Recall Masters, a provider in automotive recall management and retention solutions, released its annual State of Recalls Report, with comprehensive data about U.S. automotive recall activity in 2024. The research identifies 445 NHTSA-mandated recall campaigns together with 238 voluntary manufacturer recall notices affecting more than 28 million passenger vehicles, light trucks, and vans.

The report revealed 505 total recall campaigns in 2024 were all classified as “high-risk.” This includes both federal recalls and voluntary notices, many of which are not published in the NHTSA database and are often overlooked by dealerships.

The data shows once a recall campaign hits the three-year mark, the chances of getting those vehicles repaired drop significantly. Older cars tend to fall out of sight for dealerships, and owners may stop paying attention to recall notices. But for service departments, those same vehicles could represent missed revenue and a chance to re-engage customers.

In 2024, 174 campaigns affecting 13.8 million vehicles were linked to software and electronic system failures.

Approximately 34.5% of voluntary campaigns are indeed “high-risk,” posing real dangers to consumers and legal exposure for dealerships, especially when off-brand vehicles are sold with unresolved issues. While not publicly disclosed through NHTSA until an investigation is completed, these recalls can still result in litigation. Recall Masters’ MarketSMART platform helps dealerships uncover and address these blind spots.

The average recalled vehicle is now 12.8 years old. While these vehicles are less likely to return for service, when they do, they often bring significant customer-pay repair opportunities. Recall Masters helps dealers target and engage this aging inventory through advanced data and outreach strategies.