When you search for a new vehicle, you may look at safety ratings, consumer satisfaction reports, and the popularity of the car in the marketplace. You may not, however, search for the number of recalls a brand experiences. Today, some car brands seem to announce information for a new recall on a daily basis.
Whether they are cutting corners on the manufacturing floor or failing to vet all of the parts and designs they approve, automakers often take consumer lives into their hands. One of the most notorious recalls lately, the Takata airbag recall, continues to affect cars on the roadways today. The latest estimates suggest that 34 million vehicles are at risk in the United States alone.
AxleGeeks by Graphiq, a company that combines data and identifies trends in various sectors, recently compiled information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The organization identified the top 10 most recalled vehicle makes based on reports made since January 1, 2015. The most recalled automaker brands in business today may surprise you and include:
- Honda Motor Company. With the Honda and Acura brand, this automaker experienced 26 recalls affecting 13,577,460 vehicles.
- General Motors. The Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, and GMC brand automaker experienced 52 recalls affecting 10,602,714 vehicles.
- Toyota Motor Company. With the Toyota and Scion brand under its banner, this automaker experienced 27 recalls affecting 8,420,039 vehicles.
- Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Responsible for Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Jeep, and Ram brands, this automaker experienced 10 recalls affecting 6,867,022 vehicles.
- Ford Motor Company. The owner of Ford and Lincoln makes experienced 53 total recalls affecting 5,410,495 vehicles.
- Mitsubishi. With 10 recalls affecting 4,885,280 vehicles, this car brand saw a dramatic increase in recalls from 2014.
- Nissan Motor Company. This automaker of Nissan and Infiniti brands experienced 23 recalls affecting 3,992,606 vehicles.
- BMW. In 8th place, the BMW and Mini automaker had 19 recalls affecting 1,568,305 vehicles.
- Hyundai. This automaker experienced 15 recalls affecting 1,568,871 vehicles.
- Mercedes-Benz. This automaker responsible for the Mercedes-Benz and Smart car brands had 22 total recalls affecting 1,203,210 vehicles.
The sheer number of recalls that occurred during 2015 is astounding, and showcases the pervasiveness of recalls in the motor industry today. As you hunt for your new vehicle, consider the trustworthiness of the brands you choose. You may notice that certain brands do not appear as often in recall lists.
Questions to Ask About the Data
This is only one of the most recent lists of most recalled automakers/vehicle brands online today. As you search for information on recalls, safety, and more, consider the timeframe for data collection, the date of publication, and how the data scientists parsed the information. Compared to sales over the same period of time, these numbers may change. Identifying the true story within the data is much harder than looking at the brand name listed in the number one place.
As you explore the most recalled automakers, keep these questions in mind:
- Are these automakers really more dangerous, or are they more attuned to the potential risks in their vehicles? Not all recalls occur because consumers suffer injuries. Some automakers recall vehicles if they happen to notice the possibility of a concern during testing and quality control studies.
- Is a particular model responsible for the majority of recalls? Sometimes automakers release a dud, and the model goes away after a year or two. Consider the past frequency of recalls as well as data on a single model to make your purchasing decisions.
- Are the recalls about dangerous parts and problems or minor inconveniences? When an airbag explodes or a braking system locks down, you could see your life flash before your eyes. However, when power windows stick, you may not experience much of a life-threatening risk. Consider the severity of the recalls as well as the numbers.
During a car search, we highly recommend that you explore the number of recalls on the vehicles you choose, but consider the context, too. If you do experience an injury as the result of a faulty vehicle part, discuss your ability to seek compensation with an experienced Bakersfield product liability attorney.
