How to Check If a Product Has Been Recalled

Product recalls are easy to miss. A food item, appliance, battery, tool, vehicle, or piece of emergency gear may be recalled long after you bought it.

To check product recalls, start with the exact product information and search the government agency responsible for that type of item. The model number, lot number, UPC, manufacture date, or VIN may be needed to determine whether your particular item is included.

This is especially useful for those of us who keep food and equipment for a long time. Something sitting in the pantry, garage, basement, vehicle, or emergency supplies may be affected by a recall you never heard about.

Check Something You Already Own

Seeing a familiar brand on a recall list does not necessarily mean the item you own has been recalled. Most recalls apply to certain models, production runs, lot numbers, or dates.

Before searching, take a close look at the product.

For a household product or piece of equipment, look for the brand, model number, serial number, and manufacture date. These are often printed on a label on the back, bottom, or inside the product.

For packaged food, look for the exact product name, package size, UPC, lot or batch number, and any best-by or use-by dates.

For a vehicle, the most useful identifier is the 17-character Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN.

Once you find a possible recall, open the official notice and compare all of those details. Do not assume that every product with the same brand name is affected.

Where to Check Product Recalls

There is no single federal agency responsible for every type of recall. Different agencies cover different products.

Here are the main official resources I would use.

Household Products, Tools, Batteries and Appliances

Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)

The CPSC handles a huge range of consumer products. This includes appliances, furniture, power tools, batteries, generators, heaters, outdoor equipment, children’s products, and many other household items.

The CPSC recall database can be searched by product or brand. Recall notices normally explain the hazard, identify affected models, and tell consumers what remedy is available.

CPSC Recalls & Product Safety Warnings

Food, Pet Food and Many FDA-Regulated Products

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)

FDA recall notices cover most packaged foods along with pet food and animal feed. The FDA also handles recalls involving medicines, medical devices, cosmetics, and other regulated products.

For food, pay close attention to lot numbers, UPC codes, package sizes, and dates. A recall may involve only one production run of a product that has been sold for years.

Link: FDA Recalls, Market Withdrawals & Safety Alerts

Meat, Poultry and Certain Egg Products

USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS)

USDA and FSIS handle recalls involving meat, poultry, and processed egg products.

This distinction can sometimes be confusing. Many food recalls come through FDA, while foods containing certain meat or poultry products fall under USDA jurisdiction.

USDA/FSIS Recalls & Public Health Alerts

Cars, Trucks, Motorcycles, Tires and Car Seats

National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

For a vehicle, I recommend checking by VIN rather than simply searching the make and model.

A particular model year may have a recall that affects only some of the vehicles produced. The VIN lookup can determine whether your particular vehicle has an unrepaired safety recall.

NHTSA Vehicle Recall Lookup

There is also Recalls.gov, a federal site that brings together recall resources from several government agencies. It can be useful when you are not sure which agency handles the product.

Recalls.gov

Food Recalls: Check the Exact Package

Food recalls deserve some extra attention because the headlines can make a recall sound broader than it really is.

A company may recall one flavor, one package size, or products made during a particular production period. Other products from the same company may not be affected.

FoodSafety.gov points out that recall information must match the product you have. That can include the brand, product name, date, establishment number, UPC, or other identifying information.

If those details match an official recall notice, follow the instructions in that notice. Depending on the recall, consumers may be told not to eat the food, to discard it, or to return it.

This is another reason I would not rely only on a news headline or social media post. Use those as an alert, then check the actual government recall notice.

Pet food is worth remembering too. FDA posts recalls involving pet food and animal feed along with human food recalls.

Don’t Forget Older Gear and Emergency Supplies

This is where recalls tie directly into preparedness.

Many people replace ordinary household products fairly often. Preppers tend to do the opposite with certain things. We may intentionally keep useful equipment for many years.

