When carmakers announce recalls, vehicle owners brace themselves. Sometimes people whose cars, trucks, SUVs, or minivans are subject to recalls can continue using them until they get a fix. But other times, the issues are so serious that owners must park their cars until they’re fixed.
Recalls Aren’t Uncommon
Unfortunately, recalls aren’t uncommon. It’s just that some are bigger than others. Keep reading to see 15 of the most highly-publicized recalls over the last ten years.
Takata Airbag Recall
The Takata airbag recall involved multiple automakers and was a big mess for many years. It involved defective airbags susceptible to exploding upon deployment. USA Today says the problem led to at least 28 deaths and 400 or more injuries.
You might not be surprised to hear that Takata went bankrupt because of the airbag fiasco that affected 67 million vehicles worldwide.
Volkswagen Dieselgate Recall
Volkswagen’s reputation suffered a blow during the Dieselgate recall in 2015. Unlike most recalls that involve unforeseen issues that catch the respective automakers off guard, the emissions scandal, sometimes called Emissionsgate, involved an intentional act.
What Volkswagen did was install software in their diesel-powered vehicles to pass EPA emissions tests. This fraud affected 11 million diesel vehicles globally.
General Motors Ignition Switch Recall
In 2014, GM had an ignition switch recall. The recall stemmed from faulty ignition switches that caused the engine to shut off suddenly while the vehicle was moving, preventing the airbags from inflating.
GM recalled about 800,000 of its small cars due to these faulty ignition switches and continued to recall nearly 30 million cars worldwide over the months that followed. It was an especially dire situation, not only because fatalities occurred, but also because GM had known about the fault for at least a decade before the recall was announced.
Ford Explorer Exhaust Recall
In 2017, Ford issued a recall for the Ford Explorer exhaust due to carbon monoxide potentially leaking into the cabin. It was a serious issue impacting more than 1.3 million SUVs from the 2011 to 2017 model years.
Toyota Sudden Acceleration Recall
Toyota’s sudden acceleration situation was, as any motorist can empathize with, a scary issue. It’s probably every driver’s worst nightmare to have their vehicle accelerate unexpectedly — possibly rear-ending someone or colliding with pedestrians. Toyota’s problem was caused by sticking gas pedals that made cars accelerate spontaneously.
This recall – and another for a design flaw that could cause accelerator pedals to become trapped by floor mats – involved 9 million vehicles. Unfortunately, but unsurprisingly, resulted in some accidents.
Chevrolet Bolt EV Battery Fire Recall
The Chevrolet Bolt EV battery fires situation was an embarrassing crisis for the electric vehicle market. It’s not like there weren’t already enough reasons for people to give EVs a pass.
GM recalled Bolt EVs from the 2017 to 2022 model years and Bolt EUVs from the 2022 model year to fix the problem. The recall affected 140,000+ Bolts.
Hyundai and Kia Engine Fire Recall
Who doesn’t remember the recalls related to Hyundai and Kia engine fires from the 2015 to 2021 model years? Engine fire risks were a possibility because of oil leaks, and north of 6 million vehicles were affected. The automakers issued “park outside” orders due to the risks.
Honda CR-V and Accord Fuel Pump Recall
It wasn’t that long ago that Honda announced a recall related to the fuel pumps in CR-Vs and Accords. Defective fuel pumps could trigger engine stalling, and million of vehicles globally were affected by the problem.
Nissan Altima Hood Latch Recall
Nissan Altima hood latch recall affected more than 1.8 million sedans. There were actually several recalls related to the issue, with the latest one involving the 2020 model year.
If you’ve ever had the hood of your car unlatch and open when driving on the road, you know how frightening that can be. You might have zero visibility unexpectedly.
Toyota Prius Hybrid Software Issue Recall
The Toyota Prius first arrived in the U.S. in 2001, and it has a reputation as a reliable, fuel-efficient hybrid and plug-in hybrid.
However, the Japanese automaker issued a recall in 2014 due to a software problem that could trigger sudden shutdowns. A whopping 1.9 million Priuses were impacted.
Fiat Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee Rollaway Recall
The Fiat Chrysler Jeep Grand Cherokee rollaway recall, which was issued in 2016, was caused by a faulty gear shifter that presented a rollaway risk. It affected 1.1 million vehicles.
The recall gained widespread recognition after a freak accident where actor Anton Yelchin died after he was pinned between his 2015 Jeep Cherokee and a wall surrounding his home.
BMW Fire Risk Recall
In 2018, BMW issued a fire risk recall. The problem stemmed from possible under-the-hood fires because of faulty valve heaters. It was a major incident since 1.6 million vehicles worldwide were affected.
Mercedes-Benz Emergency Call System Recall
Another high-profile recall was the Mercedes-Benz emergency call system recall in 2021. While perhaps not as serious as some of the other recalls on this list, the faulty software for emergency call systems adversely impacted north of 1.3 million vehicles.
Chevrolet Malibu Seat Belt Pretensioner Recall
Everybody knows how important seat belts are. Wearing them can be the difference between surviving an accident and becoming a statistic. But the seat belts must work to be effective. Unfortunately, the Chevrolet Malibu seat belt pretensioner recall in 2020 was required due to faulty seat belt pretensioners that might not secure passengers. North of 500,000 vehicles were affected.
Ford Edge Rearview Camera Recall
The 2021 Ford Edge rearview camera recall, which affected 620,000+ vehicles, was required because of non-working rearview camera displays.
Do You Recall Any of These Recalls?
These are some of the most high-publicized vehicle recalls over the last decade. They definitely made headlines. If you bought any of these vehicles used, it pays to check the VIN to ensure all recall work was done.
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