Component

BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT

133 NHTSA complaints about back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert issues across 35 makes and 94 models.

The back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 133 filings from 35 manufacturers and 94 distinct vehicle models, a footprint large enough that defect engineers can isolate part-family patterns across different platforms that share the same supplier or the same federal motor vehicle safety standard.

Among filings citing this component, owners have reported 18 crashes, 1 fire, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT with 4 filings, followed by CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY and LINCOLN TOWN CAR. These severity counters are what separates a nuisance complaint trend from a pattern NHTSA is likely to escalate into a Preliminary Evaluation.

Component-level analysis is how the Office of Defects Investigation spots cross-manufacturer supplier issues — the same airbag inflator, the same takata-style ignition switch, the same brake hose material — before they become industry-wide recalls. When you see a single component accumulating large complaint volume across several unrelated nameplates, that is usually a signature of a shared supplier or a shared federal standard being stressed by real-world conditions. Use the affected-vehicles table below to see whether the pattern is concentrated on a handful of models or distributed evenly, and cross-reference each model's full recall and investigation history before drawing conclusions about any one nameplate.

133
Complaints
94
Models Affected
18
Crashes
1
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 4
2 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 4
3 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 3
4 JEEP COMMANDER 3
5 HONDA ODYSSEY 3
6 FORD ESCAPE 3
7 DODGE RAM 2500 3
8 CHEVROLET IMPALA 3
9 CHEVROLET EQUINOX 3
10 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2
11 TOYOTA RAV4 2
12 TOYOTA PRIUS 2
13 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 2
14 NISSAN MAXIMA 2
15 JEEP COMMANDER 4X2 2
16 HYUNDAI SONATA 2
17 HONDA ACCORD 2
18 FORD WINDSTAR 2
19 FORD FREESTYLE 2
20 FORD FIVE HUNDRED 2
21 FORD F-150 2
22 FORD EXCURSION 2
23 CHRYSLER PACIFICA 2
24 CHEVROLET MALIBU 2
25 CADILLAC ESCALADE 2
26 CADILLAC CTS 2
27 AUDI S4 2
28 ACURA MDX 2
29 VOLVO XC90 1
30 VOLVO VNL 1

Recent Complaints

2020 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

See attached document for complaint.

2022 POLESTAR POLESTAR 2

The screen was already running slowly, I placed the car in reverse to exit a parking space. Instead of displaying the backup camera, the IHU rebooted and there was no backup camera view or rear cross

2023 TESLA MODEL 3 Crash

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model 3. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and shifting to drive(D), the front trunk opened inadvertently, blocking the visibility of the roadway. The con

2014 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while reversing, the pedestrian alert system was inoperable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer

2023 FORD MUSTANG MACH E

The contact owns a 2023 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that while reversing, the "Cross Traffic Alert" system failed to operate as intended, creating a hazard for the driver. No warning light

2022 FORD EDGE

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while reversing and approaching an item located behind the vehicle, the rearview camera pedestrian alert was delayed while engaging. The deal

2018 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

The Blind Spot and Rear traffic alert keep on turning themselves off. This has been happening randomly since 2019 and the vehicle has been back to the dealer in excess of 20 times. This is a major saf

2014 FORD ESCAPE Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD ESCAPE. WHILE BACKING UP THE VEHICLE AT 5 MPH, THE BACK UP SENSOR FAILED AND THE CONTACT CRASHED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. A POLICE REPORT WAS

2015 GMC YUKON

MY NEW, 2015 GMC DENALI IS EQUIPPED WITH A BACKUP CAMERA AND THE QUALITY IS SO POOR AT NIGHT, AS TO MAKE IT NEARLY MORE DANGEROUS TO USE THAN TO IGNORE IT. I HAVE HAD 3 PRIOR GMC DENALI AUTOMOBILES.

