Isbark.com

Are vehicle recalls becoming more common? There’s evidence to suggest that they are. This year alone, the NHTSA has reported more than 300 recalls from various manufacturers, which is higher than the number of recalls last year during the same period.

Not only are recall numbers higher this year, but we have also seen millions of models recalled because of issues as serious as vehicles rolling away or potentially setting alight. We’ve taken a closer look at which automakers have the highest number of recalls so far in 2024.

12 Tesla

Recalls: 16

Tesla sits at the bottom of the list in terms of how many recalls it had to deal with in 2024; at ‘just’ 16, the automaker with the most recalls has four and a half times as much. In January 2024, Tesla’s first two recalls were issued, pertaining to a rearview image that may not display and an incorrect font size on warning lights in some of its cars. Neither seems particularly serious, at least not in comparison to the recall that was announced in April where a trapped pedal could cause unintended acceleration in some 2024 Tesla Cybertruck models.

Related

The Cybertruck Now Comes With The Best Perk A Tesla Owner Could Want

Inventory units aren’t always a bad thing, especially when it comes with a huge perk.

Of the 16 recalls for the brand, 25% related to problems with the electrical system, while the airbags and back over prevention system received two recalls each. The physical structure of some Tesla cars also presented with some problems, with two recalls issued for missing primer that could cause roof trim separation in Model X vehicles, while the Cybertruck came under fire again for an improperly adhered trunk bed trim that could detach.

11 Nissan North America

Recalls: 17

With Nissan making headlines in the last quarter of the year for seemingly being in murky waters, it’s good to see the brand on the lower end of this list. For the year to date, Nissan has only been subject to 17 recalls. The most of these relate to electrical systems, including loss of power from the inverter on around 1,188 2023 Ariya models, unexpected loss of drive power as a result of the first issue (on fewer models), and a fire risk from the quick charging battery on some 2019 – 2020 Leaf models. Also serious were the two recalls relating to air bag issues as these affected Titan, Frontier, Pathfinder, Sentra, Versa, Kicks, and Rogue models – and two Infiniti models, too.

Related

OFFICIAL: Honda And Nissan Confirm Merger Plans

This is the third collaborative agreement the two Japanese automakers have signed this year.

The last recalls for 2024 were lodged in October 2024, with two of those linked to issues with the rearview camera image not displaying properly on the latest Nissan Rogue and Infiniti QX80 modes.

10 Honda

Recalls: 18

Honda kicked off the year with three recalls in early February, the first being for an unintentional airbag deployment, and the other two issues relating to the steering and fuel systems – 15 more would follow as the year progressed. 2024 ended with five recalls in November, although three of those pertained to motorcycles and not passenger cars. The cars that were affected, however, include the Passport and Pilot SUVs, the Accord, Civic, and Acura Integra models, too. The fuel system was the biggest issue for the year, with four out of 18 recalls relating to it, while the steering system had three issues lodged with the NHTSA. Still, the brand has ambitious plans for the next five years, not the least of which includes a merger with struggling fellow Japanese brand, Nissan.

9 Volkswagen Group Of America

Recalls: 18

Given how many automakers fall under its banner, Volkswagen doesn’t have all that many recalls – still, it’s not at the bottom of the pile. The Volkswagen Group’s first recall for 2024 was issued on the 14th of February, which was issued because of a faulty fuel tank suction pump that was caused by an issue with the fuel pump jet seal inside the fuel tank that could cause fuel to flow into the evaporative emissions system and possibly leak out of the charcoal canister. According to the recall order, more than 260,000 vehicles were affected by this defect, but a free-of-charge pump replacement was offered.

Among the other recalls, the most common issue was faulty airbags. These accounted for 22% of the total number of recalls issued by the Volkswagen Group, with electrical systems on the same count and backover prevention being the third most prominent reasons for recalls this year. The most recent recall was for a potential fire hazard as a result of the high-voltage battery overheating.

8 Kia

Recalls: 20

Kia is tied with Jaguar regarding the number of recalls issued in 2024. Kia’s first recall was issued in January because of faulty roof molding on certain Kia Sportage and Kia Carnival models. According to the recall notice, the roof molding could become loose or even catch in certain conditions, which Kia stated could have been caused by either interference of the roof molding retaining clips because of excessive roof panel sealer or improper installation during assembly. The risk this posed was that the roof molding could detach while driving and become a safety hazard for other drivers on the road. Kia estimated that just over 100,000 models were affected.

Electrical systems accounted for the highest percentage of the total recalls this year (25%), with some instances relating to issues with the high-voltage battery safety plug that could overheat or a loss of driving power caused by a damaged charging unit.

7 Jaguar Land Rover

Recalls: 20

Five recalls out of 20 for the brand relate to electrical systems for Jaguar, and four of those pertain to the high-voltage battery overheating. A loose connection between the battery and busbars is also noted as a problem on just two Jaguar i-Pace models – a small number of units that were likely quickly sorted out. Jaguar’s first recall was issued in January and concerned a fault with the rear camera that would not display an image and just under 59,000 units of the 2018 to 2022 Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models in the Jaguar North America lineup. This was one of the largest recalls issued by Jaguar.

Related

Opinion: Why Jaguar’s Rebrand Is (Possibly) A Stroke Of Genius

Jaguar is rebranding for its new age of electric only vehicles. Everyone is talking about it. Just not for the right reasons.

