Regulator Urges Drivers to Check for Recalls After 29 Million Vehicles Were Recalled in 2025

Federal regulators say millions of recalls go unaddressed every year.

The Los Angeles evening rush hour commute in Alhambra, Calif., on March 26, 2025. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images

Drivers across the United States are being encouraged to make sure their cars aren’t subject to any unrepaired safety recalls, as federal regulators kick off an annual road safety push.

The week of March 2–8 has been designated Vehicle Safety Recalls Week, a nationwide campaign that focuses on checking for recalls and completing any outstanding repairs as soon as possible, at no cost to car owners.

In 2025, there were 997 recalls for vehicles, car seats, tires, RVs, and other equipment, affecting more than 29 million vehicles nationwide, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The agency said millions of recalls go unaddressed every year, leaving potentially dangerous defects on the road long after a fix is available.

The scope of last year’s recalls spanned from mainstream sedans and family SUVs to higher-end models across major manufacturers.

Toyota, for example, issued a recall in September 2025 covering about 591,000 Toyota and Lexus vehicles after reports that the digital instrument panel display could go blank at startup.

Later in November, the automaker recalled more than 1 million vehicles over a software issue that could cause the rear-view camera image to freeze or go blank when the vehicle is in reverse.

In November 2025, Kia also recalled more than 250,000 vehicles over an issue regulators said could cause fuel tanks to melt. Honda, in the same month, announced a recall of about 406,000 Civics to inspect and replace certain accessory wheels after concerns that wheel nuts could loosen and detach.

U.S. automakers also faced major safety actions. In August 2025, Ford issued a recall for the 2025 model year covering more than 312,000 vehicles due to the risk of losing power brake assist. Two months later, the company announced another recall affecting about 1.4 million vehicles after reports of faulty rearview camera images.

Tesla recalled 27,000 Cybertrucks in October 2025 over a software issue that could make the front parking lights too bright, potentially impairing other drivers’ vision. The action followed an earlier, smaller Cybertruck recall involving exterior trim panels that could detach while the vehicle was in motion.

Recalls aren’t limited to cars and trucks. NHTSA said that in 2025, recalls also covered more than 1.1 million pieces of vehicle equipment, nearly 745,000 child car seats, and more than 145,000 tires.

Just months into 2026, nearly 643,000 Nissan vehicles and 4.3 million Ford trucks and SUVs have been recalled.

Most recently, NHTSA updated its “Do Not Drive” list to include older Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram models with open Takata airbag recalls dating back to 2008. The NHTSA urged owners not to drive them until the free repair is completed. Stellantis, the parent company of these brands, estimated that about 225,000 vehicles remained unrepaired.

Owners typically learn about recalls through notices from manufacturers, dealerships, or sometimes state agencies and insurers. Drivers don’t have to wait for a letter, NHTSA has said.

With NHTSA’s recall-lookup tool, consumers can search for open recalls on vehicles, car seats, tires, and related equipment. The tool also provides access to complaints, investigations, and manufacturer communications.

To check a vehicle, consumers generally need the license plate number, the vehicle identification number (VIN), or the make and model. The NHTSA database will show eligible, unrepaired recalls from roughly the past 15 years. Already completed repairs typically won’t appear.

“If you have an open recall, immediately get your vehicle repaired for FREE,” NHTSA said.