You Already Paid for It? Get Your Money Back.

Here's something the dealers won't tell you: if you paid out of pocket for a repair that was later covered by a safety recall, the manufacturer may owe you a refund.

Not a discount. Not a credit. Your money back.

And almost nobody claims it — because almost nobody knows. The system isn't designed to find you. It's designed to wait until you give up. That's where we come in.

Why everyone is abandoned on recalls

The recall system has a gap, and you fall right through it:

• The manufacturer sends a notice to the address on file — which might be two owners ago.
• The dealer has no incentive to tell you about a repair you already paid for elsewhere.
• You assume that money is gone. It isn't.

Federal regulations require manufacturers to reimburse owners for pre-recall repairs in many cases. But the burden is on you to document, file, and follow through. Most people don't — because no one guides them.

We guide them.

How to get your money back — step by step

1. Confirm the recall covers YOUR repair

Go to [nhtsa.gov/recalls](https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls) and enter your VIN. Find the recall, read exactly which component and failure it covers. Then pull out your old receipt: does the repair you paid for match the recalled component? If your water pump was replaced and the recall covers water pump failures — you're in the game.

We do this check for free. Bring us the VIN and the old receipt.

2. Gather every piece of paper

You need:

• The original repair invoice — with date, mileage, parts, and labor itemized
• Proof of payment — credit card statement, canceled check, receipt
• The recall notice (or the NHTSA recall number)
• Your vehicle registration proving ownership at the time of repair

No receipt? Call the shop that did the work — they're required to keep records. If that shop is us, we already have yours.

3. Document the connection

This is where claims die. You must show the repair you paid for addressed the same defect the recall covers. Write a one-page summary:

• On [date], at [mileage], I paid $[amount] for [repair description].
• NHTSA Recall [number] covers [defect description] on my [year/make/model].
• The repair addressed the recalled defect.

Attach the invoice. Attach the recall notice. Make it impossible to misunderstand.

4. File with the MANUFACTURER — not the dealer

This is the mistake everyone makes. The dealer didn't issue the recall — the manufacturer did. Find the manufacturer's customer service / recall reimbursement department (it's on their website, usually under "Owners" → "Recalls"). Submit your documentation directly to them.

Send it certified mail or with delivery confirmation. Keep copies of everything.

5. Know the clock is ticking

Manufacturers typically require reimbursement requests within a limited window after you learn of the recall — often 10 days from the recall notice, though this varies. Don't sit on it. The day you discover the connection is the day you start the paperwork.

6. If they deny you — don't accept it

First denials are common. Ask for the denial in writing, with the specific reason. Then:

• Verify the reason against the actual recall language
• Resubmit with additional documentation addressing their objection
• File a complaint with NHTSA if the denial seems unjustified
• Contact us — we've seen these denials before and know which ones don't hold up

The bottom line

You paid for a repair. The manufacturer later admitted the part was defective. That money is yours.

But the system won't hand it to you — you have to go get it. And you don't have to go alone.

Bring us your old receipts and your VIN. We'll check — free — whether your repair was recall-covered. If it was, we'll help you build the claim.

Nobody else does this. That's why we're the reference point.

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