The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported this week, according to the Associated Press (via Forbes), that automakers serviced 15 million vehicles for repair at dealerships in 2007 – an increase of about 30 percent over 2006.

Automakers issued 588 separate recalls, a more common theme these days due to shared platforms. The recalls are also due, in part, to the THREAD act that was established in 2000 after the Firestone tires incident. Since 2000, automakers are averaging 524 separate recalls a year, up from 281 recalls before the act.

Clarence Ditlow, president of the Center for Auto Safety, said, “The manufacturers are more willing to do a recall before the agency starts an investigation, which is a good thing for consumers and a good thing for manufacturers because you are going to catch them before they get big.