Free Canada VIN Check
Canadian vehicles use the same 17-character VIN standard as the US and decode free here — year, make, model, engine, and plant. Canadian recalls are a separate system: Transport Canada, whose full database — 143,549 vehicle recall records since 1975 — CarWhere summarizes by model below. Liens are provincial (PPSR/RDPRM).
Enter a VIN to Decode
Most-recalled models in Canada (all-time)
| Vehicle | Transport Canada recalls | Most-affected system |
|---|---|---|
| RAM 3500 | 532 | Label |
| FORD F-150 | 506 | Other |
| FREIGHTLINER BUSINESS CLASS M2 | 477 | Brakes |
| NOVA BUS LFS | 470 | Seats And Restraints |
| RAM 2500 | 464 | Label |
| JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 435 | Engine |
| THOMAS BUILT SAF-T-LINER C2 SCHOOL BUS | 433 | Other |
| FORD EXPLORER | 419 | Other |
| CHEVROLET SILVERADO | 413 | Airbag |
| GMC SIERRA | 406 | Airbag |
| BMW 3 SERIES | 403 | Engine |
| RAM 1500 | 400 | Engine |
Source: Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database (open data), 2026-06-11. Counts are recall campaigns per nameplate since 1975, tires and child seats excluded.
Canada VIN Check FAQ
Do Canadian VINs decode the same as US VINs?
Yes — Canada uses the same 17-character federal VIN standard, and Canadian-market vehicles (including the "2"-prefix VINs built in Canada) decode through the same database CarWhere uses. Year, make, model, engine, and plant resolve normally.
How do I check Canadian recalls on a vehicle?
Canadian recalls are issued through Transport Canada (not the US NHTSA). CarWhere summarizes the full Transport Canada Vehicle Recalls Database — 143,549 vehicle recall records since 1975 — by make and model (the Honda Civic alone has 311 Canadian recall campaigns on record, led by airbag issues). For an open-recall check on your exact VIN, Transport Canada's motor vehicle safety recalls tool is the official source.
Can I check liens on a used car in Canada?
Liens in Canada are provincial — registered in each province's Personal Property Security Registry (PPSR/RDPRM in Quebec). A lien search in the province where the seller lives (and any province the car was registered in) is standard due diligence; there is no single federal lien database.
Does the $9.99 Full VIN Report work for Canadian vehicles?
Yes for the decode and (for US-market and US-import vehicles) the US federal record — recalls, owner complaints, and service bulletins from NHTSA. For a vehicle imported from the USA, that US history is exactly what to check; for Canadian-market vehicles, pair the report with Transport Canada's recall tool.