Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 1998

Manufacturers filed 413 US vehicle safety recalls in 1998, covering 19,949,135 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Ford filed the most that year, with 39.

Campaigns
413
Vehicles covered
19,949,135
Largest recall
2,697,000
Rank by volume
#28 of 60

Makes that filed most in 1998

  1. Ford6,964,365 vehicles39 recalls
  2. Chevrolet2,813,598 vehicles18 recalls
  3. Freightliner46,247 vehicles12 recalls
  4. Spartan3,250 vehicles12 recalls
  5. Dodge280,509 vehicles10 recalls
  6. Blue Bird7,384 vehicles9 recalls
  7. Navistar68,574 vehicles9 recalls
  8. Ferrari2,873 vehicles8 recalls
  9. Mitsubishi200,540 vehicles7 recalls
  10. Nissan809,289 vehicles7 recalls
  11. Orion1,959 vehicles7 recalls
  12. BMW347,600 vehicles6 recalls

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

Parts recalled most in 1998

  1. Wheels: Rim16 recalls
  2. Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings14 recalls
  3. Electrical System: Front Underhood10 recalls
  4. Equipment: Furnace10 recalls
  5. Equipment: Labels8 recalls
  6. Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly8 recalls
  7. Power Train: Automatic Transmission8 recalls
  8. Seat Belts: Anchorage8 recalls
  9. Seats8 recalls
  10. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings8 recalls

Largest recalls of 1998

  1. Ford — Structure: Frame and Members98V32300016 December 19982,697,000
  2. Chevrolet — Visibility: Windshield Wiper/Washer98V1500011 July 19981,557,585
  3. Ford — Wheels: Lugs/Nuts/Bolts/Studs98V09500013 May 19981,520,000
  4. Honda — Electrical System: Front Underhood98V23100022 September 1998967,771
  5. Evenflo — Child Seat: Handle (infant)98C00300017 February 1998800,000
  6. Chrysler — Fuel System, Gasoline: Fuel Injection System98V1840006 August 1998722,600
  7. Chrysler — Power Train: Park/Neutral Start Interlock Switch98V1830006 August 1998685,000
  8. Chevrolet — Air Bags98V14600029 June 1998675,302
  9. Arizonian — Tires: Sidewall98T00200021 April 1998594,853
  10. Ford — Exterior Lighting: Headlights98V02800010 February 1998571,800
  11. Nissan — Visibility: Linkages98V0930005 May 1998512,387
  12. Lincoln — Exterior Lighting: Switch98V00900021 January 1998506,000
  13. BMW — Engine and Engine Cooling: Cooling System98V1780004 August 1998340,000
  14. Ford — Fuel System, Gasoline: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings98V06000019 March 1998320,000
  15. Jeep — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Rotor98V00500012 January 1998293,369
  16. Ford — Suspension: Coil Springs98I00200024 June 1998281,000
  17. Ford — Suspension: Coil Springs98V0940006 May 1998281,000
  18. Chevrolet — Interior Lighting98V02700017 February 1998249,420
  19. Volkswagen — Latches/Locks/Linkages: Latch98V16000016 July 1998238,000
  20. Mazda — Air Bags: Sensor/Control Module-Inactive98V2490008 October 1998213,000
  21. Ford — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly98V16100015 July 1998202,000
  22. Ford — Power Train: Floor Shift98V23300018 September 1998175,000
  23. Ford — Suspension: Lower Ball Joint98V32200016 December 1998175,000
  24. Ford — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Caliper98I00300030 July 1998174,000
  25. Ford — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings98I0010007 April 1998167,742

The 25 largest of 413 filed in 1998. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 1997 (317)1999 (444) →

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

About this figure

1998 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 1998 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 1998 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 1998 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 1998 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 1998 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.