Other recalls, like one issued in June due to an oil leak causing an engine compartment fire risk, only affected 149 units of the automaker’s F-Pace models. Jaguar issued various recalls throughout the year that regarded system faults like vehicle steering, service brakes, vehicle structure, the power train, and more.

6 Hyundai

Recalls: 25

Hyundai is more or less in the middle of the list. Seven of its 25 recalls relate to faults with their electrical system. The first recall was for models like the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, and the Genesis GV60, which were affected by a faulty driveshaft that could cause a loss of driving power. Another electrical system that caused a recall of nearly 100,000 units of the Hyundai Ioniq 5, Hyundai Ioniq 6, Genesis Electrified GV70, and Genesis GV80 resulted from a damaged charging unit, which could also result in the sudden loss of drive power. Minor recalls throughout the year were for issues with the sunshade that may operate unexpectedly, and brake lights flashing during braking.

Related

Why We’ve Seen So Many Hybrid Recalls Lately

An uptick in recalls relating to hybrids may have some fairly obvious causes.

More serious recalls for the year included a possible vehicle fire risk when parked on certain 2019 – 2024 Hyundai Nexo models, while a number of recalls across the range were for a potential loss in drive power.

5 Mercedes-Benz

Recalls: 28

Mercedes-Benz’ recalls this year were dominated by a persistent issue with the automaker’s electrical system in multiple models within its lineup. In February, the German automaker issued a recall for just over 12,000 units, including models like the Mercedes-Benz E-Class, Mercedes-Benz CLS 450, and the Mercedes-Benz E-Class All-Terrain. This recall was caused by the 48-volt ground cable not being tightened properly, causing the ground cable to overheat.

Another electrical system issue that would arise this year was in May, reportedly affecting just under 15,000 examples of the firm’s models because of a high-voltage battery that may shut down unexpectedly. This could suddenly induce a loss of driving power, significantly increasing the crash risk. Other areas of concern were powertrain and the hydraulic systems, which accounted for 12% and 8% of recalls, respectively.

4 General Motors

Recalls: 34

General Motors’ most significant recalls resulted from issues with the electrical system and airbags. The first recall issued this year was caused by a front-drive unit that could cause an oil leak and increase the risk of starting a fire. This recall only affected the automaker’s BrightDrop EV600 vehicles.

One of the more serious recalls was issued a month later and resulted from a fault with the forward collision avoidance system in models like the 2023 Chevrolet Colorado and the GMC Canyon. An estimated 55,755 units were highlighted as being affected by a fault with this system that could cause the emergency braking system to activate unexpectedly because of the front camera module system incorrectly detecting an obstacle, subsequently triggering the emergency braking system.

3 BMW

Recalls: 36

The majority of BMW’s recalls related to airbag faults, followed by electrical system faults and vehicle structure issues. One of the largest recalls issued this year was caused by airbag faults in April. According to the recall notice, 394,029 models within BMW’s lineup had faulty airbag inflators that could rupture and cause sharp fragments to be expelled, significantly increasing the risk of occupant injury. These inflators could also leak gas, affecting their ability to inflate in the event of a crash. BMW’s last two recalls were issued earlier this month for a roof frame crack that may damage the airbag in the event that it is deployed (affecting 130 units from the 2025 X4 lineup) and a potential loss of control due to a cracked wheel swivel bearing. The latter affects only two BMW X3 units from the 2025 model year.

Related

10 Times Automotive Suppliers Were Responsible For Terrifying Recalls

We’ve seen many recalls over the years for pickup trucks, SUVs, and cars. Here are ten examples of when the suppliers caused a recall.

2 Ford

Recalls: 67

Second on this list, Ford has a high 67-recall number, with five of those issues in December 2024 alone. October and November had similarly high recall numbers, some of which relate to models sold new from the dealership. This year, electrical systems and steering faults were the main reasons for most of the automaker’s recalls. The first recall related to an electrical system fault was issued in February. It related to a fault with the instrument panel that would not illuminate critical safety information in 62,813 units, only in 2022 to 2023 Ford Maverick models.

In June, a noteworthy recall was issued relating to a fault with the steering wheel in 2022 to 2023 Ford Mustang models that could turn unintentionally, significantly increasing the risk of a crash and injury. According to the NHTSA’s recall notice, roughly 30,735 units of Ford’s Mustang models were affected by this recall.

1 Stellantis

Recalls: 62 – 72

The number of recalls for Stellantis (FCA) jumped from 62 to 72 in the last few weeks of the year, with seven in December and eight in November alone. 12 of its total recalls were for airbag issues, nine for electrical system errors, and seven recalls each for brakes and hydraulic systems, and back over prevention systems. A further 9% of Stellantis’ recalls are for exterior lighting concerns and the same number of issues were reported for electronic stability control. It’s worth noting that 3% of its recalls were for hybrid propulsion system problems across its portfolio.

The first recall of the year was caused by an inoperative defrosting and defogging system that affected nearly 200,000 examples of the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee models. Recalls later in the year affected the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L models again. According to the recall notice, Chrysler estimated that 7,198 models were affected by this issue. At the end of the year, 2,021 Alfa Romeo Guilia and Stelvio vehicles were recalled for brake pedals that may detach.

2024 Recalls vs. 2023 Recalls

According to the NHTSA, the most recalls in 2023 were allocated to Ford, with 58 recalls issued during that time. Stellantis was in second place with 45 recalls, while BMW took the bottom step of the unfortunate podium with 32. The automaker with the fewest recalls in 2023 was Toyota, with 14 recalls.

Sources:
NHTSA