2015 CHEVROLET SILVERADO

AFFECTS ALL CURRENT CHEVROLET VEHICLES CURRENTLY SOLD INTO THE USA. CHEVROLET HAS BEGUN USING THE BACKUP LAMPS (REVERSE LIGHTS) TO ILLUMINATE THE AREA AROUND THE VEHICLE EVEN WHEN THE VEHICLE IS OF

2010 RAM 1500 Crash

THE REAR BACK UP SENSORS STARTS TO WORK VERY LATE. WHEN I PUT MY TRUCK IN REVERSE (LEAVING MY CHILD AT SCHOOL) I WENT ABOUT 10FT WHEN I HIT A LIGHTNING POLE IT START TO WORK WHEN THE POLE WAS ABOUT 1

2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 LINCOLN TOWN CAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG WARNING LIGHT CONTINUOUSLY ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT BOTH FRONT SEAT BELT ASSEMBLY MODULES FAILED. IN ADDITI

2014 HONDA ACCORD

THE CAR IS NOT GETTING THE ADVERTISED GAS MILEAGE. I AM ONLY GETTING 21 TO 22 MPG WHICH STINK. THE CAR BACKS UP WHEN IN PARK ALSO. PLEASE LOOK INTO THIS PLEASE. THE BOTTOM UNDER THE CAR IS NOT FINISHE

2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

THE BACKUP CAMERA IN THIS VEHICLE FREQUENTLY FAILS TO ACTIVATE WHEN THE VEHICLE IS PLACED IN REVERSE. VW OFFICIALS ACKNOWLEDGE, IN A WRITTEN RESPONSE, A DELAY TIME OF ONE (1) TO TWO (2) MINUTES BEFORE

2013 BUICK VERANO

THE CAR IS EQUIPPED WITH A BACK UP CAMERA AND SCREEN INSIDE. WHICH I UNDERSTAND WILL SHORTLY BE A REQUIREMENT FOR ALL CARS. HOWEVER THERE ARE SERIOUS PROBLEMS WITH CAMERA/SCREEN SYSTEM. IF CAR IS PARK

2014 TOYOTA RAV4

WHEN VEHICLE IS STARTED AND PUT INTO REVERSE THE BACKUP CAMERA IS DIM AND UNVIEWABLE FOR 15 SEC. BACKING UP DURING THIS PERIOD IS OBVIOUSLY HAZARDOUS AND IT IS VERY ANNOYING TO HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL IT

2013 CHEVROLET EQUINOX

ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE SYSTEM HAS ENGAGED FOR NO EXPLICABLE REASON. WHEN THIS OCCURS THE BRAKES ARE AUTOMATICALLY APPLIED, NOT JAMMED ON, BUT IT DOES SLOW THE VEHICLE DOW

2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

BACKUP CAMERA IS SLOW TO START. MAY TAKE FROM 5 TO 20 SECONDS TO BECOME OPERATIONAL AFTER START UP. THIS IS HAZARD WITH RESPECT TO RELIANCE ON BACKUP CAMERAS BY DRIVERS TO SEE OBSTRUCTIONS BEHIND TH

2013 SUBARU FORESTER Crash

IN MY VEHICLE, I HAVE A BACKUP CAMERA AND I'M THANKFUL FOR IT BUT ALSO I STRONGLY WISH THAT VEHICLE HAD THAT BACKUP SENSOR SYSTEM AS WELL WITH THE INCREASING BEEPING SOUND AS THE VEHICLE GETS CLOSER T

2013 HYUNDAI SONATA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HYUNDAI SONATA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR BACK-UP CAMERA WOULD NOT DISPLAY, MAKING IT DIFFICULT TO VIEW ADDITIONAL VEHICLES AND/OR POSSIBLE PEDESTRIANS LOCATED AT TH

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert issues?
The NHTSA has received 133 complaints about back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert problems across 94 vehicle models from 35 manufacturers.
How dangerous are back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert defects?
BACK OVER PREVENTION:WARNINGS:EXTERNAL/PEDESTRIAN ALERT issues have been linked to 18 crashes, 1 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for back over prevention:warnings:external/pedestrian alert issues is the VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT with 4 complaints.
Where does PlainCars get its safety data?
All vehicle safety data comes from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database, which collects reports from vehicle owners about safety-related defects.

Data Sources

Vehicle complaint data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) complaints database. Includes consumer-reported safety issues filed with NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Severity counts cross-reference NHTSA FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) for fatal incidents where a corresponding FARS record exists.

Component categories are standardized by NHTSA. Crash-test ratings where shown are drawn from the NHTSA New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Complaint counts, crash reports, fire reports, and fatality data reflect consumer-submitted reports and may not represent all incidents.

Disclaimer: This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for vehicle purchase decisions. NHTSA complaint data is self-reported by consumers and has not been verified or investigated. A high complaint count does not necessarily indicate a defect. Always consult a qualified mechanic and check official NHTSA recall notices before making safety-related decisions.

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