Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1976

Manufacturers filed 262 US vehicle safety recalls in 1976, covering 4,275,566 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 15.

Campaigns
262
Vehicles covered
4,275,566
Largest recall
811,180
Rank by volume
#44 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1976

  1. Ford1,029,467 vehicles15 recalls
  2. Chevrolet345,668 vehicles13 recalls
  3. White Truck10,484 vehicles10 recalls
  4. Mack3,077 vehicles8 recalls
  5. Buick1,058,644 vehicles7 recalls
  6. Dodge100,580 vehicles7 recalls
  7. AM General18,988 vehicles6 recalls
  8. Firestone40,402 vehicles6 recalls
  9. International Harvester14,333 vehicles5 recalls
  10. Peterbilt6,927 vehicles5 recalls
  11. Atlas60,686 vehicles4 recalls
  12. Flxible3,649 vehicles4 recalls

Counted by the make named on each filing, so a manufacturer that sells several brands appears once per brand.

Parts recalled most in 1976

  1. Equipment: Labels21 recalls
  2. Tires: Tread/Belt19 recalls
  3. Steering: Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)14 recalls
  4. Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar7 recalls
  5. Unknown or Other7 recalls
  6. Vehicle Speed Control7 recalls
  7. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings6 recalls
  8. Steering: Linkages6 recalls
  9. Tires6 recalls
  10. Wheels6 recalls

Largest recalls of 1976

  1. Buick — Fuel System, Gasoline: Carburetor System76V16000012 October 1976811,180
  2. Ford — Vehicle Speed Control: Cables76V06700029 April 1976410,580
  3. Ford — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings76V17000029 October 1976372,584
  4. All American — Tires: Tread/Belt76T00100030 January 1976300,000
  5. Buick — Vehicle Speed Control76V1200002 August 1976209,562
  6. Chevrolet — Fuel System, Gasoline: Filler Pipe and Cap76V1970006 December 1976174,769
  7. K.s. Products — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Foundation Components76E01100018 June 197697,900
  8. Ford — Seat Belts: Anchorage76V1800009 November 197680,402
  9. Cadillac — Vehicle Speed Control76V20400022 December 197676,007
  10. Mercury — Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar76V00900026 January 197673,739
  11. Volvo — Fuel System, Gasoline: Filler Pipe and Cap76V0690005 May 197667,633
  12. Pontiac — Exterior Lighting: Switch76V1750003 November 197666,632
  13. Chevrolet — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings76V02200012 February 197666,276
  14. Atlas — Tires: Tread/Belt76T00900028 April 197660,134
  15. Harley-Davidson — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Disc76V15200027 September 197657,140
  16. Volvo — Suspension: Lower Ball Joint76V10600015 July 197656,820
  17. Volvo — Steering: Rack76V10700015 July 197656,820
  18. Chevrolet — Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar76V1320007 September 197655,564
  19. Ford — Steering: Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)76V16500018 October 197653,137
  20. Dodge — Seat Belts: Retractor76V05500013 April 197648,000
  21. Dodge — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Vacuum76V12500010 August 197640,000
  22. Airomatic — Steering: Connection76E0180006 October 197639,310
  23. Buick — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pads76V02300012 February 197634,208
  24. Ford — Suspension: Upper Arm76V18300016 November 197634,160
  25. Nissan — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Rail76V07600025 May 197631,615

The 25 largest of 262 filed in 1976. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1975 (263)1977 (309) →

Every year on record, with the long-run trend.

About this figure

1976 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1976 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1976 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1976 is counted twice, so the figure is not a count of distinct vehicles.

Do Not Drive and Park Outside flags entered NHTSA’s public record in May 2025. This page shows no advisory section for 1976 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1976 recall was urgent.

Compiled from NHTSA’s published recall files, which are US government open data and rebuilt daily. Figures on this page reflect the record as of 18 September 2026. Read the methodology, or check a specific vehicle at nhtsa.gov.