New data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveals that Stellantis topped the automotive industry for total recalls issued in 2024, surpassing Ford’s previous dominance in this unwanted category. The multinational automaker, which oversees brands including Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram, issued 72 recalls affecting approximately 4.8 million vehicles throughout the year.
While Stellantis led in the number of recall announcements, Tesla actually impacted the largest number of vehicles, with its 15 recalls affecting more than 5.1 million cars. Tesla’s Cybertruck faced particular scrutiny, with seven separate recalls addressing issues ranging from problematic windshield wipers to dangerous accelerator pedal defects. One notable Cybertruck recall in April 2024 impacted all 3,878 units manufactured between November 2023 and April 2024.
Ford, which had previously held the top position for recalls in recent years, issued 67 recalls in 2024, affecting roughly 4.7 million vehicles. This represented a shift from 2023, when the company had issued 54 recalls impacting nearly 5.7 million vehicles. Ford’s CEO Jim Farley has acknowledged the impact of quality issues on the company’s financial performance, implementing measures such as removing bonus incentives for factory managers to prioritize quality over quantity.
Stellantis’s recalls varied significantly in scope during 2024. While some affected minimal numbers of vehicles – including one recall for a single 2022 Ram 1500 Classic – others were far more extensive. A significant recall in October addressed battery defects in 194,000 Jeep Wrangler and Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrids following 13 reported fires. The company’s largest single recall action occurred in June, affecting over 1 million vehicles across multiple brands due to backup camera malfunctions.
Tesla’s approach to handling recalls differs notably from traditional manufacturers, leveraging its vehicles’ software-defined architecture to implement many fixes through over-the-air updates. This was demonstrated in February 2024 when the company addressed warning light font size compliance issues across 2.2 million vehicles through remote software updates.
Following Tesla, Stellantis, and Ford in terms of vehicles affected, Honda reported 3.7 million recalled vehicles, while General Motors had approximately 1.8 million. Regarding the frequency of recalls, BMW ranked third with 36 recalls, followed by General Motors with 34, and Mercedes-Benz with 28 throughout 2024.
The trend in automotive recalls highlights ongoing quality control challenges facing major manufacturers as vehicles become increasingly complex and technologically advanced. While some recalls address minor compliance issues that can be resolved through software updates, others involve critical safety concerns requiring physical repairs at dealerships or service centers.
For Stellantis, the significant increase in recalls – doubling from their 2023 figures – represents a concerning trend as the company continues to integrate its diverse portfolio of international brands. The varying scale of these recalls, from single-digit vehicle numbers to millions of units, demonstrates the range of quality control challenges facing modern automakers, from isolated manufacturing defects to systemic design issues affecting entire model lines.