DETROIT — Automobile recalls hit another record last year as stronger government enforcement and widening recalls of exploding air bags pushed the total above 51 million vehicles.
The 2015 number barely beat the old record set in 2014. That total was adjusted downward from nearly 64 million to eliminate double counting in the massive recalls of air bag inflators made by Takata Corp.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recorded almost 900 recalls last year, beating the 2014 record of 803. The number was higher as automakers moved faster to fix problems. They reacted to millions in fines against companies for reporting safety problems too slowly.
The agency says the 2014 total was adjusted to just under 51 million due to double counting and moving some Takata recalls from 2014 into 2015.
