Cars and Light Trucks
Vehicle, Engine, and Equipment Recalls
Search for Documents
Search the Document Index System (DIS) database to find:
- Advisory Circulars
- Applications for Certification
- Certificates of Conformity
- Certificate Summary Information Reports
- Manufacturer Guidance Letters
- Verify System Documentation
Overview
Vehicle, engine, and equipment manufacturers are required to design and build their vehicles, engines, and equipment to meet emission standards for the useful life of the vehicle, engine or equipment specified by law. Under Section 207 of the Clean Air Act, if EPA determines that a substantial number of vehicles, engines, or equipment in a class or category do not meet emission standards in actual use even though they are properly maintained and used, EPA can require the manufacturer to recall and fix the affected products. Manufacturers may, and often do, initiate recalls without a recall order from EPA as part of a customer satisfaction effort or to preempt an ordered recall from the Agency.
Number of Recalls Issued
Manufacturers are required to report certain defects they find to EPA if they affect emission-related parts. Many times the discovery of these defects leads to voluntary recalls or service campaigns. Manufacturers are also required to report to EPA all emission-related voluntary recalls. EPA issues periodic compliance reports that include general information on recall numbers. These reports can be found at http://epa.gov/otaq/hwy.htm. Below is a snapshot of recalls issued for calendar years 2009-2011:
| Industry | Number of Recalls | Vehicles/Engines/Equipment Affected |
|---|---|---|
| LD Vehicles and Trucks | 134 | 14,230,767 |
| On-highway Motorcycles | 2 | 6,172 |
| HD Engines | 31 | 620,940 |
| Recreational Vehicles | 13 | 38,013 |
Has my vehicle, engine or piece of equipment been subject to a recall?
If you are looking for a recall for a particular vehicle, engine, or piece of equipment, please contact complianceinfo@epa.gov and include the make, model and model year in your inquiry.