We’re guessing the jury is still out on whether or not 2013 was a good year for wine, but one thing’s for sure: It was a very good year for recalls.
That’s according to the latest figures from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
According to the NHTSA, there were 632 separate vehicle recalls issued in the United States last year. That marks a 9% raise from 2012’s total of 581.
But it wasn’t just the number of recalls being issued that was growing. The number of vehicles contained in those recalls was also on the rise in 2013. Companies recalled almost 22 million vehicles in the U.S. during 2013, up from 16.4 million vehicles in 2012, a nine-year high.
So who’s responsible for driving those totals up?
One easy target would be Toyota, which recalled 5.3 million vehicles in 2013. That was more than enough to secure it the top spot on the most vehicles recalled list for the second year running. However, all of those cars were included in a comparatively measly 15 total recalls.
Despite that, you could make the case that the car-manufacturer that had the worst year was actually Chrysler.
Chrysler initiated the most total recalls with an impressive total of 36. It also took home second place on the most vehicles recalled list. Chrysler brought back 4.7 million in 2013. That was a considerable jump from the 1.3 million it recalled in 2012.
On the other side of the coin, Mazda initiated the fewest recalls last year, with a grand total of two, while Mercedes-Benz recalled just 747 total vehicles.
But it’s not all doom and gloom for the auto industry. Some experts have found a silver lining of sorts in those totals.
The rising number of recalls could be sign of the industry’s commitment to being as proactive as possible when it comes to even the slightest defect with vehicles. Of course, it could also be an effort to avoid finding themselves in costly legal fights, like Toyota’s recent “unintended acceleration” issues.
So what do you think of this list? Is it proof-positive of lax quality standards or is a sign that companies are more sensitive than ever to their customers’ concerns?
Let us know what you think in the comments section below.
