No, car insurance does not cover recalls. Recall repairs are free because the manufacturer pays for them. Your insurance company has nothing to do with it.
Say your SUV gets a recall notice for a wiring problem. That problem could start a fire. You take it to the dealer. The dealer fixes the wire for free. Your insurance company never enters the picture.
Insurance protects you from things like crashes, theft, hail, and fire damage. A recall is different. It means the manufacturer found a safety defect built into your specific make and model. The manufacturer has to fix it for free.
Why doesn’t insurance pay for recall repairs?
A recall repair is the manufacturer’s job, not your insurer’s. The manufacturer built the defect into the car. So the manufacturer corrects it.
Insurance is for unexpected outside events, like a collision or a storm. It’s not for a problem that was already in the vehicle when it left the factory.
How do I find out if my car has a recall?
Check the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for recall information on your vehicle. The Texas DMV advises consumers to stay aware of recall information and to check NHTSA for details on technical service bulletins and recalls.
What if the recall repair doesn’t fix the problem?
This is where the Texas Lemon Law can come in. If the dealer has tried to fix the same defect over and over and it keeps coming back, you may have grounds for a claim.
Under the Texas Lemon Law, you pass the "four-times test" if you’ve taken your vehicle in for the same defect four times within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, and the defect still isn’t repaired.
The law also defines a serious safety hazard. It’s a life-threatening malfunction that substantially impedes your ability to control the vehicle. It can also be something that creates a substantial risk of fire or explosion.
You pass the "serious safety-hazard test" if you’ve taken your vehicle in for repair of that hazard twice within the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, whichever comes first, and the defect still isn’t repaired.
There’s also a "30-day test." If your car has been out of service for repair of a warranty-covered defect for a total of 30 days or more during the first 24 months or 24,000 miles, that can count too.
Does a recall by itself make my car a lemon?
A recall notice is not the same thing as a Lemon Law claim. Under Texas law, a vehicle qualifies as a lemon when it has a substantial manufacturing defect covered by the manufacturer’s written warranty, the defect was reported within the warranty term, the owner gave the dealer a reasonable number of repair attempts, and the defect still substantially impairs the vehicle’s use or market value, or creates a serious safety hazard.
A recall covers one known issue across many vehicles. Your Lemon Law case is about your car’s own repair history. For more on how the two connect, see Is a Recall Enough to Make a Car a Lemon?
What should I do if my car keeps having the same problem after a recall repair?
Keep every repair order, including the one from your recall visit. The Texas DMV also recommends keeping a log with dates, times, and locations if the problem keeps happening. Keep all your records in a safe place.
A Lemon Law complaint must be filed within six months of whichever comes first: the end of your express warranty, 24 months after you bought the car, or 24,000 miles on the odometer.
How do I know if I qualify?
Every case depends on your car’s specific repair history and the defect involved. Visit Do I Qualify? to see if your situation fits the Texas Lemon Law tests, or read more about how warranty repairs and recalls interact with the lemon law.
The Lemon Lawyers