Which Auto Manufacturers Have Had the Most Safety Recalls?

Each year, tens of millions of cars are recalled globally. There is a likely chance that an automobile owner will experience one at some point in the life of car ownership. Since any safety defect can pose a risk to the safety of the driver and others in or around the vehicle, it is important to treat every recall with diligence. Our team at AutomotiveTouchup has compiled a list of manufacturers by their number of safety recalls for each year over the past decade and beyond to examine the brands most prone to recalls for their vehicles.

Common Reasons for Automobile Safety Recalls

Automobile recalls ultimately happen because of one reason: a safety risk has been identified within the automobile that potentially puts the car, driver, passengers, and other drivers and pedestrians at risk. This measure means the company has found a defect or failure in compliance with safety regulations and seeks to correct their shortcomings for their customers. Though manufacturers put their vehicles through various trials in the development and creation process, not all problems are caught beforehand. Issues may still arise after a product has been sold to consumers. However, what counts as a safety risk can range from a simple part replacement to a risk so potentially dangerous that the car itself should not be driven until repaired.

As technology advances, there is an ever-increasing utilization of software in automobiles. This is one of the most common current causes for recalls and will only continue to escalate in the future as more and more software is integrated into car computer systems. For example, Tesla recalled more than 2 million of its vehicles due to its autopilot active driving assistance (ADA) system. The recall came after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) investigated cases of 11 crashes of Tesla vehicles where Autopilot was engaged during the moment of impact.

Safety recalls due to mechanical components and sensors are quite commonplace as well. Mechanical issues may include faulty or defective wiring, steering systems, airbags, and break lines or fuel lines. Additionally, sensors are important for communication to the car’s computer system. If a sensor malfunctions, checks on fluid levels or tire pressure may fail to notify the driver.

If Your Car has a Recall

Most car owners find out about their vehicle’s recall through the mail, as federal law requires that car manufacturers notify registered vehicle owners through this method. These notices may come from the car manufacturer or the NHTSA. However, there is also the option to search recalls directly. Since every car is assigned its own unique vehicle identification number (VIN), this system makes it easy to find recalls for your specific vehicle using NHTSA’s recalls search by license plate number or VIN.

• Staying informed: Does my car have a recall? If you want to be informed about possible automobile recalls, NHTSA offers a free app called SaferCar. The app will send alerts about recalls directly to your phone.
• Getting repairs: By law, the dealer or manufacturer cannot charge for recall repairs in vehicles. There is a limit to coverage depending on the age of the vehicle, so any owner seeking repairs should check beforehand. If there is an available repair for your vehicle, immediately get it done.
• Driving under recalls: It is not uncommon for a recall to happen, but there is no repair available yet. Some recalls are more severe than others, and the issue can pose an imminent danger. In cases such as this, the manufacturer will state a “Do Not Drive” warning in their notice on whether the car is still safe to be driven before repairs or not.
• In case of an accident: If a driver has had an accident due to a recalled component, it is possible to seek accountability and compensation from the manufacturer. Factors such as whether the driver knew of the recall, had a reasonable amount of time to respond, and the extent of which the recalled part is at fault for the accident can affect liability for both the driver and the manufacturer.
• Rental cars: Rental car reimbursement coverage will cover the cost of a replacement car while yours is under repair and may be included in some insurance plans. Unfortunately, most auto insurance policies do not cover this reimbursement, so an extra fee may be necessary to include it. Without this coverage, a rental car will have to be paid for out of pocket.

If you personally notice an issue with your car, filing a report with the NHTSA can be done in minutes by filling out their complaint form. If you have problems with a recall that can’t be helped by the dealership or manufacturer, you can also file with NHTSA about this. If seeking a dealership is not viable at the time, there are options to DIY minor fixes. After fixes are made, automotive touch up paint can restore your vehicle back to its original glory.

The 10 Car Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls Every Year Since 2010

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2010

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Navistar	37	16%
2	Daimler Trucks North America	32	14%
3	General Motors	21	9%
4	Blue Bird Body Company	21	9%
5	Nissan North America	17	7%
6	Chrysler (FCA US)	17	7%
7	Toyota Motor	17	7%
8	Keystone RV Company	15	6%
9	BMW of North America	15	6%
10	PACCAR	15	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2011

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Daimler Trucks North America	41	21%
2	Navistar	23	12%
3	General Motors	22	11%
4	American Honda Motor Co.	16	8%
5	Ford Motor Company	15	8%
6	Toyota Motor	13	7%
7	Blue Bird Body Company	12	6%
8	Altec Industries	11	6%
9	Volkswagen Group of America	11	6%
10	Shyft Group	10	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2012

