Safety Gate 2025 Report: Peugeot leads the recall rankings in Europe, followed by Kia and Mercedes-Benz

Reliability vs. Technology: Peugeot leads the recall rankings in 2025, while Dacia remains "clean"

In an automotive industry increasingly obsessed with giant screens and autonomous systems, basic safety remains, paradoxically, the great challenge for manufacturers. Recent data provided by Safety Gate, the European rapid alert system for dangerous products, outlines an interesting landscape for 2025: the total number of recall campaigns has reached almost 400, and the hierarchy of the giants has changed radically.

Peugeot climbs to the top step (of an unwanted podium)

After years of Mercedes-Benz holding the "supremacy" in this regard, 2025 brought a changing of the guard. Peugeot became the brand with the most service recalls in Europe, ticking off no less than 25 campaigns.

The French manufacturer has had a year full of unplanned service visits for almost its entire base range. The 208, 2008, 308, 3008 and 5008 models have been affected by problems ranging from fuel leaks due to loose high-pressure pipes to camshaft chain failures for diesel engines (DV5R).

Top 10: Who else had "emotions" in 2025?

The battle for second place was tight. Kia followed closely behind with 24 campaigns, where their new electric flagship, the EV9, had surprising issues (like missing seat bolts or powertrain errors). Mercedes-Benz, although it dropped to 3rd place, remained under scrutiny with 23 campaigns, many targeting the software of its EQS and EQE electric models.

Dacia: Simplicity is still sacred

In this context of effervescence of alerts, our national brand, Dacia, has done remarkably well. With only 3 recall campaigns throughout 2025, Dacia demonstrates that a less complex architecture often translates into greater reliability.

• Dacia Jogger: Was targeted by an alert regarding insufficient tightening of the rear axle nuts/bolts, which could have affected the stability of the wheels.
• Dacia Duster: It had two alerts — one related to the brake relay sensor and another for the ABS system cables, which may have been installed incorrectly.

Although it sounds technical and perhaps a little worrying, 3 recalls at a huge sales volume is an excellent indicator of quality, especially when compared to premium brands that reported 7-8 times more incidents.

Why are recalls increasing?

Don't be fooled by the big numbers; a recall doesn't necessarily mean a "bad car." In 2025, the most alerts were reported in Germany (201), which rather shows an extreme rigor of the authorities and manufacturers in reporting any defect preventively.

The main causes were:

1. Passive safety systems: Airbags and belts (detonation or fastening problems).
2. Electrical systems: A massive increase in electric and hybrids (risk of battery short circuit).
3. Steering and Brakes: Mechanical or software failures that affect vehicle control.

Conclusion

The year 2025 confirmed that the automotive industry is going through a period of “technological vulnerability”. While Peugeot and Kia struggle with the complexity of new platforms, Dacia manages to stay in the green zone of the ranking, offering a balance between cost and safety that many more expensive rivals seem to lack. Tesla and Suzuki also deserve an honorable mention, being the brands with the fewest interventions (only 2 each).