Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1997

Manufacturers filed 317 US vehicle safety recalls in 1997, covering 18,077,561 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 29.

Campaigns
317
Vehicles covered
18,077,561
Largest recall
1,239,433
Rank by volume
#34 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1997

  1. Ford3,405,930 vehicles29 recalls
  2. Chevrolet2,193,617 vehicles19 recalls
  3. Dodge4,908,860 vehicles16 recalls
  4. Thomas46,615 vehicles11 recalls
  5. Isuzu131,216 vehicles9 recalls
  6. Volvo28,481 vehicles9 recalls
  7. Freightliner114,090 vehicles7 recalls
  8. Navistar35,910 vehicles7 recalls
  9. Saturn79,484 vehicles7 recalls
  10. BMW443,248 vehicles5 recalls
  11. Buick434,842 vehicles5 recalls
  12. Jeep1,519,900 vehicles5 recalls

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

Parts recalled most in 1997

  1. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings12 recalls
  2. Suspension: Hub12 recalls
  3. Suspension: Rear11 recalls
  4. Seat Belts: Anchorage10 recalls
  5. Vehicle Speed Control10 recalls
  6. Seats9 recalls
  7. Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings7 recalls
  8. Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly7 recalls
  9. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Antilock/Traction Control/Electronic Limited Slip7 recalls
  10. Child Seat6 recalls

Largest recalls of 1997

  1. Evenflo — Child Seat97C00100016 January 19971,239,433
  2. Dodge — Seat Belts: Buckle Assembly97V1480009 September 19971,100,000
  3. Dodge — Seat Belts: Anchorage97V1490009 September 19971,100,000
  4. Jeep — Vehicle Speed Control: Accelerator Pedal97I0020002 May 19971,010,400
  5. Dodge — Power Train: Cooling Unit and Lines97V0840005 May 1997960,000
  6. Ford — Power Train: Gear Position Indication (prndl)97V1710007 October 1997866,000
  7. Ford — Structure: Hood97V18000020 October 1997769,000
  8. Chevrolet — Structure97V0580008 April 1997676,535
  9. Chevrolet — Seats97V0370007 March 1997624,433
  10. Ford — Visibility: Rearview Mirrors/Devices97V0830005 May 1997610,000
  11. Chrysler — Suspension: Lower Ball Joint97V20100013 November 1997599,000
  12. Chevrolet — Seat Belts97V09600112 June 1997586,058
  13. Dodge — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings97V19900013 November 1997497,000
  14. Dodge — Structure: Support Device/Strut97V07900016 May 1997436,000
  15. BMW — Vehicle Speed Control97V13100019 August 1997410,000
  16. Dodge — Steering: Steering Wheel/Handle Bar97V1690007 October 1997375,000
  17. Jeep — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly97V1940007 November 1997360,000
  18. Buick — Visibility: Switch/Wiring97V01700011 February 1997349,331
  19. Lincoln — Seat Belts: Buckle Assembly97I0030007 October 1997299,600
  20. Toyota — Electrical System: Ignition97V21300020 November 1997289,326
  21. Chrysler — Structure: Hinge and Attachments97V0950006 June 1997219,000
  22. Ford — Vehicle Speed Control97V02500026 February 1997212,700
  23. DEI — Visibility: Power Window Devices and Controls97E00500020 February 1997200,000
  24. Ford — Structure: Roof and Pillars97V23500118 December 1997185,000
  25. Kolcraft — Child Seat97C02400018 August 1997159,400

The 25 largest of 317 filed in 1997. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1996 (341)1998 (413) →

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

About this figure

1997 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1997 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1997 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1997 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 1997 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1997 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.