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Navistar	25	13%
2	Ford Motor Company	24	12%
3	Daimler Trucks North America	21	11%
4	General Motors	18	9%
5	American Honda Motor Co.	16	8%
6	Prevost Car (US)	16	8%
7	BMW of North America	15	8%
8	Toyota Motor	13	7%
9	Chrysler (FCA US)	13	7%
10	Nissan North America	13	7%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2013

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Chrysler (FCA US)	36	17%
2	General Motors	24	11%
3	Daimler Trucks North America	23	11%
4	Shyft Group	17	8%
5	Ford Motor Company	16	7%
6	Nissan North America	16	7%
7	Navistar	15	7%
8	American Honda Motor Co.	15	7%
9	BMW of North America	15	7%
10	Toyota Motor	14	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2014

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	General Motors	77	25%
2	Ford Motor Company	38	12%
3	Chrysler (FCA US)	36	12%
4	Daimler Trucks North America	22	7%
5	PACCAR	20	6%
6	Toyota Motor	20	6%
7	Nissan North America	17	6%
8	Navistar	17	6%
9	Blue Bird Body Company	17	6%
10	Forest River	15	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2015

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	49	15%
2	Chrysler (FCA US)	43	13%
3	Ford Motor Company	40	12%
4	General Motors	40	12%
5	Daimler Trucks North America	24	7%
6	American Honda Motor Co.	21	6%
7	BMW of North America	21	6%
8	Nissan North America	20	6%
9	PACCAR	19	6%
10	Newmar Corporation	19	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2016

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	62	18%
2	Chrysler (FCA US)	47	13%
3	Daimler Trucks North America	34	10%
4	Ford Motor Company	33	9%
5	General Motors	33	9%
6	Volkswagen Group of America	25	7%
7	Mercedes-Benz USA	23	7%
8	Newmar Corporation	21	6%
9	Toyota Motor	20	6%
10	Nissan North America	19	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2017

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	58	17%
2	Mercedes-Benz USA	38	11%
3	Ford Motor Company	37	11%
4	Chrysler (FCA US)	34	10%
5	BMW of North America	30	9%
6	Daimler Trucks North America	29	8%
7	Volkswagen Group of America	27	8%
8	Thor Motor Coach	19	6%
9	Keystone RV Company	19	6%
10	Nissan North America	17	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2018

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	63	15%
2	Daimler Trucks North America	51	12%
3	Chrysler (FCA US)	46	11%
4	Mercedes-Benz USA	39	9%
5	Volkswagen Group of America	35	8%
6	Ford Motor Company	31	7%
7	Altec Industries	28	7%
8	BMW of North America	27	7%
9	Toyota Motor	25	6%
10	Keystone RV Company	24	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2019

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	50	13%
2	Chrysler (FCA US)	44	12%
3	BMW of North America	42	11%
4	Ford Motor Company	37	10%
5	Mercedes-Benz USA	33	9%
6	Daimler Trucks North America	32	9%
7	Volkswagen Group of America	27	7%
8	General Motors	25	7%
9	American Honda Motor Co.	22	6%
10	Daimler Vans USA	21	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2020

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Forest River	55	15%
2	Ford Motor Company	45	12%
3	Mercedes-Benz USA	38	10%
4	BMW of North America	36	10%
5	General Motors	33	9%
6	Volkswagen Group of America	30	8%
7	Chrysler (FCA US)	27	7%
8	Daimler Trucks North America	27	7%
9	Daimler Vans USA	21	6%
10	Thor Motor Coach	20	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2021

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Ford Motor Company	53	13%
2	Mercedes-Benz USA	49	12%
3	Daimler Trucks North America	46	11%
4	General Motors	44	11%
5	Chrysler (FCA US)	38	9%
6	Forest River	37	9%
7	Volkswagen Group of America	34	8%
8	Nissan North America	28	7%
9	BMW of North America	22	5%
10	Hyundai Motor America	20	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2022

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Ford Motor Company	68	17%
2	Volkswagen Group of America	47	12%
3	Daimler Trucks North America	42	10%
4	Chrysler (FCA US)	39	10%
5	Forest River	35	9%
6	Mercedes-Benz USA	35	9%
7	General Motors	32	8%
8	Kia America	24	6%
9	Navistar	22	5%
10	Hyundai Motor America	22	5%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2023

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Ford Motor Company	58	16%
2	Chrysler (FCA US)	45	13%
3	Forest River	37	10%
4	BMW of North America	32	9%
5	Mercedes-Benz USA	31	9%
6	General Motors	25	7%
7	Daimler Trucks North America	23	6%
8	Nissan North America	23	6%
9	Jaguar Land Rover North America	21	6%
10	Volkswagen Group of America	21	6%

Auto Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls in 2024 (through 8/15/24)