Think about what might be sitting around your home right now:

• Portable generators
• Power stations
• Rechargeable batteries
• Battery chargers
• Propane heaters
• Camp stoves
• Lanterns
• Power tools
• Extension cords and electrical equipment
• Ladders
• Coolers and small appliances
• Emergency vehicle gear
• Camping equipment

A recall may be announced years after you bought something. Unless the manufacturer has your contact information, there is a good chance you will never receive a direct notice.

I would also check recalls before buying older equipment secondhand. This is particularly important with electrical products, batteries, heating equipment, children’s products, and anything with a known fire or injury hazard.

A product can appear to work perfectly and still have a safety defect. That is why checking the model number matters more than whether the item seems to be functioning normally.

Vehicle Recall Check: Use the VIN

Vehicles are one category where the recall check can be very specific.

NHTSA lets you enter the VIN or, for supported vehicles, a license plate number. The VIN is usually visible through the lower driver’s side of the windshield. It is also on the registration and often on the insurance card.

The result can tell you whether the vehicle currently has an unrepaired safety recall.

There are a couple of limitations worth knowing. NHTSA says the VIN search does not show recalls that have already been repaired. A very recently announced recall may also take time before every affected VIN is identified.

So if you hear about a new recall involving your exact vehicle, check again later even if the first VIN search comes back clear.

NHTSA recommends checking vehicles for recalls regularly. I think adding a VIN check to an occasional preparedness or vehicle-maintenance review makes good sense.

How to Tell If Your Particular Product Is Recalled

Finding the product name in a recall search is only the first step.

The official notice should tell you exactly which products are included. Depending on the item, look for:

Model number: Often the most important identifier for appliances, tools, electronics, and household equipment.

Serial number: A recall may cover only part of a model’s production.

UPC: Useful for packaged food and retail products.

Lot or batch number: Very common with food, supplements, and other consumable products.

Manufacture or date code: Sometimes used instead of a serial number.

Best-by, use-by, or expiration date: Frequently important with food recalls.

VIN: The best way to check whether a particular vehicle has an open recall.

If you cannot find those numbers, look carefully for a manufacturer’s label. It may be underneath the item, inside a battery compartment, behind a removable panel, or near the power cord.

Taking a photo of those labels when you buy important equipment can also be useful. You will still have the model and serial information if the label becomes damaged or difficult to read later.

What Should You Do If You Find a Recall?

Read the entire official recall notice before taking action.

The remedy depends on the problem. A manufacturer may offer a repair, replacement, refund, new instructions, or another solution.

Some recalls specifically tell consumers to stop using the product immediately. Others provide temporary instructions until a repair or replacement is available.

Food recalls may tell you to discard the product or return it to the store. Again, make sure the identifying information on your package actually matches the recall.

I also would not give away, donate, or sell something after discovering that it is subject to an unresolved safety recall. Follow the manufacturer’s or agency’s instructions instead.

For a vehicle safety recall, contact the manufacturer or an authorized dealer and follow the instructions supplied with the recall.

↑ Back to Latest Product & Food Recalls

A Simple Recall Check for Your Preparedness Routine

You do not have to search every item you own every week.

A more practical approach is to make recall checking part of an occasional home and preparedness inventory. Twice a year would be easy to remember.

Take a few minutes to check:

• Vehicles
• Generators and backup power equipment
• Rechargeable batteries and power stations
• Heating and cooking equipment
• Frequently used appliances
• Older tools and outdoor equipment
• Long-term food that may be affected by a recent recall
• Pet food
• Recently purchased secondhand equipment

For important equipment, save the model and serial numbers somewhere you can find them. A quick photo of the manufacturer’s label is often enough.

The latest recall list near the top of this page is also worth checking from time to time. It is automatically updated from official government recall sources, so you do not have to visit several different government websites just to see what is new.

If something catches your attention, use the official recall link to confirm the details.

Have you ever discovered that something in your home, pantry, garage, or emergency supplies had been recalled without you knowing about it? Let us know in the comments.