Consumer Awareness of Recalls Surges

About nine in 10 U.S. consumers say they are paying closer attention to vehicle recalls this year, according to an online survey by NADA Used Car Guide.

Seven in 10 respondents believe the number of recalls and the volume of vehicles they represent have grown "substantially" in the past few years. But the publication says the actual numbers have been fairly consistent for 20 years at least until they jumped to a record high this year.

General Motors Co. alone has announced 65 recalls involving almost 26 million vehicles in the U.S. since the beginning of 2014.

Some 44% of survey respondents say they become less willing to purchase a brand as its recall tally grows, regardless of the severity of the problems being fixed. But the buying guide says consumer behavior suggests otherwise.

The NADA guide notes that GM's parade of callbacks has had little impact on the prices of its used vehicles. The publication opines that would-be buyers may be becoming desensitized to big recalls by media "noise" and instant electronic reports via Facebook and Twitter.