Recall counts pile up fastest on popular, high-volume models, and some model years collect them at a startling pace. The figures below come from NHTSA’s recall records and a SlashGear summary of them, and they count recalls rather than crashes or failures. Here are twelve model years with long recall lists.
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1. 2020 Ford Explorer: Thirty-Three Recalls
NHTSA lists 33 recalls for the 2020 Ford Explorer, from fuel-line leaks and driveshaft fractures to rear axle bolts that can break. The NHTSA recall listing gives it the longest count in this group.
A high count reflects the number of campaigns, not how many vehicles each one covered, so scope can differ widely from one recall to the next. Owners can check a specific vehicle by VIN. Explorer buyers weighing a 2020 model can look up each campaign’s remedy and whether it was performed, since the NHTSA database lists them individually.
2. 2021 Tesla Model S: Recalls Beyond Mechanical
NHTSA lists 24 recalls for the 2021 Tesla Model S, covering air bags, steering, hood latches and software. The Model S recall record lists all of them as 2021 Model S entries.
Software appears among the categories, a reminder that recalls on connected cars can reach beyond hardware. The count is NHTSA’s tally for the 2021 model year only. The source does not break the 24 down by type beyond those four categories, so the share involving software is not stated.
3. 2022 Ford F-150: America’s Truck, Twenty-Three Times
NHTSA lists 23 recalls for the 2022 Ford F-150, including broken intake valves, a failing fuel pump and trailer brake faults. The F-150 recall list attributes all of them to Ford Motor Company.
A long list on a best-selling nameplate does not mean every truck is affected by every campaign. Checking a specific truck’s open recalls by VIN shows which items apply. Intake valves, the fuel pump and trailer brakes span the engine, fuel system and towing gear, which shows how varied the campaigns on a single model year can be.
4. 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe: Steering and Fuel Pump Faults
NHTSA lists 16 recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe, including loss of power steering assist, fuel pump stalls and a 6.2L connecting rod defect. See the Tahoe recall record for the full tally.
The connecting rod item applies to a specific engine, so it would not concern every Tahoe. Similar power steering and fuel pump items appear in the Suburban entry on this list. Loss of steering assist and fuel pump stalls are listed among the items, and the 16 total is the NHTSA figure for the 2021 model year alone.
5. 2022 Toyota Tundra: Bearing Failure Twice
NHTSA lists 13 recalls for the 2022 Toyota Tundra, including two for engine main bearing failure and stall. The Tundra recall listing notes that the entries cover Tundra vehicles except where marked.
Two of the 13 concern the same bearing problem, so the count includes repeated attention to one issue. The remaining recalls are not characterized in the source. The count places it fifth in this gallery, behind the Explorer, Model S, F-150 and Tahoe.
6. 2021 Chevrolet Suburban: Power Steering Gone
NHTSA lists 12 recalls for the 2021 Chevrolet Suburban, including power steering loss and a fuel pump module that can stall the engine. The Suburban recall record supplies the count.
The 2021 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL carry this same list, according to SlashGear, which appears later in this gallery. Stalls and lost steering assist are the safety-critical items named. A stalling engine and lost power steering are both named, and each is described in the source as a recall item rather than an owner complaint, which gives the list an official footing.
7. 2022 Rivian R1T: Twelve and Counting
SlashGear says the 2022 Rivian R1T has 12 safety-related NHTSA recalls, including steering decoupling and an accelerator pedal that can fail on hot days. The outlet’s used-car recall roundup makes the case.
SlashGear adds that seven of the 12 are shared with other model years, so the count overlaps with neighboring years. This entry rests on SlashGear’s summary rather than NHTSA’s own listing. Steering decoupling and a pedal that can fail in heat are the two items SlashGear highlights, and both are counted among the 12 safety-related recalls.
8. 2023 Ford Escape: Engine Fire Risk
NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 2023 Ford Escape, three tied to engine failure and fire risk. The Escape recall record totals the model year at 11.
Only the count and the three engine-related campaigns are detailed here, so the other eight are not characterized. A newer model year can still accumulate a long list in a short time. The 2023 model year is the newest single year in this gallery, so its 11 recalls come from a comparatively young vehicle.
9. 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500: Tires and Software
NHTSA lists 10 recalls for the 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, including over-cured tires and a stability-control software error. The Silverado 1500 recall list gives the total.
Tires and software both appear, so the recalls span materials and electronics rather than one system. Used-truck shoppers can check a specific VIN against NHTSA’s records. Over-cured tires is an unusual phrase for a recall, and the source lists it among the 10 alongside a software fault in stability control.
10. 2019 Jeep Wrangler: Steering Column Scare
SlashGear counts nine recalls on the 2019 Jeep Wrangler, including overheating-clutch fires, steering failure and a wheel detaching from the steering column. The SlashGear recall summary lists them.
This count comes from SlashGear rather than NHTSA’s own interface. Nine is the lowest number stated on this list, yet the items named are among its more serious. Steering failure and a wheel detaching from the steering column are the kinds of items that keep this count notable despite being a smaller number than most on the list.
11. 2021 GMC Yukon: Shared List Plus One
SlashGear says the 2021 GMC Yukon and Yukon XL share the Suburban’s recall list, plus a hydraulic brake issue affecting ABS and traction control. See the Yukon recall comparison for detail.
The source gives no standalone total for the Yukon, so its exact count is not stated here. The overlap reflects how closely related the Yukon and Suburban are in recall terms. SlashGear names the Yukon and Yukon XL together, so the shared recalls and the extra brake item are described as applying to both.
12. Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid (2018-2024): Fire Risk More Than Once
SlashGear says the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, covering 2018 through 2024 model years, was recalled more than once for fire risk, with 10 recalls from 2017 to 2026. The Pacifica Hybrid recall tally spans several years.
Because the figure spans many model years rather than one, it is not directly comparable with the single-year counts above. Fire risk is the recurring theme the source names. Ten recalls across 2017 to 2026 is a long span, and the source frames the repeated fire-risk recalls as the point of concern.
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