More than 3.2 million vehicles across the United States have unrepaired safety recalls that warn owners to park outside and away from garages and homes due to serious fire risks. Texas leads all states with over 300,000 affected vehicles still in use, according to vehicle history company Carfax.
What makes these recalls especially alarming is that a vehicle does not need to be running to catch fire. Electrical faults, overheating wiring, and faulty components can ignite a vehicle while it sits completely unattended in a driveway or enclosed garage.
One of the largest active recalls involves more than one million Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator models from 2021 through 2025. Manufacturer Stellantis identified a wiring issue connected to the hydraulic power steering pump that can overheat and spark a fire with the ignition fully off. At least 72 fires and one injury have already been linked to the defect.
Kia issued a separate park outside recall this summer covering nearly 463,000 Telluride SUVs. The automaker reported that a front power seat switch can overheat and ignite the seat material. Seven seat fires and 11 incidents involving melting seat motors have been confirmed.
Importantly Kia owners who previously had their vehicles repaired under an earlier related recall must return to a dealership again for a new remedy.
Carfax spokesperson Em Nguyen described park outside recalls as among the most serious category of vehicle safety warnings. Nguyen said the number of active park outside recalls could number in the hundreds or even thousands as automakers continue adding advanced electrical systems to both gas-powered and electric vehicles.
Owners of affected vehicles are urged to follow manufacturer instructions immediately and avoid parking inside any structure until repairs are completed. All safety recall repairs are performed at no cost to the vehicle owner through authorized dealerships.
Drivers can check whether their vehicle is affected by visiting NHTSA.gov/recalls or Carfax.com/recall and entering their vehicle identification number or license plate details. Both resources are free to use.
With Texas carrying the highest number of unrepaired park outside recalls in the nation the risk to homes, garages, and neighboring properties is significant. Safety officials stress that acting quickly on these notices is critical given that fires can start without warning at any time.