Counting Recall Files as Campaigns Would Repeat the Same Campaign IDs Main conclusion A recall headline must distinguish campaign IDs from their appearances Several files can legitimately describe where one campaign appears across model scopes. They remain useful as separate applicability records, but counting each as a new campaign repeats the underlying identifier. The 771-ID total applies only to the identifiers cited in this selected collection. Analysis Why both counts can be correct while describing different things A manufacturer campaign may apply to more than one model or year. Editorial files preserve those scopes so readers can find the relevant record. Repeated campaign citations are therefore meaningful for navigation and applicability, but they do not establish additional independent campaigns. This collection contains 1,200 recall-based files. Of those, 1,186 have extractable IDs under the method, and their cited IDs deduplicate to 771. Fourteen files remain without an extracted identifier. Reporting either file count as the unique-campaign total would skip the deduplication and extraction boundaries that define that claim. The repetition is not confined to one unusual campaign: 205 of the 771 cited IDs, or 26.6%, appear in more than one retained file. That explains why changing the counting unit can alter the headline materially. The percentage is about repeated citations in this collection, not the share of vehicles recalled or the share of all NHTSA campaigns affecting several models. Deduplication should follow the question. Count distinct campaign IDs for a campaign-reference audit, preserve make/model/year entries when describing source applicability, and use a VIN inquiry for the individual vehicle. This partial collection cannot replace the site's separate complete NHTSA model-year aggregates or establish the global number of recalls. Conclusion State the counting unit before comparing recall totals For a unique-campaign claim, deduplicate the cited IDs and keep the 14 unmatched files visible. For an applicability claim, retain the separate model scopes and label them as entries. Neither unit is a failure count or a VIN eligibility result. Clear units prevent a larger editorial file count from being mistaken for more unique campaigns. Suggested attributed interpretation: “One recall campaign can produce several useful model records without becoming several recalls. In AutoWarranty's selected collection, 1,186 files with extractable identifiers refer to 771 distinct campaign IDs.” Numeric finding quotation: “Within AutoWarranty's selected recall collection, 1,186 files with extractable identifiers refer to 771 distinct campaign IDs. Repeated files and model-year appearances are different counting units from unique recall campaigns.” Attribution: AutoWarranty.Autos analysis Population: 1,200 selected recall files; campaign references extracted from their evidence fields Snapshot: Retained problem source generated 2026-08-03 Published: 2026-10-12; analysis reviewed: 2026-10-12 Method - Select the 1,200 files classified as recalls in the retained source. - Extract case-insensitive IDs matching two digits, V and six digits from evidence reference fields; normalize to uppercase and deduplicate within each file. - Count distinct referenced IDs across extractable files. Keep the 14 unmatched files visible rather than guessing their identifiers. - For the secondary figure, count original problem files citing each campaign. Do not count those files as vehicles, failures or independent campaigns. Limits - The selected library is not the complete NHTSA recall database. - Fourteen files lack an extractable reference under the method and are not included in the 771-ID figure. - Different IDs can concern related conditions; this method deduplicates identifiers, not defect mechanisms. - No VIN status, fleet-size denominator, completion rate or failure probability is available from these counts. Sources Retained problem-file source and scope | 2026-08-03 | /car-problem-guides/method NHTSA bulk recall data and definitions | 2026-08-03 | https://www.nhtsa.gov/nhtsa-datasets-and-apis NHTSA campaign 23V858000 | Dec 18, 2023 | https://api.nhtsa.gov/recalls/campaignNumber?campaignNumber=23V858000 Report: https://autowarranty.autos/research/recall-counting-units Data: https://autowarranty.autos/research/recall-counting-units/data 1,186 recall files refer to 771 cited campaign IDs The 415 difference between extractable files and distinct IDs reflects repeated citations. It is not a count of unaffected vehicles, repaired cars or duplicate failures. https://autowarranty.autos/research/recall-counting-units/figures/files-to-campaigns https://autowarranty.autos/assets/research/recall-counting-units-files-to-campaigns.png One recall can appear in several model problem files Counting these files as independent recalls would repeat an identifier. These source files do not replace the site's separate NHTSA model-year population. https://autowarranty.autos/research/recall-counting-units/figures/repeated-citations https://autowarranty.autos/assets/research/recall-counting-units-repeated-citations.png Contact: me@autowarranty.autos Credit AutoWarranty.Autos and link to the report when citing our analysis or graphics. Underlying source material retains its own terms.