The Most Dangerous Auto Recalls of the Last 10 Years

When you think of the most dangerous auto recalls in the automotive world, you might be surprised to find many occurred in the last decade.

Even though cars of the early days of this industry often left drivers stranded on the side of the road, they weren’t as frequently subject to recalls as vehicles are now. Of course, many of the safety issues that cause these recalls have to do with advanced systems that weren’t previously part of the industry. Let’s look at ten of the biggest recalls of the past decade.

A Starter Problem Caused One Million Mercedes-Benz Vehicles to be Recalled

Higher prices and lower production numbers certainly make it more interesting that Mercedes-Benz had to recall any vehicles. This recall took place for models from 2015 to 2017 with the faulty starter. A limiter in the starter was prone to overheating and short-circuiting, which meant a potential fire hazard for drivers. Thankfully, no one was hurt because of these starters, and the problem was caught in time to prevent too many problems.

Faulty Transmissions Caused a Large Ram Recall

Ram trucks from 2017 and 2018 were recalled due to issues with the transmission. These trucks included 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 models. This was one of the most dangerous autos recalled in the past decade. The transmission failures caused the gear shifts to get stuck. Thankfully, the time these shifters were stuck was most often when the truck was parked. This problem forced a global recall of 1.2 million trucks, making this one of the largest recalls experienced.

Ford Recalled 1.3 Million Cars Due to a Key Defect

Ford is one of the largest automakers globally, and it’s not surprising when they need to recall many vehicles. Between 2014 and 2018, models of the Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ were troublesome. These vehicles had a critical defect with a steering wheel bot that loosed and detached. These cars also had trouble maintaining torque while driving. This is the first of our recalls with an injury report due to the issue caused by the steering bolt.

Volkswagen Recalled a Large Number of Vehicles Before Dieselgate

In 2013 the VW brand faced one of the most dangerous autos recalls of the past decade. More than three million models had a problem with the gearbox that caused them to malfunction. The gearbox would cause the car to lurch forward and backward while driving on the road. These impacted models were sold in hot or humid climates equipped with a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission with a stop-and-go function. VW had to recall these cars, and this was before the 2015 Dieselgate scandal.

Airbag Problems for Nissan Models

More than 3.1 million Nissan vehicles were recalled in 2013 because of a problem with the airbags. The passenger airbag sensor couldn’t distinguish between a child and an adult. When a child is belted into the front seat, airbags aren’t supposed to deploy. Unfortunately, sometimes the airbag would fail to deploy when an adult was seated in the passenger seat. The Maxima, Murano, Pathfinder, and the entire Infiniti brand lineup were Nissan models impacted.

A Small Gap Created a Massive Recall for Honda

While not one of the most dangerous auto recalls in the past decade, this recall is one of the largest. Honda had to recall 3.3 million vehicles due to a small gap in the plastic case covering the battery sensor. This gap allowed moisture to get in and disrupt the function of this sensor. The problem became a massive global recall that cost Honda a lot of money. The most significant part of this recall from 2017 was 1.1 million Honda Accord sedans from 2013 to 2016.

Airbags Accidentally Deploying in GM Vehicles Led to a Massive Recall

GM recalled 3.6 million vehicles due to a faulty airbag sensor that caused this apparatus to deploy for no reason and without warning. The models involved in this recall from 2016 were the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Corvette, Caprice, Silverado, and the GMC Sierra. This problem created a hazardous problem for drivers because the opposite would sometimes happen where the airbag would not deploy. Since that time, GM has had to recall more models for additional issues, including faulty engine mounts.

Cruise Control Problems Hit FCA Models

Under the FCA name (now Stellantis), a recall was issued that was easily one of the most dangerous auto recalls of the decade. This recall, issued in 2018, involved 5.3 million models, most of which were built and sold in North America. The problem was that drivers could not deactivate the cruise control as needed. This could be a severe problem. The recall impacted 2014 to 2018 models of the Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Charger, Challenger, Journey, Durango, Jeep Cherokee, Grand Cherokee, Wrangler, and Ram 1500, 2500, 3500 models.

Yes, Even Toyota Faced a Massive Recall

Toyota is one of the highest volume automakers in the world. Recalling 6.5 million vehicles is a large number, even though the brand has many more on the road. In 2015, several Toyota models had a faulty window switch. This problem proved to be a major fire hazard, making it extremely dangerous. The 6.5 million 2015 models were just the start, as this defect has led to 14 million vehicles being recalled since that time.

The Takata Airbag Recall is the Largest and Most Dangerous in History

Across the automotive industry, 55 million vehicles and counting were recalled over the Takata airbag issue. This issue was caused by a defect that would cause the airbag to explode unexpectedly and send fragments of parts onto the driver and passenger. Fifteen people lost their lives because of this issue. This is one of the most dangerous auto recalls in the past decade and history. Takata was fined $1 billion by the U.S. government and had to file for bankruptcy in 2017 because of this problem.