There are three clocks in a recall: how long until you are told, how long until the parts exist, and how long the dealer may take once you bring the car in. Only the first and the last are set by law. Here is each one, for the United States.
1. Being told: within 60 days of the filing
When a maker decides a recall is needed it files a report with NHTSA. US rules (49 CFR 577.7) then give it sixty days to write to registered owners; NHTSA puts it as first class mail "within 60 days of notifying NHTSA of a recall decision". Our own count of how often that sixty days is missed, maker by maker, is in how long each manufacturer takes and sixty days to tell you.
2. Waiting for parts: there is no fixed limit
A recall is often announced before the repair parts exist. In that case the first letter tells you about the danger and what to do meanwhile, and a second one follows when the fix is ready. NHTSA's advice is to follow any interim safety guidance from the maker until then. If the notice says not to drive the car, or to park it outside, that applies while you wait. See do-not-drive recalls by brand.
3. At the dealer: the 60-day rule
Once the remedy is available and you present the car, the law expects the repair within a reasonable time. Under 49 U.S.C. 30120(c), if the maker chooses to repair and does not repair the car adequately within 60 days of you presenting it, that counts as failing to do so in a reasonable time, and the maker must then replace the car or refund its price less reasonable depreciation, at no charge. NHTSA can extend the 60 days for good cause, by notice in the Federal Register.
The repair itself is usually a single visit. Ask the dealer when you book how long they need the car; the time depends on the job and on whether the part is in stock.
How many recalled cars are never fixed?
A lot. Of 23,341,287 vehicles in the US campaigns that filed their final (eighth-quarter) report in 2025, 5,156,457 were never repaired, by our count of NHTSA's own completion reports. The figures are in how many were actually fixed.
What to do now
Check your car by VIN at NHTSA or in our VIN check, call the dealer with the recall number, and keep the paperwork. The full step-by-step is in what to do about a recall.
Quick answers
How long does a car recall repair take?
Most recall repairs are a single dealer visit, but the wait for parts has no legal limit. Under US law, once the remedy is available and you present the car, the maker has 60 days to repair it adequately; if it does not, it must replace the car or refund it less depreciation.
How long does a manufacturer have to notify owners of a recall?
In the United States, 60 days from filing the recall report with NHTSA (49 CFR 577.7). If the fix is not ready yet, a second letter follows when it is.
What if the recall parts are not available?
Follow the interim safety advice in the recall letter until the fix is ready. If the notice says do not drive or park outside, do that. You will get a second letter when the remedy is available.
Related
- Do you get a new car if your car is recalled?
- Recall repairs on used cars: who pays?
- Can you sell a car with an open recall?
- How to report a car safety defect, and why it matters
- Your car is recalled: what to do, step by step
Sources
- 49 CFR 577.7: time and manner of owner notification (eCFR)
- 49 U.S.C. 30120: remedies for defects and noncompliance (Cornell LII)
- NHTSA: Safety issues and recalls, check by VIN
This page explains US federal rules in plain words. It is not legal advice; for a dispute, the statute and NHTSA are the authority, and a lawyer can advise on your case.
Published 7 November 2026 by A.I.T. Multiverse Consulting Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus. CarsMultiverse is an independent site, not an authority.