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Ford Motor Company	41	16%
2	Chrysler (FCA US)	41	16%
3	Forest River	38	14%
4	BMW of North America	20	8%
5	Hyundai Motor America	19	7%
6	Daimler Trucks North America	18	7%
7	General Motors	17	6%
8	Mercedes-Benz USA	16	6%
9	Kia America	15	6%
10	Jayco	14	5%

The 10 Car Manufacturers with the Most Safety Recalls Overall Since 2010

	Manufacturer	Number of Recalls	% of All Recalls
1	Ford Motor Company	545	12%
2	Forest River	527	12%
3	Chrysler (FCA US)	514	12%
4	Daimler Trucks North America	465	10%
5	General Motors	451	10%
6	Mercedes-Benz USA	345	8%
7	BMW of North America	335	8%
8	Volkswagen Group of America	302	7%
9	Navistar	261	6%
10	American Honda Motor Co.	242	5%

Number of each type of recall the top 10 companies had between 2010-2024:

1. Ford Motor Company

AIR BAGS	48	11%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	53	13%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	21	5%
FUEL SYSTEM	44	10%
POWER TRAIN	81	19%
SEAT BELTS	29	7%
SEATS	20	5%
SERVICE BRAKES	24	6%
STEERING	32	8%
STRUCTURE	22	5%
SUSPENSION	21	5%
VISIBILITY	29	7%

2. Forest River

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	75	16%>
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	5	1%
EQUIPMENT	262	54%
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	9	2%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	20	4%
POWER TRAIN	14	3%
SEATS	10	2%
SERVICE BRAKES	5	1%
STRUCTURE	30	6%
SUSPENSION	32	7%
TIRES	10	2%
TRAILER HITCHES	11	2%

3. Chrysler (FCA US)

AIR BAGS	79	19%
BACK OVER PREVENTION	22	5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	74	18%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	24	6%
EQUIPMENT	30	7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	22	5%
FUEL SYSTEM	17	4%
POWER TRAIN	69	16%
SERVICE BRAKES	23	5%
STEERING	28	7%
TIRES	15	4%
VISIBILITY	16	4%

4. Daimler Trucks North America

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	71	19%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	44	12%
EQUIPMENT	30	8%
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	14	4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	17	4%
FUEL SYSTEM	12	3%
POWER TRAIN	34	9%
SEATS	23	6%
SERVICE BRAKES	39	10%
STEERING	51	13%
STRUCTURE	32	8%
TIRES	13	3%

5. General Motors

AIR BAGS	78	20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	59	15%
EQUIPMENT	24	6%
FUEL SYSTEM	19	5%
POWER TRAIN	28	7%
SEAT BELTS	35	9%
SEATS	18	5%
SERVICE BRAKES	32	8%
STEERING	33	9%
SUSPENSION	20	5%
TIRES	12	3%
VISIBILITY	23	6%

6. Mercedes-Benz USA

AIR BAGS	50	18%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	62	22%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	11	4%
EQUIPMENT	10	4%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	25	9%
FUEL SYSTEM	11	4%
POWER TRAIN	17	6%
SEAT BELTS	18	6%
SEATS	15	5%
STEERING	24	9%
STRUCTURE	24	9%
VISIBILITY	12	4%

7. BMW of North America

AIR BAGS	65	23%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	49	18%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	23	8%
EQUIPMENT	19	7%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	22	8%
FUEL SYSTEM	15	5%
POWER TRAIN	21	8%
SEATS	12	4%
SERVICE BRAKES	13	5%
STEERING	14	5%
STRUCTURE	15	5%
SUSPENSION	11	4%

8. Volkswagen Group of America

AIR BAGS	69	28%
BACK OVER PREVENTION	11	4%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	35	14%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	18	7%
EQUIPMENT	15	6%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	10	4%
FUEL SYSTEM	31	13%
SEATS	10	4%
SERVICE BRAKES	14	6%
STEERING	8	3%
STRUCTURE	11	4%
SUSPENSION	16	6%

9. Navistar

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	39	19%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	23	11%
EQUIPMENT	13	6%
EQUIPMENT ADAPTIVE/MOBILITY	11	5%
EXTERIOR LIGHTING	10	5%
FUEL SYSTEM	12	6%
POWER TRAIN	16	8%
SERVICE BRAKES	23	11%
SERVICE BRAKES	10	5%
STEERING	23	11%
STRUCTURE	16	8%
VISIBILITY	8	4%

10. American Honda Motor Co.

AIR BAGS	48	23%
BACK OVER PREVENTION	10	5%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM	29	14%
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING	12	6%
EQUIPMENT	17	8%
FUEL SYSTEM	24	12%
POWER TRAIN	20	10%
SEAT BELTS	8	4%
SEATS	8	4%
SERVICE BRAKES	12	6%
STEERING	8	4%
STRUCTURE	9	4%