Only 3.4 million vehicles affected in Q1 2025, making it the lowest recall total in over a decade.yet Ford and Tesla account for nearly half.
While the total number is down, major automakers continue to grapple with quality and safety concerns. Ford Motor Company led with 1,057,229 vehicles recalled across 35 campaigns, accounting for over 30% of all affected vehicles. Tesla followed closely with 697,081 vehicles impacted.
When accounting for un-repaired vehicles from previous years, more than one in four cars on U.S. roads have at least one open recall. With around 291 million registered vehicles nationwide, that’s approximately 75 million vehicles currently driving with unresolved safety issues. This alarming number underscores a persistent challenge for automakers: managing quality control in an era of increasingly complex vehicle technologies. The growing volume of recalls not only endangers drivers but also erodes consumer trust in vehicle reliability. As safety concerns rise, automakers must implement stricter quality assurance protocols and proactive recall management strategies to quickly address defects, protect drivers, and rebuild public confidence in the industry.
Lowest Recall Volume in a Decade: Only 3.46 million vehicles were recalled in Q1 2025—marking the smallest quarterly total in over 10 years, down from 9.96 million in Q1 2024.
Ford & Tesla Dominate Recalls: Ford led all automakers with 1,057,229 vehicles recalled across 35 campaigns (30% of all recalls), followed by Tesla with 697,081 vehicles affected (18%).
Top Issues: Electrical & Safety Systems: The most common recall components included electrical systems (822K), back-over prevention (497K), and seat belts (396K)—highlighting ongoing safety concerns despite fewer total recalls.
The top brands for Q1 2025 recalls issued are:
The brands with the most vehicles affected by recalls in Q1 2025 are:
In Q1 2025, there were no recalls with a Park Out or Do Not Drive Advisory.
Safety Advisories for Consumers
The NHTSA urges all vehicle owners not to delay recall repairs. Unresolved safety issues can lead to serious accidents or injuries. To check for open recalls, visit the official recall lookup tool: (https://www.nhtsa.gov/recalls)
A Shift in Focus: From Vehicle Sales to Vehicle Service
Although Q1 saw fewer recalls, there are still millions of unresolved recalls on the road today. With tariffs expected to slow new car sales, the spotlight is shifting to fixed operations and customer retention. (Dealers learn how to stay profitable during slow sales periods)
Opportunity for Dealers
Recalls aren’t just about fixing problems—they’re a powerful opportunity for dealerships to drive service revenue, build customer loyalty, and showcase their commitment to safety. By proactively managing recall campaigns, dealers can boost service lane traffic, increase upsell potential, and reconnect with inactive customers. Every recall visit becomes a chance to deliver exceptional service, reinforce trust, and turn one-time visits into long-term relationships. By ensuring vehicles are safe and compliant while providing a great customer experience, dealerships are transforming recall visits into profitable and meaningful engagements.
At BizzyCar, our mission is to make roads safer by helping dealerships streamline and strengthen their recall processes. Our intelligent platform improves recall completion rates, enhances customer satisfaction, and drives dealership success.
The Q1 2025 data highlights just how critical recall oversight has become. As vehicles grow more complex, so does the challenge of ensuring they remain safe and compliant. That’s why we’re focused on turning every recall into an opportunity—for improved safety, stronger customer relationships, and smarter dealership operations.
Q1 2025 Recall Data Source: https://datahub.transportation.gov/Automobiles/NHTSA-Recalls-by-Manufacturer/mu99-t4jn
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About BizzyCar
BizzyCar is an AI-driven, automated Service Recall Management Platform for auto dealers. It leverages the most accurate recall data available to identify vehicles with open recalls and utilizes artificial intelligence to proactively schedule recall appointments for customers to bring their vehicles into the dealership to complete these recalls. For more info visit: https://info.bizzycar.com/blog