Which Automakers Saw the Biggest Recalls in 2017?

Which Automakers Saw the Biggest Recalls in 2017?

For many, 2016 was the Year of the Recall. Takata’s defective airbags accounted for much of that total, but almost every major automaker faced a recall that year. As of December 20^th, however, 2017 had seen its fair share of recalls, too: 28,146,661 recalled vehicles, to be exact. It falls far short of the 52,985,779 vehicles recalled in 2016, but it’s still a large enough number to warrant closer inspection. According to Road Show, these were the automakers who saw the greatest numbers of recalls in 2017:  

1. 1. Fiat Chrysler: 3,939,250 vehicles recalled. Dodge faced problems with their rollover technology (mostly in Rams) and for defective oil cooler lines, which increased the chance of a fire.

 

1. 1. Honda: 3,319,327 vehicles recalled. Accords in particular had a defect which could lead to car fires, and their Odysseys’ second row of seats did not always latch correctly. If the driver braked too hard, or was hit by another car, the seats themselves could come loose.

 

1. 1. Ford: total number unknown. There were more than a million F-Series trucks recalled, though, for a defect that could lead to the doors appearing closed, even though they were open.

 

1. 1. Hyundai: 1,549,778 vehicles recalled. Seat belts detaching (Sonata) and potential manufacturer mistakes in the engines (Santa Fe) were the primary reasons for recalls.

 

1. 1. BMW: total number unknown. The 3 Series models were recalled because the engine could short circuit, whereas the i3 electric cars put drivers at risk of a serious neck injury. Of all the recalls last year, the i3 recalls are the only ones without a fix or patch.

 

1. 1. Tesla: 31,472 recalled vehicles. Model S vehicles have a parking break problem (they don’t release). Model X vehicles were recalled for the brake problem as well as an issue with seat cable, which could send the rear passenger seat behind the driver crashing into the driver in a collision.

   

My vehicle was recalled. What do I do?

If you, like millions of other drivers, find yourself with a car or truck that has been recalled, don’t panic. Many recalls deal with issues that are not life-threatening. (A misplaced sticker could lead to a recall.) You should receive an email or a letter in the mail from the dealership or the manufacturer. If you think your car or truck is part of a recall, but you have not been notified – or if you are just curious – you can enter your vehicle identification number (VIN) at SaferCar.gov and search for it directly. It costs you nothing to fix or replace a defective part. If the dealership tries to charge you, contact the manufacture. If that doesn’t work, contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The next thing you do is call your local dealership and make an appointment to have the defect or faulty part fixed or replaced. Tire recalls must be handled within 60 days of receiving the notice. Other issues can be handled as they arise – but this is problematic, too. For example, Takata is stull churning out replacement airbags, and will be for years. If the dealership doesn’t have the part, there is nothing you can do until the parts are ready, short of calling other dealerships to see if they have some in stock. You should also know that used car dealerships are under no obligation to replace recalled parts before they sell you the car, so make sure to run the vehicle through the VIN finder on the NHTSA website to see if the car has any potential issues. If you were injured in a car or truck accident because of a defective part, you have legal options available to you. Crandall & Pera Law protects the rights of car and truck crash victims throughout Kentucky and Ohio. To learn more about our services, please call our Ohio team at 877-686-8879, our Kentucky team at 877-686-8879, or fill out our contact form.