The most recalled cars since 2012, ranked

Which cars have had the most safety recalls? We counted every US recall campaign for 177 popular models, model years 2012 to 2027. Number one: the Ford F-150, with 117.

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The 25 most recalled models

Recalls: distinct US safety recall campaigns covering any model year from 2012. Do-not-drive: campaigns in which the maker told owners not to drive the car until it was repaired.

Recall load: one number per model

The last column puts each model's record on a scale from 0 to 100. We take its recall campaigns since the 2012 model year, count a do-not-drive campaign 5 times and a park-outside campaign 3 times, and place the total among the 177 models we track that have at least one campaign on file: 0 is the lightest record, 100 the heaviest. 0 models have no figure yet, because NHTSA files them under trim names (a BMW 530i, a Lexus RX 350) that we are still matching to the model. It is a count on a scale, not a safety rating, and it is not adjusted for how many cars were sold. Every model's figure is open data: /api/v1/recall-load.

The worst single model years

1. 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter: 42 recalls
2. 2020 Mercedes-Benz GLE: 36 recalls
3. 2020 Ford Explorer: 33 recalls
4. 2020 Lincoln Aviator: 30 recalls
5. 2021 Ford F-150: 29 recalls
6. 2019 RAM 1500: 29 recalls
7. 2022 Ford Maverick: 28 recalls
8. 2021 Lincoln Aviator: 28 recalls
9. 2021 Ford Explorer: 26 recalls
10. 2015 Ford Transit: 26 recalls
11. 2022 Ford Explorer: 24 recalls
12. 2021 Tesla Model X: 24 recalls
13. 2020 Tesla Model Y: 24 recalls
14. 2022 Ford F-150: 23 recalls
15. 2022 Ford Bronco: 23 recalls

By brand

Recall campaigns across the models of each brand that we track. A brand with more models on our list will naturally count more.

1. Ford: 514 recalls across 10 models
2. Mercedes-Benz: 311 recalls across 6 models
3. Jeep: 187 recalls across 6 models
4. Chevrolet: 175 recalls across 8 models
5. RAM: 171 recalls across 3 models
6. BMW: 167 recalls across 7 models
7. Toyota: 166 recalls across 10 models
8. Nissan: 150 recalls across 8 models
9. Volkswagen: 144 recalls across 6 models
10. GMC: 132 recalls across 5 models
11. Lincoln: 131 recalls across 4 models
12. Hyundai: 129 recalls across 7 models
13. Honda: 128 recalls across 7 models
14. Audi: 100 recalls across 7 models
15. Kia: 90 recalls across 8 models

What this ranking does and does not say

• It counts recall campaigns, not broken cars. A recall can cover a few hundred cars or a few million, and some are paperwork (a missing label) while others say "do not drive".
• It does not adjust for sales. Best-sellers like the F-150 are sold in huge numbers and in many versions, so they collect more campaigns.
• Models sold for more of these years have had more time to collect recalls.
• A recall means the problem was found and a free fix was offered. That is the system working.

So use it as a starting point, then check your own car: make your car's recall card, or check one car by its VIN. Brand by brand: the most recalled car brands. Recalled? What to do, step by step. Buying used? Read the five-minute recall checklist.

Source: the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's public recalls API, read on 13 November 2026 for each make, model and model year listed on recalls by model. CarsMultiverse is an independent site published by A.I.T. Multiverse Consulting Ltd, Nicosia, Cyprus.