Power Window Recalls: Switches That Melt, Windows That Pinch

Power window recalls fall into two groups: switches that can overheat and melt, sometimes while the car is parked, and windows that close with too much force or fail to reverse when something is in the way. This guide puts every power window recall in NHTSA’s file in one place: which models are covered, what failed in the records’ own words, and how many cars the automakers report as repaired.

Power window recalls in numbers

We count a recall when NHTSA files it under power window devices and controls, or its subject names a power window, window switch, regulator or motor, or FMVSS 118, and the record is about a window. We leave out records that only sit in that category by mistake: motorhome slide-out rooms, awnings and generators, a school bus defroster knob, bus emergency exits, and a Honda body control module recall (20V771) whose main problems are wipers, the defroster and the rear camera. Sunroof-only recalls under FMVSS 118 are covered in our sunroof recalls guide. One vehicle can be in several of these recalls, so the vehicle total counts it each time.

The fire-risk group is much larger, 6.8 million vehicles against 1.7 million for pinch and closing faults, and less repaired: the automakers’ figures leave an estimated 2.4 million unrepaired, counting overlapping recalls and cars now off the road.

Window switches that may melt or catch fire

Most switch fire recalls describe a similar chain: a window switch or door module, usually the driver’s, is damaged by water, another liquid or poorly applied grease, then shorts or overheats and may melt. What differs is the cause and the cars.

Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; table compiled by PlainVIN from each campaign’s record. “Repaired” is the automaker’s reported completion rate. Recalls for the same models overlap.

The GM Express and Savana recall reached beyond vans: Jayco (18V564) and Forest River (18V444) filed the same defect for motorhomes built on the Chevrolet van chassis. Chrysler’s 14V234 is for the switch that opens the rear vent windows on the minivans, not the main windows, but the record’s consequence is the same: “An overheated switch may result in a vehicle fire.”

“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.

Toyota’s two master switch recalls

Toyota’s 2012 recall covered 2,519,424 vehicles from the 2007–2009 model years. The record says the switches “were built using a less precise process for lubricating the internal components”, which may cause the switch to malfunction and overheat. Dealers inspect the switch and apply a special grease that inhibits heat build-up, or replace a switch that is already damaged. The same record says Toyota owners who have a problem with a switch “should not attempt to make repairs” but should contact a dealer.

Three years later Toyota filed 15V689 for 1,814,284 vehicles, from the 2006 to 2011 model years depending on the model. This time the record says grease “may have been inconsistently applied to the sliding electrical contacts”:

If the sliding electrical contacts are not protected by lubricant, debris and moisture that get into the switch may cause a short circuit and the switch assembly may overheat and melt, increasing the risk of a fire.

NHTSA recall record, Toyota campaign 15V689 (2015)

The remedy is an inspection, then lubricant if nothing is wrong or a new circuit board if it is. The two recalls share models and years (the 2007 and 2009 Camry, 2008–2009 Highlander, 2009 Corolla, Tundra and Sequoia, among others), so the two vehicle counts must not be added. Toyota reports 67% of the first recall and 46% of the second as repaired, which leaves about 985,000 vehicles in 15V689 alone without a reported repair. News reports at the time gave larger worldwide totals; the US figures above are the ones in NHTSA’s record.

Toyota also recalled 662,178 2003–2004 Corolla, Matrix and Pontiac Vibe cars in 2008 (08V162) because the bolts holding the front door glass to the window regulator may loosen, so the glass may separate from the regulator, bind and shatter while the window is moving.

Recalls that came back after the first fix

Read side by side, the records show how often a window recall was filed again for the same cars:

Source: NHTSA recall records for each campaign, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; comparison compiled by PlainVIN.

The GM SUV recalls were also among the few window recalls whose records told owners to keep the car outdoors. Honda’s 2012 CR-V record put it this way:

A switch failure, and a fire, could occur even if the vehicle is not in use. As a precaution, owners are advised to park outside until the recall repair has been performed.

