Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS

2,154 NHTSA complaints about electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers issues across 44 makes and 421 models.

The electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 2,154 filings from 44 manufacturers and 421 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 36 crashes, 258 fires, 25 injuries, and 2 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD F-150 with 67 filings, followed by FORD CONTOUR and PONTIAC GRAND AM. 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.

2,154
Complaints
421
Models Affected
36
Crashes
258
Fires
2
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD F-150 67
2 FORD CONTOUR 61
3 PONTIAC GRAND AM 49
4 FORD EXPLORER 49
5 FORD TAURUS 44
6 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 42
7 CHEVROLET MALIBU 35
8 DODGE RAM 34
9 FORD WINDSTAR 31
10 CHEVROLET BLAZER 30
11 FORD EXPEDITION 29
12 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 28
13 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 27
14 FORD ESCORT 26
15 DODGE RAM 1500 26
16 CHEVROLET S10 26
17 DODGE CARAVAN 23
18 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 22
19 MERCURY SABLE 22
20 KIA SEPHIA 22
21 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 21
22 JEEP CHEROKEE 21
23 MERCURY MYSTIQUE 20
24 FORD RANGER 20
25 FORD FOCUS 20
26 DODGE NEON 19
27 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 19
28 TOYOTA CAMRY 18
29 FORD THUNDERBIRD 18
30 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 17

Recent Complaints

2008 FORD MUSTANG

See attached document for complaint.

2020 FORD F-250

The contact owns a 2020 Ford F-250. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where

2014 DODGE DURANGO

The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Durango. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start as intended. The contact stated that an intermittent warning light for

2021 FORD F-250

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and idling, the vehicle shut off and failed to restart. There were no warning lights illuminated before the fai

2021 GMC SIERRA 1500

The contact owns a 2021 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment, after which the vehicle lost motive powe

2013 FORD F-150

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and hauling a travel trailer, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated to 35-40 MPH temporarily. The power train warning light w

2017 HONDA PILOT

The contact owns a 2017 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while depressing the hatchback release button to open the hatchback, the hatchback failed to open. The vehicle was taken to an independent mecha

2018 JEEP WRANGLER

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel seized, and the steering wheel became difficult to maneuver. The vehicle was to

2009 FORD FUSION

The contact owns a 2009 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal depressed with no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer however,

2022 KIA K5

The contact owns a 2022 Kia K5. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 35 MPH, the A/C unit occasionally shut off, and failed to return to normal operation several minutes la

2013 KIA FORTE

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Forte. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 55-70 MPH. The contact stated that upon depressing the brake pedal slightly, the veh

2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while his wife was driving around a roundabout and stopping the vehicle, the vehicle shut off. The driver continued depressing the Push-

2013 KIA SORENTO

The contact owns a 2013 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that t

2013 FORD F-150

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and independently restarted several times. The check engine warning l

2014 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

The contact owns a 2014 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, the brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnose

2015 GMC SIERRA 1500

The contact owns a 2015 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the fuse box had caught on fire duri

2012 FORD F-150

The contact owns a 2012 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled with the transmission warning light illuminated. Due to the failure, the contact had the vehicl

2019 DODGE CHARGER

The contact owns a 2019 Dodge Charger. The contact stated while driving at unknown speeds, the driver's side headlight was inoperable. The 20-amp fuse was black and burned. The contact who is a mechan

2019 SUBARU OUTBACK

The contact owns a 2019 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while attempting to start the vehicle, it was discovered that the battery power was drained. The battery was recharged; however, later the fa

2012 DODGE CHARGER

The contact owns a 2012 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, he became aware that the air conditioning system was inoperable. Additionally, the contact became aware tha

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers issues?
The NHTSA has received 2,154 complaints about electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers problems across 421 vehicle models from 44 manufacturers.
How dangerous are electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers defects?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS issues have been linked to 36 crashes, 258 fires, 25 injuries, and 2 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers issues is the FORD F-150 with 67 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.

Verify with FDA →