Car Recalls: How Safe Is Your Car In 2016? Honda, Volkswagen, Chrysler Received Most Notices

With every car seemingly subject to at least one recall during its lifetime, auto owners may be wondering whether their vehicles are safe to drive.

Recalls in 2015 cost carmakers $6.9 billion at an average cost of $82 per vehicle, VINCheckPro.com found. In a report issued Wednesday, “Is Your Car Safe? 30 Years of Recall Stats Revealed,” the website details which car companies issued the most recalls and why, with the Takata airbag recall the most extensive in automotive history. You can check to see if there is an outstanding recall on your vehicle by clicking here.

The report found 1,115 recalls are issued for every 1,000 vehicles sold from January 1985 through September 2016, with 88 percent of the recall notices issued by manufacturers rather than the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration.

Via: VINCheckPro.com

Porsche issued the fewest recalls in the last 30 years, 531, followed by Mercedes with 624 and Kia with 788. Volkswagen issued the most, 1,805, followed by Chrysler with 1,422 and Honda with 1,307.

In 2015, 83 percent of the recall notices involved mechanical problems, 10 percent involved the electrical system and 6.4 percent involved software.

Some 11 million Takata airbags were repaired in the past two years although the number of vehicles with the devices may be much higher, involving nearly all manufacturers, including BMW, Chrysler, Ford, General Motors, Honda, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota and Volkswagen. The recall was issued because of a malfunctioning inflator that could explode and propel metal shards throughout the vehicle’s cabin. The problem with both the driver- and passenger-side airbags led to 11 deaths and more than 100 injuries.

General Motors had even more airbag issues, leading to 4 million recalls. The airbags failed to inflate properly because of a problem with the vehicles’ diagnostic and sensing module, which went into test mode. The mass recall spanned the 2014-17 model years and involved various Buick, Chevrolet, GMC and Cadillac models.

Mazda recalled more than 2 million vehicles because of dangerous rear hatches, the result of ineffective anti-corrosion protection on the rear latch system. The recall involves the 2010-16 model years and covers Mazda 3s, Mazda 5s, CX-5s and CX-3s.

Nissan was forced to recall 134,000 vehicles because of leaking brake fluid that could ignite if it comes into contact with a spark. The recall involves 2015-17 Maxima and Murano models.