The number of automotive recall issuances last year was nearly as high as it has ever been. But 2007 has also been a bad year for some surprising offenders. Herewith are this year’s most recalled cars.

Recalls heap loads of costs on automakers — from parts and labor to re-engineering to brand damage.

Since the beginning of this year, manufacturers’ obligation to attempt to notify owners of recalled products has become increasingly clear. For vehicles, that means manufacturers merge their own records of vehicle purchasers with current state vehicle registration information, says the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the division of the United States Department of Transportation that oversees and tracks manufacturer recalls, at its Office of Defects Investigation site. (For equipment, where state registration records do not exist, manufacturers are obligated to notify their distribution chain and known purchasers of the recalled equipment.)

The number of automotive recall issuances last year was nearly as high as it has ever been, according to NHTSA. The following are the most recalled cars of 2007. Some may surprise you…

Note: This list was compiled from NHTSA data. Numbers of potential affected units may account for previous year models with the same defect.

13. General Motors: GMC Acadia/Saturn Outlook
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 13,032
Recall # 07V062000 / 07V062000
Problem Summary: On certain vehicles, the sensing and diagnostic module, which controls the function of front air bags, may not operate properly. As a result, the front air bags may fail to deploy in a frontal crash. Also, the air bag warning lamp on the instrument panel may fail to provide warning that the system is inoperative.

12. Nissan: Versa
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 16,309
Recall # 07V094000
Problem Summary: On certain hatchback vehicles, the terminals for the passenger-side seat-belt tension-sensor harness connector may have been damaged during the manufacturing process. This could result in a loss of electrical continuity causing the occupant detection system to become inoperative.

11. GM: Chevrolet Aveo
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 17,676
Recall # 06V398000
Problem Summary: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 1.6-liter engine, during a severe frontal crash test, the fuel line in the engine compartment developed a fracture. In addition, the crash damage caused four short-circuits in the fuse block, the combination of which allowed the fuel pump to continue running and fuel to leak onto the ground.

10. Nissan: Infiniti G35 Coupe
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 23,934
Recall # 06V394000
Problem Summary: Certain vehicles fail to comply with the vertical gradient and headlamp photometric values requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108.

9. DaimlerChrysler: Chrysler Sebring/Chrysler 300/Dodge Caliber, Dodge Magnum, Dodge Charger, Dodge Nitro, Jeep Compass, Jeep Liberty, Jeep Commander, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 50,665
Recall # 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000 / 06V493000
Problem Summary: On certain vehicles, the antilock-brake-system control module software may cause the rear brakes to lock up during certain braking conditions.

8. Volkswagen: Passat/Passat Wagon
Recall # 06V472000/ 06V470000
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 58,800/57,291
Problem Summary: Certain passenger vehicles equipped with a 2.0-liter engine with 147kw may have a vacuum line that may fracture and become disconnected at low ambient temperatures. On certain sixth-generation passenger vehicles, the wiper motor may fail during heavy rain due to excessive moisture in the wiper motor.

7. Suzuki: Forenza/Reno
Recall # 07V315000 / 07V315000
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 75,697
Problem Summary: On certain passenger vehicles, the front seat-belt tongue will not latch into the buckle and, in rare cases, the locked tongue will pop out under low stretching force. If the buckle doesn’t latch completely, the buckle could release without the release button being pressed.

6. DaimlerChrysler: Dodge Nitro/Jeep Wrangler
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 80,894
Recall # 07V291000 / 07V291000
Problem Summary: On certain vehicles, the totally integrated power module was programmed with software that may allow the engine to stall under certain operating conditions.

5. Hyundai: Tucson
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 128,300
Recall # 06V445000
Problem Summary: On certain sport-utility vehicles, static air-bag deployment testing conducted by the NHTSA indicated that if a small-stature adult driver, not wearing a seat belt, is involved in a frontal or near frontal crash, deployment of the driver air bag may result in an insufficient margin of compliance.

4. Nissan: Altima
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 140,582
Recall # 07V267000
Problem Summary: On certain vehicles, if a sufficiently hot object enters the air filter housing through the engine fresh-air-intake system and comes into contact with the engine air filter, the air filter may ignite.

3. DaimlerChrysler: Jeep Liberty
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 149,605
Recall # 07V089000
Problem Summary: On certain passenger vehicles equipped with Valeo heating, ventilation, and air conditioning, the blower motor may overheat.

2. Toyota: Sequoia
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 533,124
Recall # 07V013000
Problem Summary: On certain trucks and minivans, due to possible improper finishing of the front suspension lower ball joint, some ball joints may experience an incidental deterioration of the internal lubrication. This may cause the ball joint to wear and loosen prematurely, which could result in increased steering effort, reduced vehicle self-centering, and noise in the front suspension.

1. Volkswagen: New Beetle
NHTSA Potential Affected Units: 1,002,000
Recall # 07V063000
Problem Summary: On certain passenger, wagon and convertible vehicles with or without cruise control, a brake light switch may malfunction if it was installed incorrectly.

Last year, GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler helped lead the list of total recalls of new cars. The former alone recalled more than 90,000 new cars in the U.S., more than any other automaker. If in no other area of the organization over the past year, at least it seems like GM learned its lesson on quality, admitting to defects in fewer than 31,000 of its 2007 model vehicles, or about one-third the number of the previous year’s.

In 2006, Toyota saw a departure from its usually quality-obsessed character — recalling nearly 1.5 million vehicles worldwide, spanning every single model line produced that year. The increased recalls, which seem to have begun in 2005, may be due to “the rapid expansion overseas and the pressure to reduce costs resulting in a supply chain that is overburdened and lacking in personnel,” explained Gemba Panta Rei in May. “Toyota has been adding production capacity of 500,000 vehicles each year.” Fortunately (for Toyota), President Katsuaki Watanabe is heading up a “build in quality” effort involving suppliers, so the automaker is clearly tackling the problem from the highest levels.

Nonetheless, the wide range of manufacturers at fault — including brands known for high quality and safety standards, such as Volkswagen of America and Toyota — may have buyers thinking twice before they drive off the car lot.

Car Safety Roundup:

Top 20 Most Dangerous Vehicles

The Safest Cars of 2007

The 7 Least Safe Vehicles for 2007

Safest Family Cars

Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s Top Safety Pick Awards for 2007

Resources

Office of Defects Investigation: Recalls
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Safety Recall Compendium
NHTSA

SaferCar.gov

Automotive.com

Auto-Recalls.Justia.com
Justia Law Firm

Toyota Number One in the World… in Recalls?
by Jon Miller
Gemba Panta Rei, May 22, 2007