Vehicle recalls and faults
Report a serious safety defect
If you find a serious defect that affects the safety of your vehicle, one of its parts, or an accessory, report it to the manufacturer immediately.
Tell the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) if you’re not happy with how the manufacturer is dealing with your report.
DVSA will:
- investigate the issue with the manufacturer
- tell you what action is being taken
The vehicle, part or accessory can be recalled if it’s found to be a serious safety issue.
What counts as a serious safety defect
A serious safety defect is something:
- about the way the vehicle is designed or made that’s likely to cause injury or death
- that happens suddenly and without warning
What does not count as a serious safety defect
Things are not classed as a serious safety defect if:
- they can be found during routine maintenance and servicing
- you’re warned about them by warning lights, noticeable changes in handling and unusual noises
- they’re caused by you misusing the vehicle, for example overloading your vehicle causing a tyre failure
How to report a serious safety defect
To report the defect you’ll need to give details of what happened and:
- the vehicle registration (number plate)
- the make and model of the vehicle
- the year the vehicle was made
- the current mileage
- the engine type (for example, petrol)
- the gearbox type (manual or automatic)
- any photos showing the defect (if you have them)
If you do not have all of the vehicle details, you can get some vehicle information from DVLA.