Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1986

Manufacturers filed 219 US vehicle safety recalls in 1986, covering 4,383,134 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 15.

Campaigns
219
Vehicles covered
4,383,134
Largest recall
551,940
Rank by volume
#50 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1986

  1. Ford349,993 vehicles15 recalls
  2. Chevrolet253,985 vehicles12 recalls
  3. Mack97,841 vehicles9 recalls
  4. Freightliner32,834 vehicles7 recalls
  5. Buick315,355 vehicles6 recalls
  6. Jeep58,056 vehicles6 recalls
  7. Volvo114,023 vehicles6 recalls
  8. International Harvester140,138 vehicles5 recalls
  9. Dodge43,772 vehicles4 recalls
  10. Fruehauf865 vehicles4 recalls
  11. Kenworth9,463 vehicles4 recalls
  12. Lincoln93,811 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 1986

  1. Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar8 recalls
  2. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings7 recalls
  3. Vehicle Speed Control7 recalls
  4. Equipment: Labels6 recalls
  5. Seats6 recalls
  6. Tires: Tread/Belt6 recalls
  7. Tires5 recalls
  8. Wheels: Hubcap/Cover5 recalls
  9. Child Seat4 recalls
  10. Exterior Lighting: Switch4 recalls

Largest recalls of 1986

  1. United Technologies — Electrical System: Solenoid86E0270008 September 1986551,940
  2. Toyota — Suspension: Rear86V03800010 March 1986359,000
  3. Oldsmobile — Latches/Locks/Linkages: Latch86V12100028 August 1986206,651
  4. Ford — Seats86V08200024 June 1986195,732
  5. Cosco — Child Seat86C0090005 May 1986178,440
  6. Century — Child Seat86C01700013 June 1986167,760
  7. Goodyear — Service Brakes, Air: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings86E0230004 August 1986152,595
  8. Buick — Vehicle Speed Control: Springs86V03000021 February 1986135,623
  9. International Harvester — Steering: Idler and Attachment86V02600014 January 1986120,292
  10. BMW — Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar86V13800020 October 1986120,261
  11. Chevrolet — Exterior Lighting: Switch86V13100019 September 1986106,111
  12. Toyota — Steering: Connecting86V06000012 May 1986103,700
  13. Big O — Tires: Tread/Belt86T01200023 December 198698,228
  14. BMW — Exterior Lighting: Switch86V15100010 November 198697,300
  15. Chevrolet — Exterior Lighting: Switch86V05600028 April 198693,317
  16. Volvo — Vehicle Speed Control86V12900015 September 198689,587
  17. Buick — Steering: Hose, Piping, and Connections86V1450003 November 198688,668
  18. Buick — Engine and Engine Cooling: Engine86V07300028 May 198687,174
  19. Audi — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Injection System86V1030004 August 198680,710
  20. Volkswagen — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly86V02900020 February 198677,000
  21. Ford — Steering: Connection86V09400015 July 198670,125
  22. Graco — Child Seat86C00600028 April 198662,352
  23. Mack — Suspension: Wheel Bearing86V04000010 March 198650,100
  24. Dana — Steering: Idler and Attachment86E02400022 August 198648,299
  25. Jeep — Parking Brake86V14700014 November 198641,073

The 25 largest of 219 filed in 1986. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1985 (227)1987 (252) →

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

About this figure

1986 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1986 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1986 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1986 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 1986 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1986 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.