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AUTOMOTIVE SAFETY / PUBLIC DATA

Which popular vehicles have active safety recalls and defects?

Compare safety recall campaigns, fire advisories, do-not-drive orders, and consumer defect complaints across high-volume cars and trucks.

Collected UTC
Coverage: 35 high-volume consumer vehicles across trucks, SUVs, sedans, and EVs.

Observations

These findings describe the full 35-model audited benchmark across trucks, SUVs, sedans, and electric vehicles. Record filters below affect the records table only. Download all records (CSV) · Source references

NHTSA DEFECT CAMPAIGN AUDIT

Recall Campaign Volume and Defect Severity

Comparing standard safety recalls against urgent Park Outside fire advisories and catastrophic Do Not Drive warnings across high-volume models.

REMEDY METHOD DISTRIBUTION

Remedy Method: Dealer Hardware Repairs vs. Over-The-Air Software Updates

Contrasting traditional mechanical dealership visits against wireless software patches. Connected electric vehicles remediate over half of recalls remotely.

About the data

What does the data show?

This dataset aggregates official defect recall campaigns, verified owner safety complaints, and government crash test ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) across 35 popular consumer vehicles sold in the United States.

The findings illustrate a clear divide between controlled laboratory impact performance and real-world component reliability. A vehicle earning a top 5-Star overall crash rating can still suffer from dangerous manufacturing defects, including fire hazards while parked, sudden loss of drive power on highways, and steering gear lockups.

Who should care, and why?

Vehicle owners, prospective used-car buyers, and fleet operators should monitor this information regularly. Unlike ordinary maintenance items like brake pad wear or oil changes, safety recalls involve defects that can cause crashes, fires, or serious bodily injury. Used-car shoppers in particular face significant risks, as federal law prohibits franchised dealerships from selling new cars with open recalls, but does not prohibit private parties or independent used-car lots from selling unrepaired vehicles.

How should readers use this information?

Step 1: Check your individual 17-character VIN. Recall campaigns often apply only to specific production runs, assembly plants, or component batches. Having a vehicle on this list does not automatically mean your specific car is affected. Visit NHTSA.gov/recalls and enter your exact VIN to verify open recalls.

Step 2: Know your legal rights under federal law (49 U.S.C. 30120). If your vehicle has an open safety recall, the franchised dealer must perform the authorized remedy free of charge, covering both replacement parts and labor. You do not need to be the original owner, and the vehicle does not need to be under warranty.

Step 3: Respond immediately to urgent advisories. If your vehicle carries a "Park Outside" advisory, park it outdoors away from garages and structures until repaired to prevent home fires. If your vehicle has a "Do Not Drive" warning, contact the manufacturer or dealer immediately to arrange flatbed towing to the repair facility.

What remains unknown?

This overview covers 35 high-volume vehicles across model years 2020 through 2025. Unofficial technical service bulletins (TSBs), dealer customer satisfaction programs, and vehicle issues that have not yet reached the threshold of a formal federal recall or ODI investigation are not tracked as recalls here. In addition, complaint volumes can be influenced by owner enthusiasm and online forum awareness rather than raw defect incidence alone.

Possible explanations

Increasing Software and Sensor Complexity

Modern vehicles contain over 100 million lines of computer code managing critical subsystems including electronic throttle control, advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS), and battery temperature regulators. Minor firmware edge cases often necessitate formal federal recalls.

Shared Global Tier-1 Supplier Components

Automakers increasingly share identical components from global Tier-1 suppliers across multiple competing model lines. A single manufacturing flaw in an airbag inflator, fuel pump impeller, or battery cell separator can trigger concurrent recall campaigns across several brands.

Proactive Manufacturer Filings to Avoid Penalties

Under federal regulations, automakers face substantial financial penalties if they delay reporting a safety-related defect beyond five business days of confirmation. Consequently, manufacturers frequently file preemptive recalls before field injury reports escalate.

Explore the records

Download all records (CSV)

