California leads the nation for the most vehicles — 5.6 million — with unrepaired safety recalls, according to new research from Carfax.  

The Lone Star State is a close second with Texas claiming 5.1 million vehicles with open recalls. And Florida comes in third on the list with 3.1 million open recalls.

Nationwide, more than 50 million vehicles today are being driven with a known issue that should be repaired. The good news is that the overall number of vehicles with an open recall is down almost 6% from 2021. Even so, far too many motorists remain at risk.

Other states that ranked among the top 10 for most vehicles with unfixed recalls include New York, which came in fourth on the Carfax list with 1.9 million, Pennsylvania (1.8 million), Ohio (1.8 million), Georgia (1.7 million), North Carolina (1.6 million), Illinois (1.6 million), and Michigan (1.4 million).

Another noteworthy finding from the Carfax research concerns types of vehicles most likely to have unfixed problems. In 2022, sedans and SUVs are the vehicles most likely to have unrepaired recalls. 

Interestingly, the report notes that Southern states continue to have the highest open-recall percentages including Mississippi at 24%, followed by Texas and Louisiana, both at 23%.

Recalled vehicles are a safety hazard and require urgent repairs. Recall repairs can often be completed in only an hour or two, and most repairs take far less than a day. Federal law requires that all recall work be completed at no charge to owners.