Recall woes have penetrated a more unsuspecting area of the transportation business—taxis and rideshare vehicles—underscoring the number of vehicles still on the road in need of repair.
The details: More than one in four taxi and rideshare vehicles analyzed by Carfax across 16 major U.S. cities had at least one unfixed recall, compared with roughly one in five vehicles nationwide.
In New York City, hailing a medallion cab came with nearly a 2-in-5 chance (38.6%) of riding in a vehicle with an unfixed recall, on par with Seattle at 37.5%.
On the other hand, some cities fared far better than the roughly 20% national average, including Los Angeles at 11%, Boston at 9% and Baltimore at roughly 5%.
What they’re saying: “If you’re paying for a ride, you should be able to count on the vehicle being safe, too, but our data shows that isn’t always the case,” said Randall Orr, Vice President of Data Products and Analytics at Carfax.
Why it matters: The high rate of unfixed recalls among taxis and rideshare vehicles highlights another opportunity for dealers to identify vehicles in need of repair, particularly among high-mileage drivers who depend on their cars for income and could benefit from getting safety issues addressed quickly.
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Between the lines: While some recalls involve more urgent safety concerns than others, Carfax’s latest report highlights the challenge automakers and safety regulators face in getting owners to complete needed repairs—which could also represent a potential service opportunity for dealers.
A 2025 report found that roughly 60 million vehicles on U.S. roads still had unfixed recalls—a 16% jump over recent years.
More specifically, about 12 million vehicles were recalled for airbag defects from 2015 to 2024, but roughly 22% remain unfixed.
Data from CDK Global found that 40% of customers who completed recall work bought additional services during the same visit.
Bottom line: The prevalence of unfixed recalls among taxis and rideshare vehicles reinforces the benefits of a more proactive approach to recall outreach, helping dealers address critical repairs while creating additional service opportunities.
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