Top 10 Cars With the Highest Recall Rates
A recent study has revealed the top 10 cars with the highest recall rates from model year 2013 to 2017.
Conducted by iSeeCars.com, the study collected the number of distinct vehicle recall campaigns from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and then calculated an average recall rate, which is the number of recall campaigns/year per 100,000 new car units sold.
Those recall rates were then also compared to Used Car Reliability ratings from Consumer Reports. This helps give an idea of whether models with high recall rates tend to have low reliability ratings.
SEE ALSO: What Should I Do If My Car is Recalled?
The overall average recall rate across all vehicles in the study was 0.79, while the average reliability was 3.4. Here are the 10 vehicles with the highest recall rates.
10. Chevrolet Tahoe
The Chevrolet Tahoe had an average recall rate of 1.52, which is 1.9 times greater than the overall average. The SUV received 2.4 stars out of five for average reliability from Consumer Reports.
9. Chrysler 300
The Chrysler 300 doesn’t have an average reliability rating from Consumer Reports, but lands on the list with an average recall rate of 1.71, which is 2.2 times the overall average.
8. Dodge Charger
Also from Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the Dodge Charger has a recall rate of 1.74, slightly greater than the Chrysler 300. Like the Chrysler 300, the Charger doesn’t have an average reliability rating from Consumer Reports.
7. Toyota 4Runner
Perhaps the biggest surprise on the list is the Toyota 4Runner, which has a five-star average reliability rating from Consumer Reports. The popular SUV, however, has an average recall rate of 1.98, which is 2.5 times the overall average.
6. Ram Pickup
Continuing the trend of FCA vehicles, Ram‘s pickup has an average recall rate of 1.99, which is also 2.5 times the industry average. Consumer Reports gives the truck an average reliability of 2.2 stars.
5. Nissan Pathfinder
Nissan‘s popular crossover has an average recall rate of 2.0, slightly more than the Ram pickup and Toyota 4Runner. It too didn’t perform well in Consumer Reports testing, getting 2.4 stars for average reliability.
4. Dodge Durango
The fourth FCA vehicle on the list is the Dodge Durango, which also has the honors of having the lowest average reliability from Consumer Reports at two stars. The crossover has an average recall rate of 2.71, which is 3.4 times greater than the overall average.
3. BMW 3 and 4 Series
BMW 3 and 4 Series owners are surprisingly having to deal with quite a bit of recalls. The popular luxury coupe and sedan have an average recall rate of 2.95, which is 3.7 times the overall average. It does, however, fare a bit better than the competition when it comes to average reliability from Consumer Reports, with 3.6 stars.
2. GMC Sierra
Another pickup no the list, the GMC Sierra has an average recall rate of 3.25, which is 4.1 times greater than the overall average. It has a 2.4-star average reliability rating from Consumer Reports. Strangely enough, the closely related Chevrolet Silverado is not in the top 10.
1. Mercedes-Benz C-Class
Mercedes strives to be better than BMW in all that it does, but this might be one category the German automaker should avoid. The Mercedes-Benz C-Class has the highest recall rates of all vehicles, with an overwhelming average recall rate of 5.77, which is 7.3 times greater than the industry average. Consumer Reports gives it three stars out of five for average reliability.
NOW READ THIS: Top 10 Cars with the Lowest Recall Rates
Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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Recalls are not a good metric for reliability. Different manufacturers have different policies with regard to voluntary recalls that are not mandated by a federal agency. One of the most unreliable vehicles in terms of breakdowns and time spent in the shop is the Jeep Grand Cherokee but it does not make the list as true reliability is ignored.
Its all how you measure reliability, as others have stated. Back when GM ignitions would turn off the car and lock the wheel while you were driving the affected cars scored the same as several Lexus models in the JD Power "initial quality" rankings. This was because many Lexi drivers complained about difficulty pairing up their bluetooth on the infotainment system, which I guess is pretty much the same as GM trying to KILL you. Dumb ass JD Powers rates all "complaints" the same.