Park Outside Recalls: Every Vehicle With a Fire Warning

A Park Outside recall is a warning that a vehicle can catch fire while parked and switched off, so it shouldn’t be left in a garage, carport or next to a house until the free repair is done. This guide explains the warning, lists every recent Park Outside recall for cars and trucks from NHTSA’s file, and shows which ones are still largely unrepaired.

What a Park Outside recall means

Most fire risks in recalls happen while driving. A Park Outside recall is different: the defect can start a fire with the ignition off and nobody in the car, often because a part that stays powered, such as a seat motor, a brake control module or a battery, can short-circuit or overheat. NHTSA and the automaker tell owners to park outdoors and away from structures and other vehicles until the repair is complete.

For example, NHTSA’s alert on the June 2026 Jeep recall told owners to keep their vehicles out of garages:

“Owners should park their vehicles outside and away from other vehicles and buildings until their vehicle has been repaired.”National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Urgent Park Outside Warning Issued for 1 Million Jeeps, June 9, 2026

Park Outside is a separate flag from Do Not Drive. Some recalls carry both; a Park Outside vehicle can usually still be driven to the dealer. For plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles, the notice may also tell you not to charge until the repair is done.

Why there are more of them

NHTSA’s recall data first carries the Park Outside flag in 2015, and for years it was rare. That changed around 2020, and the count has stayed high since:

The causes are spread across the car, not concentrated in electric vehicles. Modern vehicles keep more circuits powered after you lock them, from seat and steering motors to control modules and tow-hitch wiring. A former NHTSA investigator made this point to the Washington Post, as reported by Motor1, which also cited a CARFAX analysis putting unresolved Park Outside recalls at roughly 3.2 million vehicles (Motor1 via Yahoo Autos, Aug 2026). Our own estimate below, built from NHTSA’s completion data, lands in the same range.

Park Outside recalls by the numbers

Grouped by the first component NHTSA lists. Source: NHTSA recalls file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

Electrical faults lead, but brakes rank high too, because several of the largest campaigns involve anti-lock brake (ABS) control units that can short-circuit even when the car is parked. The automakers with the most vehicles under Park Outside recalls:

“Repaired” weights each campaign’s reported completion rate by its vehicle count; “not yet repaired” is the matching estimate. A vehicle in several campaigns is counted in each. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

Recent Park Outside recalls for cars and trucks

These are the Park Outside campaigns filed since the start of 2025 that cover cars, SUVs, pickups and vans in our catalog, newest first. Each campaign number links to its NHTSA record.

Vehicle descriptions are NHTSA’s own summary wording; “repaired” is the share the manufacturer reports as fixed, and new campaigns start near zero. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

The largest recent one is the June 2026 Jeep recall: 1,076,999 2021–2025 Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles with a power-steering pump wiring connection that can overheat. NHTSA said it was aware of 51 fires and one injury likely linked to the problem, and that the recall followed an investigation it opened after multiple fire reports. You can see the full recall history on our Jeep recalls page and the Jeep Wrangler report.

The Hyundai and Kia fire recalls

Hyundai and Kia account for many of the Park Outside campaigns in NHTSA’s file. The biggest came in September 2023, when the two brands recalled about 3.4 million vehicles together because the anti-lock brake control unit can short-circuit and start an engine-compartment fire, whether the car is parked or being driven. In NHTSA’s wording, Hyundai’s campaign (23V651000) covers certain 2011–2015 Elantra, Genesis Coupe and Sonata Hybrid; 2012–2015 Accent, Azera and Veloster; 2013–2015 Elantra Coupe and Santa Fe; 2014–2015 Equus; 2010–2012 Veracruz; 2010–2013 Tucson; 2015 Tucson Fuel Cell; and 2013 Santa Fe Sport. Hyundai says the ABS module can leak brake fluid internally and short. Kia’s campaign (23V652000) covers certain 2010–2019 Borrego; 2014–2016 Cadenza; 2010–2013 Forte, Forte Koup and Sportage; 2015–2018 K900; 2011–2015 Optima; 2011–2013 Optima Hybrid and Soul; 2012–2017 Rio; 2011–2014 Sorento; and 2010–2011 Rondo.

By the manufacturers’ latest completion reports in our data, each of these two campaigns is only about a third repaired, the lowest of any Park Outside recall covering more than 100,000 vehicles. Most of these vehicles are now 7 to 16 years old, an age when cars have often changed hands and recall letters can miss the current owner. Other Hyundai and Kia Park Outside recalls include the 2020–2024 Kia Telluride power-seat motor fire (462,869 vehicles), several tow-hitch wiring harness recalls, and battery fire recalls on some electric models. Check any Hyundai or Kia by VIN, and see the campaign lists on our Hyundai and Kia recall pages.

What to do if your car has one

1. Move it outside now. Park in the open, away from your house, garage, carport and other vehicles. Don’t leave it in a parking structure.
2. Follow any charging instruction. If the notice says not to charge a plug-in hybrid or EV, don’t.
3. Book the free repair with a franchised dealer. If the remedy isn’t ready yet, the automaker sends a second letter when parts arrive; ask the dealer whether there’s an interim fix.
4. Watch for warning signs such as a burning smell, smoke or a warning light, and don’t keep using the car if they appear. Call the dealer and, in an emergency, 911.
5. Check every car you own or are about to buy. Enter the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls; our guide shows where the VIN is.

For the bigger picture on how recalls work, including the 15-year limit on free repairs that applies to most recalls, see our recall guide.

This guide is general safety information. NHTSA’s VIN lookup and your manufacturer are the authority for your specific vehicle.