Are you in the market for a new car? Before you buy, have you done your research on cars with the highest and lowest recall rates? We have the latest news on vehicle recalls – the ones with the lowest and highest amount of recall rates.
Recall rates allow you to compare cars based on their history of recalls and usually align with a car’s quality and reliability. Typically, the more recalls a car has the less reliable it is. To help you make an informed decision on your next car purchase we’ve compiled a list of 12 car recalls you need to know about. So if you’re wondering “does my car have any recalls,” look no further.
A report by iSeeCars.com collected the number of distinct vehicle recall campaigns from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) recall database as of May 1, 2018, for each model from model years 2013 – 2017. They then calculated an average recall rate for each car, which is simply the number of recall campaigns divided by year per 100k units sold.
Top 6 Cars With Highest Recall Rates
- The Mercedes-Benz C-Class tops the list with the highest recall rate at 5.77, which is seven times more than the average model. It had recalls related to safety issues such as airbag malfunctions, steering column failure, and sunroof malfunctions. There was risk of the sunroof falling on passengers because it was not properly bonded to the frame of the car.
- GMC Sierra is the second car with the most recalls between 2013 and 2017. The Sierra also had recalls related to safety issues such as faulty seat belts, loss of power in steering, inoperative brake pedals, and fuel tanks overflowing.
- BMW Series 3 and Series 4 are third on the list with a recall rate of 2.95. Most recalls here are related to the many features that come with owning a luxury car. In this case, the more special features the more opportunity there is for malfunctions and recalls.
- The Dodge Durango SUV is the fourth car with one of the highest recall rates at 2.71. It was one of many other car models involved in a recall concerning cruise control where the driver was not able to turn it off unless the made a complete stop.
- Next is the Nissan Pathfinder SUV at 2.00 average recall rate. In 2018 there was a recall related to faulty brakes that could cause a fire if the brake fluid leaked onto a circuit board. It also has an average reliability rating of 2.4 out of 5 on Consumer Reports which goes to show how the recall rate and reliability of a car go hand in hand. When cars such as this one have severe safety related issues consumers are less likely to view it as a reliable car.
- Lastly is the Ram Pickup with an average recall rating of 1.99 due to recalls concerning the tailgate and airbags. Some truck tailgates would open unexpectedly potentially letting cargo fall out of the bed of the truck. Some models of the Ram Pickup were also part of the Fiat Chrysler recall for the faulty cruise control that also impacted the Dodge Durango.
Another major 2018 recall that affected almost all of the cars on our list, low or high recall rating, was the Takata Airbag recall. It’s been called “the largest and most complex safety recall in U.S. history,” by the NHTSA, affecting more than 37 million cars. The airbags in the front driver and/or passenger sides were at risk of deploying explosively, potentially causing injuries or fatalities to car occupants.
Top 6 Cars With Lowest Recall Rates
- The vehicle with the lowest recall rate is the Hyundai Accent with a 0.10 average recall rate. Recalls that the vehicle has had have been related to minor issues involving windshield wipers and headlights or brake lights.
- The Chevrolet Equinox is second on the list with an average recall rate of 0.11 and an average reliability rating of 4.2 out of 5. This domestic SUV has been known as a dependable vehicle, receiving the JD Power dependability award. While this vehicle and others on the list have low recall rates, keep in mind that they can still be involved in serious recalls. The Chevrolet Equinox was one of the many involved in the Takata airbag recall.
- Next, the Toyota Corolla was also involved in the Takata airbag recall but still has an average recall rate of only 0.12 and a reliability rating of 4.8. Toyota is among the top 10 selling cars of 2018 and are known to have a long life span. In fact, most of the Toyotas CashForCars.com bought in 2018 were 10 years or older.
- Our last three on the list are all Hondas starting with the Honda Civic with an average recall rate of 0.14. Hondas are also a Japanese brand, not domestic, which actually have a reputation for highly reliable cars.
- The second Honda on the list is the Honda CR-V with a 0.14 average recall rating. Aside from the Takata airbag recall it also had recalls related to the shifter performing poorly in sub-freezing temperatures and a recall related to cars with replacement engines.
- The last one on our list is the Honda Accord with an average recall rating of 0.16 and a reliability of 5, the highest a car can get. A majority of the recalls involved in this study concerned the exterior lighting and some airbag malfunctions.
