Vehicle Recall Website and VIN Tool

Summary#

This is a proposal to change rules under the Motor Vehicle Safety Act so companies that issue vehicle, tire, or child/disabled-person restraint recalls must publish the recall information on their websites. The change would also require some companies to provide a searchable tool (by the vehicle’s 17-character VIN) and is estimated to cost about $1.20 million over 10 years to industry and government.

What it does#

• Requires companies that issue a safety recall to publish the same basic recall details they already send by mail or email on their website in both official languages. That includes things like make/model, nature of the defect, safety risks, corrective measures, and contact information.
• Creates two tiers of requirements:
  • Non-designated companies must publish recall information online within 10 days after they notify the government and update it within 7 days of any change.
  • Companies designated by the Minister must publish recall information through a VIN lookup tool (the VIN Tool) that anyone can use to see recalls for a single vehicle by entering its 17-character VIN.
• For designated companies:
  • They get 1 year from the date they are told they are designated to add a VIN Tool to their website.
  • Any new recalls that occur during that year must be made available online within 30 days after the one-year period ends.
  • After the first year, each new recall must appear in the VIN Tool within 30 days of the company notifying the Minister, and updates must be made within 7 days.
  • If a VIN is not associated with any recall or is not recognized, the tool must say so and give contact details.
• Rules on how long online recall information must stay posted:
  • For vehicles, at least 15 years from the date the company notifies the Minister.
  • For tires and restraint systems, at least 10 years.
• Companies that have no website would not be forced to create one. Importers need not duplicate online posting if the manufacturer’s site already publishes the information.
• Transport Canada would check websites for compliance and can use enforcement tools if needed.

Who's affected#

• Vehicle manufacturers and importers, and companies that make or import tires and restraint systems (child seats and restraint systems for disabled persons).
• The government department doing oversight: Transport Canada.
• The regulatory analysis estimated about 28 designated companies and 196 non-designated companies could be affected (these are estimates used for cost calculations). It also estimated 39 small businesses would be affected by the end of the analysis period.
• It is not yet final which companies the Minister will designate. The department discussed using a threshold around 2,500 vehicles per year as one possible criterion, but the Minister has discretion and the final designation list is unclear.

Why it matters#

• Many recalls go unresolved. Transport Canada estimates up to one in five vehicles on Canadian roads may have an unresolved safety recall — about 6.6 million of 33.3 million registered vehicles (2019 figure) — which can increase the risk of injury, death, or property damage.
• Putting recall details online and offering a VIN lookup makes it easier for owners, second‑hand buyers, dealers, insurers, and cross-border partners to find out if a particular vehicle has an outstanding recall.
• The government expects more people to get recall repairs sooner, which should reduce the number and severity of injuries linked to unresolved recalls and cut down on repeated mailed notifications.
• The rule is presented as a targeted, lower‑cost way to increase public access to recall information; the regulatory paper estimates costs of $1.20 million over 10 years and anticipates safety benefits that are not fully quantified in money terms.