Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES

534 NHTSA complaints about electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables issues across 37 makes and 196 models.

The electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 534 filings from 37 manufacturers and 196 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 10 crashes, 98 fires, 6 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD FOCUS with 83 filings, followed by MERCURY COUGAR and VOLVO 740. 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.

534
Complaints
196
Models Affected
10
Crashes
98
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD FOCUS 83
2 MERCURY COUGAR 23
3 VOLVO 740 14
4 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 13
5 GMC SUBURBAN 10
6 FORD F-150 9
7 FORD EXPLORER 9
8 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 9
9 BUICK LESABRE 9
10 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE 7
11 DODGE INTREPID 7
12 CHEVROLET TAHOE 7
13 MERCURY SABLE 6
14 MAZDA 626 6
15 GMC SIERRA 1500 6
16 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 6
17 MITSUBISHI GALANT 5
18 HONDA PASSPORT 5
19 DODGE DURANGO 5
20 CHEVROLET MALIBU 5
21 CHEVROLET BLAZER 5
22 CHEVROLET ASTRO 5
23 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE 4
24 PETERBILT PETERBILT 4
25 JEEP WRANGLER 4
26 FORD ESCORT 4
27 FORD AEROSTAR 4
28 DODGE CARAVAN 4
29 CADILLAC DEVILLE 4
30 BUICK ROADMASTER 4

Recent Complaints

2020 CHEVROLET BOLT EV

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The contact stated while driving approximately 4 MPH and exiting the driveway, the check engine warning light and the check gear shifter warning light was il

2021 HONDA CR-V HYBRID

See attached document for complaint

2018 JEEP RENEGADE

See attached document for complaint

2019 NISSAN SENTRA

Parasitic draw on the battery. Drains a period of 8hrs. Have had the battery tested and alternator tested both are good. Had a parasitic draw test done and shows nothing at the time of the test.

2016 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN

The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while driving slower speeds, the vehicle stalled without warning. Due to the failure, the vehicle was coasted to a stop before being

2016 GMC SIERRA 1500

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the engine started making a ticking sound and the vehicle independently turned off. The contact

2012 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Escape. The contact stated while the vehicle was idling in the restaurant drive thru line, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. The vehicle was towed to the local m

2016 HYUNDAI GENESIS

The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Genesis. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked; however, after entering the vehicle, the contact smelled an abnormal smoke odor. The contact opened the hood an

2015 CHEVROLET CRUZE

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that at start up, the key was placed in the ignition however, the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that she attempted to start th

2016 FORD EXPLORER

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated upon conducting a routine inspection on the vehicle, he became aware that the battery was leaking acid onto the terminal connectors, and the t

2014 KIA SPORTAGE

The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sportage. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start immediately and required several attempts to start the vehicle. The contact

2015 CHEVROLET CAPTIVA

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Captiva. The contact stated while his wife was driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled in the middle of the road without warning. The driver coul

2017 GMC SIERRA 1500

The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that various warning lights were illuminat

2014 HYUNDAI SONATA Fire

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed while he was at a complete stop at the stoplight, but it failed to respond. The battery warning ligh

2017 FORD F-150

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle would hesitate upon startup without warning. The contact had initially taken the vehicle to an independent mechanic where the en

2015 FORD FOCUS

My car shut off randomly in the middle of lane and on the highway too. My car show "system fault". Didn't start until I put a new battery. The next day it happened again it show again "system fault".

2008 BMW 328I Fire

2008 BMW 328I. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RUSTED BATTERY CABLES WHICH RESULTED IN VEHICLE FIRE.

2017 GENESIS G80

The contact owns a 2017 Genesis G80. The contact stated while driving 65 mph, there was a loud sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle loses motive power and power steering functionality

2016 LINCOLN MKX Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 LINCOLN MKX. THE CONTACT INITIALLY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER:19V809000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) HOWEVER, THE PARTS AT THE TIME WERE UNAVAILABLE. HASSETT FOR

2014 GMC SIERRA 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 GMC SIERRA 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITH THE STABILI-TRAC WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTA

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables issues?
The NHTSA has received 534 complaints about electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables problems across 196 vehicle models from 37 manufacturers.
How dangerous are electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables defects?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:12V/24V/48V BATTERY:CABLES issues have been linked to 10 crashes, 98 fires, 6 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for electrical system:12v/24v/48v battery:cables issues is the FORD FOCUS with 83 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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