35 records

VehicleCategoryRecallsComplaintsCrash RatingPrimary ComponentsActions
2021 Chevrolet Bolt EVElectric Vehicle5 Park Outside (3)67★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3), STRUCTURE (2)
2022 Ford Mustang Mach-EElectric Vehicle0136Not RatedNone reported
2023 Hyundai Ioniq 5Electric Vehicle4 Park Outside (1)386★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3), POWER TRAIN (1)
2023 Tesla Model 3Electric Vehicle12 OTA Fix (8)424★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3), EXTERIOR LIGHTING (2), STEERING (2)
2023 Tesla Model YElectric Vehicle17 OTA Fix (9)1,154Not RatedSTEERING (3), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3), BACK OVER PREVENTION (3)
2023 Toyota PriusHybrid Vehicle419★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2), EQUIPMENT (1), BACK OVER PREVENTION (1)
2021 Ford RangerPickup Truck6114Not RatedEQUIPMENT (2), SEATS (1), FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE (1)
2022 Chevrolet Silverado 1500Pickup Truck6 OTA Fix (1)619★★★★★EXTERIOR LIGHTING (2), POWER TRAIN (2), AIR BAGS (1)
2022 Ford F-150Pickup Truck23590Not RatedEXTERIOR LIGHTING (5), POWER TRAIN (4), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (3)
2022 GMC Sierra 1500Pickup Truck6 OTA Fix (1)584★★★★★EXTERIOR LIGHTING (2), POWER TRAIN (2), STRUCTURE (1)
2022 Ram 1500Pickup Truck16 OTA Fix (1)607Not RatedBACK OVER PREVENTION (5), AIR BAGS (3), VISIBILITY (2)
2022 Toyota TacomaPickup Truck358★★★★EQUIPMENT (1), CHILD SEAT (1), POWER TRAIN (1)
2021 Toyota RAV4SUV / Crossover1385★★★★★AIR BAGS (1)
2022 Chevrolet EquinoxSUV / Crossover5166★★★★★SEATS (2), TIRES (1), FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (1)
2022 Ford EscapeSUV / Crossover19231★★★★★FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (4), ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2), ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (2)
2022 Ford ExplorerSUV / Crossover24264Not RatedBACK OVER PREVENTION (6), POWER TRAIN (5), FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (3)
2022 Honda CR-VSUV / Crossover3255★★★★★EQUIPMENT (1), FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (1), AIR BAGS (1)
2022 Hyundai TucsonSUV / Crossover3 Park Outside (1)381★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (1), STRUCTURE (1), TRAILER HITCHES (1)
2022 Jeep WranglerSUV / Crossover15 Park Outside (3)389Not RatedELECTRICAL SYSTEM (5), POWER TRAIN (2), EXTERIOR LIGHTING (1)
2022 Mazda CX-5SUV / Crossover063★★★★★None reported
2022 Nissan RogueSUV / Crossover6 OTA Fix (2)258★★★★★FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (2), BACK OVER PREVENTION (2), SEAT BELTS (1)
2022 Subaru ForesterSUV / Crossover198★★★★★POWER TRAIN (1)
2022 Subaru OutbackSUV / Crossover4463★★★★★ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING (1), VISIBILITY (1), POWER TRAIN (1)
2022 Toyota HighlanderSUV / Crossover5245★★★★★TIRES (2), EQUIPMENT (1), STRUCTURE (1)
2023 Honda PilotSUV / Crossover5139★★★★★FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (2), STEERING (1), SEATS (1)
2023 Jeep Grand CherokeeSUV / Crossover21 Park Outside (1) OTA Fix (1)384Not RatedSUSPENSION (4), BACK OVER PREVENTION (4), AIR BAGS (3)
2023 Kia SportageSUV / Crossover6 Park Outside (1)191★★★★★ELECTRICAL SYSTEM (2), AIR BAGS (1), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC (1)
2022 Honda AccordSedan / Car4244★★★★★AIR BAGS (2), SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC (1), FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE (1)
2022 Honda CivicSedan / Car4881★★★★★STEERING (2), AIR BAGS (2)
2022 Nissan AltimaSedan / Car020★★★★★None reported
2022 Subaru ImprezaSedan / Car113★★★★★VISIBILITY (1)
2022 Toyota CorollaSedan / Car0100★★★★★None reported
2023 Hyundai ElantraSedan / Car2 Park Outside (1)98★★★★★AIR BAGS (1), POWER TRAIN (1)
2023 Kia ForteSedan / Car3 Do Not Drive (2)61★★★★SUSPENSION (2), STEERING (1)
2023 Toyota CamrySedan / Car2 Do Not Drive (1)64★★★★★WHEELS (1), SEATS (1)

Downloads include the full snapshot, not just matching rows. Download JSON.

References

These three substantive publications support the records and context shown here.

  1. NHTSA Vehicle Safety Recalls API and Defect Campaign Records Publisher: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) | Role: Federal defect recall campaigns and legal remedies Official federal motor vehicle safety defect recall campaigns, campaign identifiers, affected component classifications, safety risks, and manufacturer remedy obligations under 49 U.S.C. 30120. Published: 2026-09-19 | Accessed: 2026-09-19
  2. NHTSA Consumer Complaints Database and Defect Investigations Publisher: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) | Role: Consumer safety defect reporting and incident verification Public repository of consumer-reported vehicle defects, crash and fire incidents, injuries, and federal regulatory defect investigations (Preliminary Evaluations and Engineering Analyses). Published: 2026-09-19 | Accessed: 2026-09-19
  3. IIHS-HLDI Vehicle Safety Evaluations and Crashworthiness Standards Publisher: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) | Role: Crash safety methodologies and structural performance benchmarks Independent structural crashworthiness evaluations, crash avoidance standards, and research context illustrating the critical distinction between laboratory crash safety and field component defect risks. Published: 2026-09-19 | Accessed: 2026-09-19