected to Wi-Fi or cellular and updating normally. A car that has sat unplugged or offline for months may be behind.

Not every recall on an EV is software. Plenty of them are old-fashioned parts fixes, like a latch, a seat belt part or a wiring harness, and those need a visit to a service center.

What an "open recall" means in a private sale

An open recall is a recall the manufacturer has announced that hasn't been fixed on that particular car yet.

Here is the part that surprises many first-time buyers. Federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120(i)) stops dealers from delivering new vehicles with an unrepaired recall, and it also covers rental companies. It does not stop a private seller from selling a used car with an open recall. In most cases, that sale is legal.

State rules vary, so if you want certainty for your state, check with your state's consumer protection office or attorney general.

What this means for you in practice:

Always run the VIN yourself. Don't rely on the seller's word. Even an honest seller may not know.
An open recall isn't automatically a deal-breaker. Many are quick, free fixes. Read what the recall is for, and whether the notice says it's unsafe to drive or that the car should be parked outside until fixed.
Ask the seller to get it fixed before the sale if there's time. Or agree that you'll book it yourself right after.
Some recalls do need parts that are in short supply. If the remedy isn't available yet, ask the manufacturer what the wait looks like before you commit.

How to get a recall fixed, for free

Under federal law, the manufacturer must fix a safety recall without charge when the vehicle is brought in for the remedy. That applies whether you're the first owner or the fifth. The main limit: the free-remedy rule doesn't apply if the vehicle was first sold more than 15 calendar years before the recall was announced.

Here's how to get it done:

Note the recall number from the NHTSA lookup. It looks like 23V-838.
Contact an authorized service center for that brand. For most makes, that's a franchised dealer. Some EV makers run their own service centers and book appointments through their app or website.
Tell them the recall number and ask them to confirm it applies to your VIN.
Ask about parts. If they need to order something, get an estimated date.
Keep the paperwork. You'll get a repair order showing the recall was completed. File it with your other records. It helps when you sell the car too.

If it's a software recall, the fix may already be waiting. Connect the car to Wi-Fi, check for updates, and install any that are pending. If the recall still shows as open afterward, call the manufacturer.

Also, once the car is in your name, register it with the manufacturer (usually through its app or owner website) so future recall notices come to you, not the previous owner.

A quick checklist before you buy

Get the VIN and make sure it matches the title.
Run it at nhtsa.gov/recalls and save a screenshot.
Read what any open recall is actually for.
Photograph the software version on the car's screen.
Ask the seller for service and recall paperwork.

If you're browsing on Frunkery, it's worth running the VIN before you send your first inquiry. It makes for a much better first conversation with the seller.

The short version

Find the VIN and check it for free at nhtsa.gov/recalls. You want to see no unrepaired recalls.
Some EV recalls are fixed over the air, but confirm the car actually got the update.
Private sellers can generally sell a car with an open recall under federal law, so check for yourself. State rules vary.
Recall repairs are free from the manufacturer's authorized service network, for the first owner or the fifth, within the 15-year limit.
Keep the paperwork and register the car in your name so future notices find you.

Recalls and Software Updates on a Used EV: How to Check