Tesla Tops List Of Most Recalled Models Followed By Porsche

Tesla's entire lineup is represented among the list of most recalled vehicles in America, and Porsche isn't far behind, with a total of four models on the list, according to a new study.

While recalls are basically inevitable, if an automaker is forced to launch more than a few recall campaigns, questions about the quality of its production methods arise. And that's fair, because it turns out there is a lot of variation between the vehicles with the most recalls and the ones with the least, meaning that there are reliable vehicles out there for consumers to pick from.

Used car marketplace iSeeCars looked at recall data from between 2014 and 2023 published by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. It found that, on average, American vehicles are subject to four recalls over the course of their lifespan. However, the average doesn't paint the full picture.

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"Recall rates can vary between makes and models," said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars' Executive Analyst. "But the extreme variation in the number of recalls a car is projected to receive over its lifetime is something we didn't expect. For consumers who don't want to deal with a recall, the top models offer a substantially lower risk than even average models, such as the Chevrolet Equinox or Honda Ridgeline, with four predicted lifetime recalls. Avoiding a recall by owning  a highly rated model, like the Hyundai Elantra GT or Mercedes CLA, means less time spent scheduling a dealer visit, taking the vehicle in, and waiting for repairs to be made."

Over the course of 30 years, the vehicle that is projected to be involved in the fewest recalls is the Mini Convertible, with 0.2. Mercedes appears on the list eight times, suggesting that its production quality is high.

Meanwhile, at the rate things are going, the Tesla Model Y is expected to have been involved in 62.4 recalls at that same time, 15.6 times as many as the average vehicle. That number is somewhat inflated by the rate of safety recalls that can be completed over-the-air, meaning that some are not as inconvenient for owners.

Not all Tesla recalls are quite so simple, though. The Model 3, for example, was recently involved in a recall relating to suspension links that might separate from the subframe, which is a very serious issue, indeed, and one that must be solved by a mechanic.

More notably still, the rate of recalls for the Tesla Model S (projected to be included in 26.4 recalls over its lifespan), doesn't behave like other vehicles'. Whereas most vehicles experience the majority of recalls in the first few years after they leave the factory, and then fall off from there, the Model S saw a huge spike in recalls, then another smaller spike, before the recalls started trailing off.

Of course, Tesla is a relatively young company working on new production methods for electric vehicles, so it is perhaps not surprising that it is among the worst offenders when it comes to recalls.

More surprising is that Germany's Porsche which prides itself on its endurance racing expertise is tied with Tesla when it comes to the number of vehicles on the top recalled vehicle list. The Panamera, Macan, Cayenne, and 911 are all on the list of most recalled vehicles in America. Meaning that sports car enthusiasts might want to look at a Boxster or a Cayman if they insist on getting a Porsche.