CARFAX Canada Found Nearly One Million Open Recalls on Used Vehicles for Sale in 2025

With so Many Safety Recalls Found in the Marketplace, Canadians Urged to Check with CARFAX Canada Before Buying a Used Car

LONDON, ON - Last year, CARFAX Canada generated millions of Vehicle History Reports on vehicles for sale in Canada. Data on these reports reveals that close to one million of these vehicles had open or unfixed recalls putting drivers at higher risk of accidents, injury and legal implications.

Unfixed recalls are very common and can range from malfunctioning airbags to electrical issues that can cause fire, leaks or issues with fuel pumps, seatbelts and brakes, and other components.

"Unfortunately, too many Canadians are unaware that the vehicle they want to buy has a safety defect that puts them at risk. Checking for open recalls when buying a used vehicle is as critical as test driving it and knowing about past accidents,” said Shawn Vording, President at CARFAX Canada.

In 2025, 1 in 4 vehicles searched had at least one unfixed issue on CARFAX Canada reports, with most of the recalls found for vehicles registered in Ontario, Quebec and Alberta.

Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs), Sedans and Crew Cab Pickups top the list for the type of vehicles with the most recalls reported last year.

“CARFAX helped me see an outstanding recall for my vehicle. It also helped prove the quality of my vehicle for resale with the history and no accidents. It was also nice to see that my car wasn't stolen.” – Joshua, Ontario

“Our engine blew in our 12-year-old car. I did a report on it and found out it had a recall for that year, make and model, and that the engine may now be covered because of the recall. You may have just saved me thousands.” –Grant, Saskatchewan

Recalls can greatly affect the safety and the value of the vehicle. Many recalls relate to components that could fail while driving, including airbags, fuel systems and brakes.

A vehicle with unfixed issues may take longer to sell or trade-in and in some cases, it could reduce the value of the vehicle, or lead to insurance implications and legal liability.

Now more than ever, Canadians are urged to check for unfixed safety issues for free when shopping for a used car.

Open recalls are usually fixed by the manufacturer free of charge. Vehicle owners can stay on top of recalls by signing up for the free CARFAX Canada Car Care app, which will send them notifications if their vehicle has a new recall and helps them track service history, maintenance and more.

According to CARFAX Canada, past accidents and damage continue to be a determining factor when purchasing a used vehicle – 1 in 4 vehicles searched by CARFAX Canada have damage or accident history – and in some cases future accidents can be prevented when open recalls are fixed promptly.

Vording adds “A recall or accident doesn’t automatically make a used vehicle a bad choice. What’s important is that used car buyers know about it to make a confident investment, negotiate fairly and avoid unexpected surprises down the road.”

Consumers are encouraged to get a value range from CARFAX Canada and a Vehicle History Report with VIN Fraud Check before buying a used car to find out about past accidents, recalls and potential VIN fraud. Used car buyers are reminded to check for outstanding liens to avoid purchasing a vehicle with unpaid debt.

CARFAX Canada searches billions of data records across North America and provides comprehensive vehicle history, market insights and vehicle valuation data to help millions of people make decisions about cars.