Annual Probability of Your Car Being Recalled

NHTSA data shows that over 30 million vehicles are affected by safety recalls each year in the United States, and at any given time, approximately 25% of registered vehicles have at least one open (unrepaired) recall. In 2023, there were approximately 900 individual recall campaigns affecting tens of millions of vehicles.

The most common recall issues involve airbag defects (the Takata airbag recall alone affected about 67 million vehicles), software and electronics problems (increasingly common in modern vehicles), engine and transmission issues, steering components, brake systems, and fuel system defects. The rise of advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS) and electric vehicles has introduced new categories of recalls related to software, battery systems, and autonomous driving features.

Despite the high number of recalls, the completion rate (percentage of recalled vehicles actually repaired) is disappointingly low: only about 75% of recalled vehicles are ever repaired. For older vehicles, the rate drops below 50%. Recall repairs are always free to the vehicle owner and must be performed by authorized dealers. Vehicle owners can check for recalls at NHTSA.gov using their VIN number. The average recall repair takes about 1-2 hours, though some complex recalls (like Takata airbag replacements) have experienced significant parts shortages.