Over 30 million vehicles were recalled in the United States in 2025 due to nearly 1,000 separate safety issues. That number does not capture how unusual the past six months have been. The figures are not just large. They are historically unprecedented, driven by a single manufacturer in crisis and a series of fire risk recalls that left hundreds of thousands of owners being told to park outside and stop charging their cars.
Here is what happened, who it affected, and what to do if your vehicle is on the list.
The Ford Situation: A Record That Should Never Have Been Set
Ford is the story of 2025 American recalls, and not in a way the brand will celebrate. Ford and Lincoln issued 153 separate recalls in 2025, affecting 12,926,436 vehicles. That is more than the next nine automakers combined, who together recalled 12,902,842 vehicles.
The previous record was 77 recalls in a single year, set by General Motors in 2014. Ford surpassed that total in July 2025, with five months still remaining in the year.
The single biggest driver was backup cameras. The largest recall of the entire year was issued on September 4: 1,456,417 Fords and Lincolns recalled for blank or distorted rearview camera images. A second rearview camera recall on October 13 added 1,448,655 vehicles. A third, issued in May, covered 1,076,138 more. Three recalls, same basic fault, nearly four million vehicles. Ford had previously been fined $165 million by the NHTSA for failing to recall cars with defective rearview cameras in a timely manner in 2024.
The September recall affected the 2015–19 Lincoln MKC, 2015–17 Lincoln Navigator, Expedition, 2015–18 Edge, Mustang, F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, F-550 SD, Transit Connect, Transit, 2017–19 Econoline and 2019 Ranger. The October recall added the 2015–20 Explorer, Taurus, C-Max, Escape, Flex, Fusion, Fiesta, and Mustang.
Other significant Ford recalls in the period include 273,000 hybrid and electric vehicles recalled in January 2026 over a rollaway risk, because the vehicles could roll away while parked due to improper Park gear engagement. A further 116,672 vehicles including the 2013–18 Ford Focus, 2013–19 Escape, and 2015–16 Lincoln MKC were recalled for engine block heaters that could crack, develop a coolant leak, and short circuit if plugged in, creating a fire risk.
Ford's official position is that its high recall count reflects an expanded quality team, not worse vehicles. Ford CFO Jim Farley said the company "more than doubled its team of safety and technical engineers" and that the recall count is "the longest lagging metric for quality improvements." That may be true. It is also true that 153 recalls affecting nearly 13 million vehicles in one year is a number that demands a response more serious than a press statement.
If you own any Ford or Lincoln product built between 2013 and 2026, check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls now.
The Jeep Fire That Won't Stop
While Ford dominated recall volume, the most alarming recall of the period belongs to Stellantis. Jeep recalled over 320,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs in November 2025 because they may catch fire while parked or driving. The recall covers 2020–2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe and 2022–2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe models.
This is the third time some of these vehicles have been recalled for the same battery fire risk. The 2023 recall applied a software fix. The 2024 recall applied another software fix. As of October 2025, Stellantis had received nine reports of fires in vehicles that had already received the 2024 software remedy. The fix did not fix it.
Samsung SDI, the battery supplier, determined that the most likely root cause is separator damage combined with complex chemical interactions within the cell. Nineteen fires and one injury have been reported across all affected vehicles.
Owners are instructed to park outside and away from structures, and not to charge the vehicles until a remedy is available. The fire risk is higher when the battery is charged. For the owners of 320,000 PHEVs who purchased them specifically for their electric driving range, those instructions mean the car they bought is not the car they can currently use.
NHTSA Campaign Number 25V741. Contact Jeep at 800-853-1403. Do not charge affected vehicles until a permanent remedy is confirmed.
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The Other Recalls That Matter
Toyota (3,223,256 vehicles recalled across 2025, 15 recall actions): Toyota's largest single recall, issued October 30, covered 1,024,407 vehicles across 102 different models from Toyota, Lexus, and Subaru for rearview camera images that would not display. A separate recall covers the 2024–25 Tundra and Tundra Hybrid for rearview camera failure. The Lexus LX 2025–2026 faces a recall for transmission damage that could cause total loss of drive power.
GM (998,260 vehicles recalled): One of its most significant recalls covered the Chevrolet Silverado 1500, Suburban, and Tahoe, Cadillac Escalade, and GMC Sierra, Yukon, and Yukon XL, all equipped with the 6.2-litre V8 L87 engine, for potential manufacturing defects in the connecting rod or crankshaft that can lead to engine failure. A separate GM recall for 2020–2022 Silverado, Sierra, Escalade, Tahoe, Suburban, Camaro, CT4, CT5, and CT6 models involves a transmission control valve that can cause rear wheels to lock up unexpectedly.
Honda (1,560,813 vehicles): a major November recall affected 256,600 Accord Hybrid models from 2023–25 for software that could cause a sudden loss of drive power. A separate recall addressed aluminium alloy wheels sold for 2016–21 Civic models that could detach from the vehicle.
Hyundai (1,078,212 vehicles): roughly half the total came from 2020–25 Palisade SUVs equipped with seat belt buckles that may fail to latch.
Kia (982,346 vehicles): its largest single campaign covered around 250,000 K5 sedans from 2021–24 for a fuel tank fire risk. A further recall covers the 2020–25 Palisade for side curtain airbags that may deploy improperly.
Volkswagen ID.4 (2023–2025): multiple recalls have been issued for potential battery overheating. Volkswagen is advising owners of certain 2023–24 models to park outside and away from structures until the issue is resolved, the same instruction issued for the Jeep 4xe. Two separate fire-related recalls on the same platform in the same period is a pattern worth noting.
Nissan (874,265 vehicles): the most serious issue involved more than 440,000 Rogue and Altima models, along with Infiniti QX50 and QX55 vehicles, facing engine failure risk due to manufacturing defects.
What to Do
Enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. It is the only reliable way to know whether your specific vehicle is affected, particularly if you are not the original registered owner. Download the NHTSA SaferCar app to receive automatic alerts for future recalls on your vehicle.
All recall repairs are free under federal law. No manufacturer can charge you for work required to fix a safety defect. If you own a Jeep 4xe or VW ID.4 subject to a park-outside advisory, that guidance is not precautionary boilerplate. It reflects documented fires in vehicles already deemed repaired. Follow it.
The average recall completion rate across all manufacturers stands at 48 percent. Half of all recalled vehicles in America are still on the road with the defect unaddressed. The check takes less than sixty seconds.