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Vehicle safety

Ford had 15.2% of 2025’s vehicle recall campaigns in NHTSA’s file. Those are campaigns, not vehicles: the file has no sales. Lincoln is a separate make.

Manufacturers reported 891 vehicle recall campaigns in 2025, according to NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation.

The latest complete year is 2025. The file holds 26,508 campaigns for vehicles, from 1966 to 2025, each counted by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer’s report. A campaign is a recall number, counted once however many makes, models and years it names; a vehicle recall is a campaign of type V or I.

The recalls file, 1966–2025

891
Vehicle recall campaigns
2025
Types V and I, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer’s report.
26,508
Vehicle campaigns in the file
1966–⁠2025
Of 30,431 campaigns of every type, equipment and tires included.
188
Makes named
2025
Of 1,820 makes named in any year of the file.
About these figures
Vehicle recall campaigns
Types V and I, by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer’s report.
Vehicle campaigns in the file
Of 30,431 campaigns of every type, equipment and tires included.
Makes named
Of 1,820 makes named in any year of the file.

What stands out

Six findings. From NHTSA’s recalls flat file.

  • NHTSA received the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2021: 988, of the 26,508 in the file from 1966 to 2025. United States →

  • NHTSA received 891 campaigns for vehicles in 2025, the latest complete year, naming 188 makes. 2025 →

  • Ford was named in the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2025: 135 campaigns, of the 188 makes named in at least one. Ford →

  • NHTSA’s description “Electrical System: Wiring” was named in the most vehicle recall campaigns of 2025: 41, of the 891 NHTSA received that year. A campaign can name several. Electrical System: Wiring →

  • Of the 26,508 vehicle recall campaigns in the file, 26,455 were NHTSA’s type V and 53 were type I, which NHTSA’s own campaign file also calls vehicle recalls. United States →

  • Of 2025’s vehicle recall campaigns, 16 carried NHTSA’s “do not drive” flag in its recalls file, out of 891. 2025 →

What changed in this release

This is the hub’s first release, retrieved on November 3, 2026: 891 vehicle recall campaigns NHTSA received in 2025.

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Vehicle recall campaigns by year

NHTSA received the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2021: 988; 2025 had 891

The vehicle recall campaigns, NHTSA’s types V and I, in each year by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer’s report. A campaign is counted once however many makes, models and years it names. A count of campaigns says how many reports NHTSA received, not how many vehicles were recalled or how safe a year was.

2026 is not drawn: the file holds part of it, with 689 campaigns for vehicles so far.

Source: NHTSA

About this chart

The figures

NHTSA received the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2021: 988; 2025 had 891. The vehicle recall campaigns, NHTSA’s types V and I, in each year by the date NHTSA received the manufacturer’s report. A campaign is counted once however many makes, models and years it names. A count of campaigns says how many reports NHTSA received, not how many vehicles were recalled or how safe a year was.
YearVehicle campaigns
196658
1967143
1968137
1969183
1970154
1971235
1972320
1973251
1974247
1975215
1976209
1977245
1978272
1979274
1980167
1981157
1982135
1983140
1984164
1985173
1986173
1987197
1988197
1989234
1990208
1991220
1992185
1993223
1994245
1995271
1996304
1997270
1998370
1999398
2000542
2001479
2002438
2003527
2004601
2005562
2006490
2007587
2008683
2009491
2010647
2011597
2012583
2013627
2014770
2015863
2016919
2017810
2018912
2019879
2020782
2021988
2022933
2023894
2024950
2025891

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1 more column on a wider screen

Vehicle recall campaigns by the year NHTSA received them, newest first; 2026 is held out as a partial year
YearVehicle campaigns
2025891
2024950
2023894
2022933
2021988
2020782
2019879
2018912
2017810
2016919
2015863
2014770
2013627
2012583
2011597
2010647
2009491
2008683
2007587
2006490
2005562
2004601
2003527
2002438
2001479
2000542
1999398
1998370
1997270
1996304
1995271
1994245
1993223
1992185
1991220
1990208
1989234
1988197
1987197
1986173
1985173
1984164
1983140
1982135
1981157
1980167
1979274
1978272
1977245
1976209
1975215
1974247
1973251
1972320
1971235
1970154
1969183
1968137
1967143
196658

Makes named in the most vehicle recalls, 2025

1 more column on a wider screen

The 10 makes with the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2025, of 188 makes ranked. A campaign that names two makes is counted under each.
MakeCampaigns
Ford135
Lincoln51
Mercedes-Benz28
Forest River26
BMW23
Chevrolet23
Volvo21
Honda19
Toyota18
Altec17

All 188 makes, ranked

Components named in the most vehicle recalls, 2025

The 10 component descriptions named in the most vehicle recall campaigns in 2025, of 304 ranked. A campaign can name several.
ComponentCampaigns
Electrical System: Wiring41
Equipment: Other: Labels36
Electrical System: Propulsion System: Traction Battery30
Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera26
Back Over Prevention: Software25
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster / Panel23
Equipment Adaptive / Mobility: Wheelchair Restraints / Securement: Latch / Anchor: 20
Exterior Lighting: Headlights17
Equipment: Recreational Vehicle / Trailer16
Structure: Body14

All 304 descriptions, ranked

Analysis

Each brief is written around figures the Factbook’s queries return, and every figure in it is checked against the query that produced it, so the text and the data cannot drift apart.

  • Ford had 15.2% of 2025's recall campaigns in NHTSA's file

    Ford was named in 135 of the 891 vehicle recall campaigns NHTSA received in 2025, or 15.2%, more than any other make. The chart draws the ten makes named in the most of those campaigns, each as a share of all of them.

    American Factbook · November 7, 2026

Everything in this hub

Every page in this topic, by kind.

Rankings2

Each list ordered by one measure, with the figure behind every entry.

Recalls1

Recalls

Recall campaigns

Recall campaigns

Each recall campaign NHTSA lists: its summary, consequence and remedy as NHTSA printed them, its advisories, the manufacturer’s estimate and every make, model and year it names. The newest of the latest complete year are shown here.

Sources

Compiled automatically from NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — Recalls flat file by a checked SQL query · Editor: Kian O'Connor · How this site is built

How to cite this page

Cite the page’s address and the date printed on it, and name National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Office of Defects Investigation as the source of the figures.

American Factbook. “Vehicle safety.” Updated November 3, 2026. https://americanfactbook.org/vehicle-safety. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — Recalls flat file, https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/ffdd/rcl/RCL.txt.

Data retrieved