More vehicles were recalled for hidden defects in 2014 than in any year prior, setting a new record for risk, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)\u2019s recent report.<\/p>\n
In 2014, 803 separate vehicle recalls were issued for a total of 63.9 million vehicles nationwide. This number more than doubled the previous annual record set in 2004, when 30.8 million vehicles were recalled. Nevertheless, Carfax Inc. estimates that 46 million vehicles are still on the road with defects that have not been addressed. Carfax also estimates as many as 5 million recalled vehicles without repairs were sold or changed hands in 2014.<\/p>\n
The increase in recalls is related to the NHTSA\u2019s efforts to push automakers to pay more attention to potential safety risks and to issue voluntary recalls more quickly. To date in 2015, about 3.5 million vehicles have been affected by recalls. The NHTSA estimates, however, that the total number of vehicles recalled in 2015 may exceed the number recalled in 2014, as efforts to encourage more prompt recalls continue. The desire to encourage prompt recalls arises from several recent situations in which delays may have increased the number of serious injuries and deaths that hidden defects caused.<\/p>\n