If you haven’t received one of those menacing vehicle recall cards in the mail, consider yourself lucky. Vehicle recalls happen all the time, to every automaker, any model. But some have been so colossal that they’ve left manufacturers red-faced and consumers scrambling for the nearst service center. Here are some of the biggest vehicle recalls of all-time, although this list is light years from being exhaustive.

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1. Takata airbag recall (2008-2019)

Recalled vehicles: Approximately 67 million

Chances are you’ve heard of the Takata airbag recall, and that’s because it’s impacted a staggering 67 million vehicles. Takata airbags featured a nasty little defect which caused them to explode and shoot metal fragments everywhere. Nineteen fatalities and more than 400 injuries have been reported as a result of the airbag defect, and the recall even put vehicles made by Acura, BMW, Chrysler, Dodge, Ford, Honda, and Mazda on a do-not-drive list.

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2. Ford transmission (almost) recall (1980)

Recalled vehicles: 23 million

Ford found itself in hot water in 1980 when it came out that 23 million of its vehicles were subject to a transmission defect that allowed the trans to slip from park to reverse unexpectedly (and unintentionally). A recall was on the horizon, but ultimately the automaker opted to instead mail out more than 20 million warning stickers reminding drivers to put their car in park correctly, or “unexpected and possibly sudden vehicle movement may occur.”

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3. Ford cruise control recall (1999-2009)

Recalled Vehicles: 14.9 million

Spanning over a decade, Ford recalled nearly 15 million vehicles because of a cruise control deactivation switch that could short circuit. The defect caused a handful of garage and vehicle fires, and led to some fatalities.

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4. Bridgestone/Firestone tire recall (2000)

Recalled vehicles: 14.4 million

Hundreds of people died in vehicle accidents associated with Firestone tire failures. The recall mainly impacted Ford SUVs including the first-generation Explorer, that saw a high incidence of tire tread separations.

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5. Toyota unintended acceleration recall (2009-2010)

Recalled vehicles: Nearly 8 million

Toyota recalled around 8 million vehicles worldwide because of an unintended acceleration issue due to floor mat entrapment and “sticky” accelerator pedals, a defect that led to crashes and fatalities. Toyota also wound up paying $48.8 million worth of civil penalties after NHTSA investigations were completed, focusing on the timeliness of several safety recalls

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6. General Motors ignition switch recall (2014)

Vehicles Recalled: 6.3 million

Faulty ignition switches in some of GM’s small cars (namely the Pontiac G5 and Chevrolet Cobalt) could shut the engine off while the car was still moving, preventing airbags from inflating. There were 13 fatalities involving the recalled cars and several lawsuits ensued. 

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7. Ford’s shoulder belt defect recall (1970-1971)

Recalled vehicles: 4.4 million

Ford issued a shoulder belt recall for just about every vehicle it made during the 1970 and 1971 model years due to a defect that could cause the harness to fail. The harnesses in the 1970 and 1971 Fords contained a metal stud on the seatbelt buckle, which secured the harness. The stud was covered with a plastic sleeve to lock the stud in place and because of the defect, the plastic grommets were breaking. Ford replaced the plastic pieces with metal washers for more security. 

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8. Hyundai and Kia engine recall (2015-2017)

Recalled vehicles: 1.7 million

Both Hyundai and Kia recalled over 1.7 million vehicles in the U.S. due to engine failures and fires which led to a heightened crash risk. The recall led to $2 billion in provisions and was one of the biggest for both manufacturers. 

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9. Ford Pinto fuel tank recall (1971-1976)

Recalled vehicles: 1.5 million

In 1978, after a critical investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Ford issued a recall for all 1.5 million Pintos from 1971-76 and an additional 30,000 Mercury Bobcats to modify their fuel systems.

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10. Fiat Chrysler gear selector recall (2016):

Recalled vehices: 1.1 million

Fiat Chrysler recalled more than a million vehicles globally because of a gear selector issue that could confuse drivers, potentially leading to vehicles rolling away.

This article was produced and syndicated by MediaFeed.

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