Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1980

Manufacturers filed 220 US vehicle safety recalls in 1980, covering 12,675,797 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 22.

Campaigns
220
Vehicles covered
12,675,797
Largest recall
5,120,000
Rank by volume
#49 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1980

  1. Ford926,499 vehicles22 recalls
  2. Chevrolet257,385 vehicles10 recalls
  3. Dodge2,396,504 vehicles8 recalls
  4. Harley-Davidson23,177 vehicles8 recalls
  5. Cooper2,002 vehicles5 recalls
  6. International Harvester72,413 vehicles5 recalls
  7. Mack13,510 vehicles5 recalls
  8. Volkswagen148,712 vehicles5 recalls
  9. General25,203 vehicles4 recalls
  10. Goodyear143,824 vehicles4 recalls
  11. Renault11,225 vehicles4 recalls
  12. White Truck1,366 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 1980

  1. Equipment: Labels11 recalls
  2. Tires10 recalls
  3. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings8 recalls
  4. Steering: Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)6 recalls
  5. Structure: Frame and Members6 recalls
  6. Tires: Bead6 recalls
  7. Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings5 recalls
  8. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Pedals and Linkages5 recalls
  9. Structure: Body5 recalls
  10. Tires: Tread/Belt5 recalls

Largest recalls of 1980

  1. Firestone — Tires: Tread/Belt80T01100028 July 19805,120,000
  2. Uniroyal — Tires: Tread/Belt80T00800017 March 19801,900,000
  3. Dodge — Structure: Frame and Members80V02700014 March 19801,000,000
  4. Dodge — Electrical System: Alternator/Generator/Regulator80V13600015 October 1980425,000
  5. Dodge — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings80V13900021 October 1980355,000
  6. Dodge — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Caliper80V07300011 June 1980350,000
  7. Ford — Engine and Engine Cooling: Fan80V1430007 November 1980314,400
  8. Ford — Engine and Engine Cooling: Fan80V1040006 August 1980253,500
  9. Dodge — Latches/Locks/Linkages: Latch80V13800017 October 1980235,000
  10. Ford — Engine and Engine Cooling: Fan80V1440007 November 1980209,100
  11. Volkswagen — Structure: Body80V03500026 March 1980140,000
  12. NSK — Seat Belts: Front80E0260009 October 1980130,000
  13. Goodyear — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Fluid80E01100015 May 1980127,224
  14. Nissan — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings80V15100017 November 1980118,898
  15. Yamaha — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Pump80V0400001 April 1980114,375
  16. Microdot — Exterior Lighting: Unit80E0040006 February 1980108,000
  17. Toyota — Electrical System: Alternator/Generator/Regulator80V04500011 April 198098,493
  18. Chevrolet — Steering: Arm80V10800019 August 198085,325
  19. Chevrolet — Equipment: Labels80V13200014 October 198085,158
  20. Toyota — Steering: Gear Box (other Than Rack and Pinion)80V02800018 March 198079,392
  21. Subaru — Visibility: Linkages80V07700019 June 198071,683
  22. BMW — Vehicle Speed Control: Springs80V07600019 June 198066,600
  23. Unarco — Exterior Lighting: Tail Lights80E00500021 February 198063,324
  24. Fulton — Trailer Hitches80E01000016 May 198058,610
  25. Lincoln — Exterior Lighting: Switch80V06700027 May 198052,053

The 25 largest of 220 filed in 1980. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1979 (339)1981 (197) →

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

About this figure

1980 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1980 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1980 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1980 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 1980 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1980 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.