It feels like a different vehicle is getting recalled every other day — and it’s not even that much of an exaggeration. From 2017 to 2022, the United States averaged more than 1,000 recalls every year, based on data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The number of recalls has continued to climb, but it’s not because vehicles have become more dangerous or unreliable. According to ABC Newsthe rapid increase in car recalls is due to the complexity of modern vehicles.
There are more electronic components, features, and software in modern cars — and this means a higher chance of things going wrong. “Vehicles have advanced to a degree we’ve never seen before,” said Edmunds Auto Analyst Ivan Drury to ABC News. “It’s such a wide swathe of issues that recalls cover that you’re going to see this more and more.”
In other words, there are more failure points — not just because there are more components, but even the components themselves are more complex, taking more parts. Some recent examples include Ford recalling over 548,000 Expeditions over the center console’s chrome plating, Subaru recalling the new Forester due to its sunroof glass, and Mercedes-Benz recalling over 144,000 vehicles after customers noticed the digital instrument cluster glitching.
More recalls isn’t necessarily a bad thing
There are so many recalls, it’s pretty difficult to keep track of it all — but not every recall is meant to alarm you. In fact, most are pretty minor. For example, Ford has gotten quite the reputation for its seemingly endless recalls — according to the NHTSA, it has the most recalled models out of every automaker, with 152 recalls in 2025 alone. Some would say Ford’s launches have quality issues, Ford itself has noted it’s just a way to improve quality. Despite its multiple recalls in 2026, Subaru is still considered one of the most reliable automakers.
Most recalls are considered minor rather than true safety concerns that require you to stop driving your car — although Ford’s Maverick and Bronco Sport have had those recently as well. Instead, automakers are just attempting to avoid issues by remaining within the NHTSA’s safety standards and regulations — which only benefits consumers.
“Recalls can be inconvenient, but they’re actually a good thing,” said Consumer Reports’ Jennifer Stockburger. “While they can vary in terms of severity, a recall means that a manufacturer will fix or take corrective action to address a safety issue, which is why they should be taken seriously.”
