1.7 million vehicles recalled for fire risk while parked — NHTSA warns drivers to park outside

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is increasingly issuing "park outside" recall warnings for vehicles that can catch fire even after the engine is turned off. In the first seven months of 2026, the agency launched 17 such recall campaigns affecting approximately 1.7 million vehicles. Eight of those recalls were announced in June and July, including a warning covering 1 million Jeep vehicles with an electrical connection issue involving power-steering pumps.

The notices instruct drivers not to park in garages or near buildings because a vehicle could ignite after it has been shut down. In some cases, owners are also told not to charge their vehicles until repairs become available. These warnings can force drivers into inconvenient parking habits for months while manufacturers work on fixes.

The problem is not limited to electric vehicles. Fire risks can involve high-voltage batteries in plug-in hybrids, but they can also originate from wiring, starter relays, seat motors, and other components that remain electrically live after the engine is off. "The engine is off, but the circuits are still hot, and they stay hot all the time," Frank Borris, a former NHTSA investigator who now works as a safety consultant, told the Washington Post. "There is a lot more electronics in vehicles today," he added, "and that means more stuff can go wrong."

NHTSA created the "park outside" designation in 2015 to draw attention to recalls involving fire risks in or near buildings. In 2022, it added a park-outside warning box to its online recall database. The growing number of such recalls reflects the increasing complexity of modern vehicles, which pack more electrical systems, battery technology, and software-controlled components than ever before. For automakers, this trend means more potential failure points; for drivers, it means more frequent disruptions and safety concerns.