Toyota, General Motors recall millions of vehicles. Why are there so many recalls now?

Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer
·2 min read
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General Motors and Toyota have issued recalls on the GMC Sierra, Chevy Silverado and Toyota Tacoma models, the latest in a long list of recalls in the past week or so.

What's causing the increase? What are the GM and Toyota recalls all about? Here's what to know.

Toyota recalling 380,000 Tacoma models over crash risk

2022 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab (rating also applies to 2023 models) The rear passenger dummy's head approached the front seatback, which increases the risk of head injuries.
2022 Toyota Tacoma Double Cab (rating also applies to 2023 models) The rear passenger dummy's head approached the front seatback, which increases the risk of head injuries.

Toyota is recalling about 380,000 trucks over an axle issue that could increase the risk of a crash, Reuters is reporting via Yahoo Finance.

The recall covers 2022 and 2023 Tacoma vehicles. An axle shaft separation can impact vehicle stability and brake performance due to debris causing improperly secured fasteners, according to a filing by Toyota with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

General Motors recalling 820,000 Silverado and Sierra trucks over tailgate issue

The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pictured here was one of the trucks recalled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last Thursday.
The 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 pictured here was one of the trucks recalled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration last Thursday.

General Motors is recalling about 820,000 pickups in North America because tailgates could open unexpectedly, Fox Business is reporting.

The recall covers certain 2020-2024 Chevrolet Silverado 2500, 3500, and GMC Sierra 2500 and 3500 vehicles that have power unlatching tailgates. The problem occurs if water has leaked into the tailgate's electronic gate-release switch. The electronic switch may short circuit, resulting in the tailgate unlatching.

Automakers recall 1.4 million vehicles in the past week

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued multiple recalls last week for increased crash risks, including vehicles such as the Ram ProMaster, Chevrolet Colorado, Jeep Grand Cherokee and more, USA Today reports.

Learn more about each recall here.

Another automaker recall: Jeep recalls more than 338,000 Grand Cherokees for crash risk

Why are there so many car recalls lately?

It's no coincidence people are hearing about more and more car recalls lately, ABC News reports.

Cars are getting increasingly complex, and all the electronic components increase the likelihood of a malfunction, according to an ABC News analysis of government data and interviews with experts.

"Vehicles have advanced to a degree we've never seen before," Ivan Drury, an auto analyst at data firm Edmunds, told ABC News, citing high-tech features such as self-driving capability and back-up cameras. "It's such a wide swathe of issues that recalls cover that you're going to see this more and more."

The average number of car recalls each year jumped 46% over a 10-year period ending in 2022, when compared with the average over the preceding 10 years, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data shows.

How to check your vehicle for a recall

So how can you find out if there's a recall on your car? There are a few ways:

This article originally appeared on Record-Courier: GM, Chevy, Toyota recall 1.2 million trucks for safety concerns