Ford’s 2025 recall count surprisingly exceeds Mitsubishi’s 40-year total. Discover the startling truth about vehicle reliability. Read more!
In the automotive world, recalls are often seen as a necessary evil to ensure passenger safety. However, the scale of these recalls can vary wildly between manufacturers. A recent analysis by Carscoops has highlighted a staggering disparity between two industry giants: Ford and Mitsubishi.
The Ford Phenomenon: A Weekly Routine
For many Ford owners in the United States, checking for recall notices from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has become a weekly ritual. The frequency of these alerts has reached an unprecedented level, turning what should be a rare occurrence into a common habit for the brand’s customer base.
The statistics for 2025 are particularly eye-opening. In a single calendar year, Ford issued a record-breaking 153 recalls in the U.S. market—the highest number ever recorded by any automaker in a single year.
Mitsubishi: A Record of Remarkable Stability
In stark contrast, Mitsubishi’s history in the U.S. is characterized by a very modest recall record. Since the company separated from Chrysler and began operating as a standalone entity in the American market in 1987, its track record has been exceptionally clean.
Over the course of nearly 40 years, Mitsubishi has issued a total of only 150 recalls, affecting approximately 7.6 million vehicles. To put this into perspective: Mitsubishi’s total recall count since 1987 is actually lower than what Ford achieved in just the first few months of 2025.
Comparing the Industry Peers
Mitsubishi isn’t the only brand with a unique trajectory. Other manufacturers show varying levels of activity:
- Suzuki: Issued 112 recalls, though most occurred before the brand exited the U.S. market in 2012.
- Tesla: Despite being in the market for less than a decade, the EV giant has already clocked 90 recalls.
A Deep Dive into Mitsubishi’s Reliability
Mitsubishi has even managed the rare feat of completing entire years without a single recall in the U.S., with the most recent occurrence being in 2024.
The brand’s “busiest” era occurred between 2014 and 2018, averaging about eight recalls per year. Its all-time peak was in the year 2000, with 10 recalls affecting over 1 million cars, including a major recall of 567,432 vehicles due to lower ball joint dust boot issues. More recent recalls in 2025 and 2026 have been minor, focusing on liftgate springs and rearview camera glitches.
Does Sales Volume Explain the Difference?
Defenders of larger brands often argue that more sales naturally lead to more recalls. It is true that Ford sells roughly 22 times more vehicles than Mitsubishi. While sales volume explains the total number of vehicles affected, it doesn’t necessarily justify the frequency of recall orders.
The Long-Term Leaderboard (1987 – 2026)
When looking at the broader timeline from 1987 through April 2026, the gap becomes an abyss. The top three “busiest” manufacturers in terms of recall volume are:
- Ford: 1,285 recalls (affecting nearly 187 million vehicles)
- General Motors: 1,238 recalls (affecting over 153 million vehicles)
- Stellantis: 1,046 recalls (affecting nearly 132 million vehicles)
While high-volume manufacturers face more complex logistical challenges, the data suggests that Mitsubishi has maintained a level of consistency and reliability that is nearly unmatched in the mass-market automotive segment.