NHTSA recall record, Honda campaign 12V486 (2012)

The GM 12V406, 13V248 and 14V404 records carry the same park-outside advice. For every current recall with that warning, see our Park Outside recall list, and for how often cars burn and why, our car fire statistics.

Windows that pinch: FMVSS 118 and auto-reverse

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 118 sets out when power windows, partitions and roof panels may close. Under section S4 they may close only with the key in the on, start or accessory position, after the key is turned off until a front door is opened, under continuous pressure on an outside lock or a remote whose range the standard limits (6 or 11 meters, depending on the type), and in a few other narrow cases. A window that can close in any other circumstance must have an automatic reversal system: under S5 it has to stop and reverse before squeezing a test rod with 100 newtons or more, then open again by a set amount (49 CFR 571.118). Section S6 separately requires that window switches inside the car must not start closing a window when pressed by a test sphere.

Most pinch recalls are about that reversal. The largest by far is Tesla’s:

The window automatic reversal system may not react correctly after detecting an obstruction.

NHTSA recall record, Tesla campaign 22V702 (2022)

It covered 1,096,762 2017–2022 Model 3, 2020–2022 Model Y and 2021–2022 Model S and Model X cars, and the over-the-air software remedy is reported 99% complete. Ford has filed the most pinch recalls since 2014. Its 2024 Ranger and Lincoln Nautilus recall (24V597, 70,483 vehicles) says windows closed with the global closing feature may not reverse after detecting an object; the 2024–2025 Nautilus (24V953, 47,818) also failed the minimum reversal distance; the 2025 Lincoln Aviator (25V484, 23,111) covers rear windows. GM’s newest, filed on September 24, 2026 (26V612), covers 29,347 2025–2027 Cadillac OPTIQ SUVs whose front windows may fail to detect an obstruction when closed with the key fob’s express-up function; owner letters are due November 9, 2026, so no repair rate is reported yet.

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.

Older FMVSS 118 recalls were about windows that worked when they should not. In 1998 Ford (98V012001, 57,400 minivans) and Nissan (98V012002, 46,500) recalled minivans whose windows could be closed after the key was off and the passenger door opened; the remedy was a label reminding owners not to leave children unattended. BMW’s 2023 recall (23V099) covers 3,193 cars whose software may still allow the windows and sunroof to be closed after the digital key is removed, and Kia’s 2020 Cadenza recall (22V022) covers rear windows the driver’s switch could operate after the ignition was off.

When a power window stops working

A window that stops working is usually a wear problem, not a recall, but in several recall records a dead window is the first sign of the defect. GM’s Trailblazer records say a short may cause the power door lock and window switches to “function intermittently or become inoperative” before it overheats. Honda’s 2006 CR-V record (11V456) says that if the switch fails, the windows may become inoperative. GM’s 1992 recall (92V043) describes moisture in the express-down module causing window operation without operator control. If your car is on one of these lists, the failed switch may be the recalled part.

For electrical faults beyond the windows, including other components that can overheat, see our car electrical problems guide. Wipers, mirrors and windows share NHTSA’s “visibility” category, covered in our windshield wiper guide.

What to do if your car is covered

1. Check your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN decoder. Do this even if you had a window recall done before: the table above shows Honda, GM and Ford cars that were recalled again.
2. Follow what the record says. Where a recall record advises parking outside until the repair is done, as the GM 12V406, 13V248, 14V404 and Honda 12V486 records do, follow it. Toyota’s 12V491 record says owners with a switch problem should not attempt repairs themselves and should contact a dealer.
3. Ask whether every campaign is complete. GM’s later recalls replaced an earlier coating remedy with a new door module, and Ford’s re-recalls cover cars repaired incorrectly, so ask the dealer to confirm that no campaign on your VIN is still open.
4. Report a problem such as a hot, melted or smoking switch, or a window that does not reverse, to NHTSA, even if the car is not recalled: see our guide to filing a complaint.

Recall figures are PlainVIN’s analysis of NHTSA’s files and update when we refresh the data. “Reported repaired” is the automaker’s figure. This guide is general information, not mechanical or safety advice for a specific vehicle; the official source for any recall is its NHTSA recall record.