Ford has more recalls than the next two brands combined
We counted every recall campaign for mainstream vehicles built since 2015. One brand runs away with it, and the component topping the list is not the one you would guess.
Our dataset holds 2,912 unique recall campaigns across 27 makes and model years 2015 to 2026. Counting them turns up things a single recall notice never shows you.
Ford, by a distance
| Make | Campaigns |
|---|---|
| Ford | 509 |
| Chevrolet | 233 |
| BMW | 204 |
| Toyota | 190 |
| Lincoln | 168 |
| Jeep | 162 |
Ford carries 509. That beats Chevrolet and BMW added together.
Read it with care though. Ford sells enormous volume across a wide model range. A maker that issues recalls without hesitation looks worse in this table than one that drags its feet. High counts are not proof of bad engineering. They are proof of a lot of vehicles and a lot of reporting.
The most-recalled models
| Vehicle | Campaigns |
|---|---|
| Ford Explorer | 84 |
| Ram 1500 | 65 |
| Ford F-350 SD | 57 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 56 |
| Ram 3500 | 55 |
| Ford Escape | 51 |
| Ford Mustang | 51 |
The Explorer tops it at 84. Trucks and big SUVs fill most of the rest.
What actually keeps failing
Electrical systems lead at 1,201 records. Air bags follow at 1,128.
Third place is the surprise. Back-over prevention, meaning rear cameras and their software, accounts for 907. That system was mandated on new vehicles in 2018. It has been failing ever since.
| System | Records |
|---|---|
| Electrical system | 1,201 |
| Air bags | 1,128 |
| Back-over prevention | 907 |
| Power train | 800 |
| Fuel system, gasoline | 705 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 594 |
| Seat belts | 494 |
Air bags at second place is its own story. Takata ended a decade ago. The category has not calmed down.
Of 2,912 campaigns, NHTSA flags 35 as do-not-drive. Around one in eighty. Most recalls are a booked appointment, not an emergency.
Over-the-air repair is mostly a promise
Every manufacturer talks about fixing cars by software update. In this dataset, 56 campaigns of 2,912 are marked fixable over the air.
Under two percent. For now a recall still means a dealer, a date and a morning gone.
Recalls peaked in 2021
Records by model year climb to 1,188 for 2021, then fall away. 2024 shows 636, and 2025 shows 478.
Do not read that as newer cars being better built. Recalls surface over years, so recent model years have not finished accumulating theirs. A 2025 vehicle has had one year to reveal faults. A 2021 has had five.
What to do with this
- Brand-level counts are close to meaningless for a buyer. Volume and model breadth drive them.
- Model-level counts are worth a look before you buy used.
- Only the do-not-drive flag needs action today. Our model pages surface it in red.
- Your own car is the only one that matters, and one VIN lookup settles it.
Every make and model we track is here.
Sources
Figures come from our own NHTSA dataset, retrieved 4 August 2026, covering 27 mainstream makes and model years 2015 to 2026. Counts are unique recall campaigns. Check your own vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.