Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH

6,487 NHTSA complaints about electrical system:ignition:switch issues across 44 makes and 449 models.

The electrical system:ignition:switch is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 6,487 filings from 44 manufacturers and 449 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 119 crashes, 1,279 fires, 98 injuries, and 16 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD FOCUS with 798 filings, followed by HONDA ACCORD and FORD AEROSTAR. 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.

6,487
Complaints
449
Models Affected
119
Crashes
1,279
Fires
16
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD FOCUS 798
2 HONDA ACCORD 462
3 FORD AEROSTAR 270
4 FORD TAURUS 257
5 FORD ESCORT 241
6 PONTIAC GRAND AM 212
7 SATURN ION 154
8 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 137
9 FORD MUSTANG 123
10 HONDA CIVIC 113
11 CHEVROLET MALIBU 111
12 FORD TEMPO 107
13 HONDA ODYSSEY 93
14 FORD F150 93
15 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 92
16 FORD RANGER 86
17 FORD THUNDERBIRD 82
18 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 80
19 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 78
20 MERCURY SABLE 73
21 DODGE RAM 70
22 FORD F-150 67
23 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 58
24 AUDI A4 54
25 CHEVROLET IMPALA 53
26 CHEVROLET COBALT 53
27 HONDA CR-V 51
28 MERCURY COUGAR 50
29 FORD EXPLORER 49
30 AUDI A6 42

Recent Complaints

2007 BMW X3

The contact owns a 2007 BMW X3. The contact stated that the vehicle had been taken to the dealer to be repaired under an undisclosed Takata recall repair; however, after the recall repair was performe

2016 GMC CANYON

The contact owns a 2016 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that after arriving to his destination, he became aware that the ignition switch would not release the key. After restarting the vehicle and then

2019 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

See attached document for complaint

2017 TOYOTA RAV4

The contact owns 2017 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving downhill at night with the headlights illuminated, the windshield darkened, and the contact lost visibility of the roadway. The vehi

1999 HONDA CIVIC

The contact owns a 1999 Honda Civic. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lost electrical power inadvertently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to veer to t

2018 NISSAN FRONTIER

The contact owns a 2018 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that upon inserting the key in the ignition switch to start the vehicle, the ignition switch was significantly loose, preventing the vehicle

1999 HONDA ODYSSEY

The contact owns a 1999 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed tha

1999 HONDA PRELUDE

The contact owns a 1999 Honda Prelude. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact became aware that the failure was due to the ign

2015 CHEVROLET CAMARO

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, the flip key failed to operate as designed and became stuck in the igniti

2007 CADILLAC CTS

The contact owns a 2007 Cadillac CTS. The contact stated upon parking the vehicle, he attempted to release the ignition key from the ignition switch however, the key remained stuck inside the ignition

2008 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after pulling into the garage and parking the vehicle, the vehicle was turned off however, the key had seized in the ignition switc

2018 PORSCHE 911

The contact owns a 2018 Porsche Carrera. The contact stated while driving at 50MPH when the contact attempted to turn off their headlight switch on the vehicle but instead accidentally hit the ignitio

2007 CHEVROLET COBALT

The contact owns a 2007 Chevrolet Cobalt. The contact’s mother stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would stall without warning. The contact stated no warning lights was illumina

2019 RAM 1500 Fire

The contact owned a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while inside of her residence the vehicle was parked in the driveway when without warning the vehicle independently engulfed with flames. The

2007 CHRYSLER 300

The contact owns a 2007 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while driving at 30 MPH, her vehicle shut off without warning. Unable to restart the vehicle, the contact had the vehicle towed to her hom

2017 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2017 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT HAD TO TURN THE STEERING WHEEL SEVERAL TIMES IN ORD

2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE IGNITION SWITCH FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN THE KEY WAS PLACED INTO THE IGNITION, THE KEY FAILED TO TURN. THE

2015 SUBARU IMPREZA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 SUBARU IMPREZA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER SHIFTING INTO PARK, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO REMOVE THE KEY FROM THE IGNITION SWITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEAL

2016 SUBARU FORESTER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 SUBARU FORESTER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS STUCK IN THE IGNITION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE BEFORE THE KEY RELEASED AND WAS REMOVED FROM

2003 HONDA ELEMENT

2003 HONDA ELEMENT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG AND IGNITION SWITCH SAFETY RECALL. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS IMPROPERLY REPAIRED DURING THE RECALL REPAIR PROCE

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve electrical system:ignition:switch issues?
The NHTSA has received 6,487 complaints about electrical system:ignition:switch problems across 449 vehicle models from 44 manufacturers.
How dangerous are electrical system:ignition:switch defects?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:SWITCH issues have been linked to 119 crashes, 1,279 fires, 98 injuries, and 16 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most electrical system:ignition:switch problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for electrical system:ignition:switch issues is the FORD FOCUS with 798 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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