Vehicle Safety Guides
Practical, data-driven guides about vehicle safety, recalls, and buying decisions.
Each guide shows when it was published and, where it has been re-read and corrected since, when that happened. A review date only appears if the content actually changed. How we work is set out in our editorial policy.
How to Check if Your Car Has an Open Recall
Step-by-step guide to finding unfixed safety recalls on any vehicle using official NHTSA data.
Published 2024-12-01
Recall vs TSB: What is the Difference?
Safety recalls are legally mandated. TSBs are not. Here is what each one means for you.
Published 2024-11-15 · Reviewed 2026-07-26
How to Decode a VIN (and Why You Should)
Every character in a VIN means something. Learn what each position tells you about a vehicle.
Published 2024-11-10 · Reviewed 2026-07-26
Buying a Used Car: Complete Checklist
Step-by-step checklist covering mechanical inspection, paperwork, and safety checks.
Published 2024-11-05 · Reviewed 2026-07-26
What NHTSA Investigations Mean for Your Safety
When NHTSA opens an investigation, it does not always lead to a recall. Here is what the process looks like.
Published 2024-10-20 · Reviewed 2026-07-26
Understanding NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
How crash tests work, what the ratings measure, and why a 5-star rating is not the whole story.
Published 2024-10-15 · Reviewed 2026-07-26