Vehicle Recall

Recalls filed in 2003

Manufacturers filed 600 US vehicle safety recalls in 2003, covering 22,777,965 vehicles. 2021 remains the busiest year on record, with 1,094. Chevrolet filed the most that year, with 18.

Campaigns
600
Vehicles covered
22,777,965
Largest recall
1,755,876
Rank by volume
#23 of 60

Makes that filed most in 2003

  1. Chevrolet6,707,134 vehicles18 recalls
  2. Volvo311,896 vehicles16 recalls
  3. Ford3,363,882 vehicles15 recalls
  4. International55,268 vehicles13 recalls
  5. BMW140,945 vehicles12 recalls
  6. Dodge688,270 vehicles12 recalls
  7. Holiday Rambler6,759 vehicles11 recalls
  8. Blue Bird17,812 vehicles10 recalls
  9. Fleetwood80,984 vehicles10 recalls
  10. Nissan1,907,460 vehicles9 recalls
  11. Freightliner9,934 vehicles8 recalls
  12. Hyundai597,712 vehicles8 recalls

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

Parts recalled most in 2003

  1. Equipment: Recreational Vehicle/Trailer40 recalls
  2. Service Brakes, Air: Check Valve37 recalls
  3. Equipment: Labels29 recalls
  4. Service Brakes, Air: ABS Warning Light25 recalls
  5. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Lamp18 recalls
  6. Equipment14 recalls
  7. Exterior Lighting13 recalls
  8. Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings12 recalls
  9. Vehicle Speed Control11 recalls
  10. Wheels11 recalls

Largest recalls of 2003

  1. Chevrolet — Visibility: Windshield Wiper/Washer03V15900028 April 20031,755,876
  2. Chevrolet — Equipment: Owners/Service/Other Manual03V25000015 July 20031,707,825
  3. Ford — Seats: Recliner03V2810005 August 20031,552,880
  4. Cosco — Child Seat: Handle (infant)03C0040002 June 20031,275,122
  5. Chrysler — Seats: Recliner03V0350005 February 20031,066,000
  6. Chevrolet — Steering: Rack and Pinion03V52700011 December 2003750,283
  7. Graco — Child Seat: Base03C00300010 March 2003683,926
  8. Ford — Fuel System, Gasoline03V48200019 November 2003671,000
  9. Chevrolet — Exterior Lighting: Switch03V32700028 August 2003670,740
  10. Nissan — Engine and Engine Cooling03V45500017 November 2003630,000
  11. Acura — Electrical System: Switch03V42300027 October 2003563,861
  12. APC — Exterior Lighting03E01400028 February 2003539,000
  13. Chevrolet — Power Train: Automatic Transmission03V0750006 March 2003511,167
  14. Chevrolet — Visibility: Exterior03V0930007 March 2003507,171
  15. Ford — Vehicle Speed Control: Cables03V2800005 August 2003448,005
  16. Nissan — Fuel System, Gasoline: Tank Assembly03V25100014 July 2003377,000
  17. Nissan — Engine and Engine Cooling: Manifold/Header/Muffler/Tail Pipe03V08400011 March 2003338,000
  18. Jeep — Suspension: Lower Ball Joint03V46000010 November 2003336,000
  19. Chevrolet — Electrical System: Interior/Under Dash03V09600019 March 2003314,300
  20. Chevrolet — Seat Belts: Buckle Assembly03V11700031 March 2003312,715
  21. Hyundai — Service Brakes, Hydraulic: Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings03V25700022 July 2003312,292
  22. Volkswagen — Exterior Lighting: Switch03V26500025 July 2003295,136
  23. Dodge — Steering: Column03V07800010 March 2003287,725
  24. Nissan — Electrical System: Module03V47700014 November 2003276,000
  25. Ford — Seats: Mid/Rear Assembly03V4590006 November 2003257,119

The 25 largest of 600 filed in 2003. See every recall or the largest on record.

← 2002 (514)2004 (699) →

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

About this figure

2003 here is the year the recall was filed with NHTSA, not the model year of the vehicles. A 2003 filing routinely covers vehicles built years earlier, and a car of model year 2003 appears in filings for years afterwards.

“Vehicles covered” sums the manufacturer’s own estimate for each campaign. A vehicle recalled twice in 2003 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 2003 because the flag did not exist then \u2014 not because no 2003 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.