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How car recalls get reported
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) officially start car recalls after receiving complaints from consumers.
How safe is your vehicle on the road? An estimated one in five cars and trucks on the road have a recall that remains unfixed, according to new research.
A report, published by the vehicle history reporting service CARFAX, found that there’s been a 16% increase over the past two years in the U.S., raising the risk of failures of critical safety components like brake systems, airbags, and seatbelts.
FILE - A motorcycle officer weaves through traffic on a Los Angeles freeway during the evening rush hour on April 12, 2023, in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)
Here’s what to know:
Car recalls in US: 1 in 5 vehicles have unresolved issue
By the numbers:
58.1 million vehicles on the road have an automotive recall that remains unfixed, CARFAX found. Among these vehicles, more than 14 million have two or more unresolved recalls, the report said.
What we know:
CARFAX found that Texas leads the nation in having the most vehicles on the roadway with unresolved recalls at 1.6 million. The company said such recalls are "putting millions of American drivers at risk, even though these repairs can be made at no cost to car owners." It noted how vehicle manufacturers, the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, and CARFAX have been working to help vehicle owners resolve recalls.
Dig deeper:
In just the past few weeks, there have already been several vehicle recalls reported. This includes over 20,000 Subaru vehicles for defective wheels, 295,000 Honda vehicles for engine stall issues, over 80,000 Kia electric and hybrid vehicles over issues with airbags, nearly 64,000 Jeeps recalled because they could lose power, and over 270,000 Ford vehicles over a battery concern.
Automotive companies are required to notify owners by mail about a recall, but if the car has been sold, the next owner may not get the notification. Car sellers are not required to get any recalled parts repaired before selling their cars, and they don’t even have to notify the buyer about a recall when selling a car, according to FOX Business. In many cases, the car sellers aren’t aware there’s a recall in place.
What they're saying:
"Drivers should be aware of the recalls on their vehicles, especially those with two or more," Paul Nadjarian, general manager of CARFAX Car Care, said in a statement.
"Addressing them can save lives and protect your wallet in the long run."
What you can do:
Drivers can check if their vehicle is under recall by using the NHTSA’s VIN look up tool:
- Go to NHTSA.gov/Recalls
- Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN
- Search for recalls
Top US states with vehicles that have 2+ unfixed recalls:
- Texas: 1.6 million
- California: 1.5 million
- Florida: 901,000
- New York: 528,000
- Georgia: 509,000
- Ohio: 508,000
- Pennsylvania: 508,000
- North Carolina: 477,000
- Illinois: 406,000
- Arizona: 389,000
Carmakers with the most recalls in 2024
By the numbers:
According to data provided by the NHTSA from Jan. 1, 2024 – Dec. 27, 2024, the following companies reported recalls:
- Chrysler: 72 recalls
- Ford: 63 recalls
- BMW: 36 recalls
- General Motors: 33 recalls
- Mercedes-Benz USA: 27 recalls
- Hyundai: 25 recalls
- Jaguar Land Rover: 20 recalls
- Kia: 19 recalls
- Volkswagen: 18 recalls
- Honda: 18 recalls
- Toyota: 16 recalls
- Tesla: 15 recalls
The Source: This story was written citing information published by CARFAX on Jan. 22, 2025, regarding the number of unfixed recalls on U.S. roadways. The story also includes data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. It was reported from Cincinnati, and FOX Business and Heather Miller contributed.