Component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH

3,866 NHTSA complaints about electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash issues across 49 makes and 501 models.

The electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 3,866 filings from 49 manufacturers and 501 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 61 crashes, 1,184 fires, 113 injuries, and 14 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD EXPLORER with 94 filings, followed by FORD TAURUS and FORD ESCORT. 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.

3,866
Complaints
501
Models Affected
61
Crashes
1,184
Fires
14
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD EXPLORER 94
2 FORD TAURUS 80
3 FORD ESCORT 70
4 FORD AEROSTAR 70
5 PONTIAC GRAND AM 67
6 FORD RANGER 61
7 FORD CONTOUR 61
8 FORD F-150 60
9 DODGE CARAVAN 60
10 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 55
11 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 52
12 JEEP WRANGLER 52
13 DODGE NEON 52
14 CHEVROLET CORSICA 52
15 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 51
16 JEEP CHEROKEE 49
17 FORD WINDSTAR 49
18 FORD EXPEDITION 49
19 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 47
20 LINCOLN TOWN CAR 45
21 MERCURY SABLE 40
22 CHEVROLET ASTRO 39
23 FORD MUSTANG 38
24 CHEVROLET BLAZER 38
25 DODGE DAKOTA 37
26 DODGE DURANGO 36
27 FORD FOCUS 35
28 DODGE RAM 1500 35
29 DODGE INTREPID 35
30 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 35

Recent Complaints

2017 LEXUS IS

The contact owns a 2017 Lexus IS 200t. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the rain, water leaked into the dashboard causing the headlights to fail. The contact took the vehicle to

2019 RAM 3500

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the electronic parking brake was engaged, and the vehicle inadvertently shut off and failed to restart.

2022 TESLA MODEL Y

The contact owns a 2022 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated while driving approximately 35 MPH the vehicle control display had frozen. The contact said she had no information on the display, the contact

2020 NISSAN FRONTIER

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that since purchasing the vehicle, the dashboard lights were significantly dim, affecting his visibility of the speedometer while driving. T

2020 FORD TRANSIT

UPDATE TO COMPLAINT NO 11302124 DATED 2/26/2020 SPOKE WITH FORD CUST SERVICE REP REGARDING THE ISSUES AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT WITH DEALER TO CHECK OUT THE SEAT AND ELECTRIC SYSTEM. THE

2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA

TL* TAKATA RECALL. THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TUNDRA. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 19V741000 (AIR BAGS) AND INQUIRED OF MANUFACTURER AND DEALER RESPOSNIBILITY IN REGARDS TO THE RECA

2009 HUMMER H3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 HUMMER H3. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN SHE ATTEMPTED TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE, SHE NOTICED THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS FILLED WITH WATER AND THE ELECTRICAL SENSORS WERE ALL AFFECTED. SE

2011 GMC YUKON

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 GMC YUKON. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V381000 (AIR BAGS). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS FRACTURED IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE P

2008 CHEVROLET AVEO Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 CHEVROLET AVEO. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, SMOKE ENTERED THE CABIN OF THE VEHICLE FROM UNDER THE STEERING PANEL. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO SAFELY EXIT THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPAR

2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DASHBOARD WAS CRACKED AND FORMING INTO PIECES. THE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT

2006 SCION XB

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 SCION XB. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUSE BOX UNDERNEATH THE STEERING WHEEL WAS MALFUNCTIONING AND THE WIRE WAS HOT, WHICH CREATED A POSSIBLE FIRE HAZARD. THE FAILURE ALSO

1998 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 1998 LAND ROVER DISCOVERY. WHILE DRIVING AND DEPRESSING THE BRAKE PEDAL, FLAMES APPEARED UNDER THE DASHBOARD. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED. A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE LOCAL

2016 CHEVROLET SONIC

2016 CHEVROLET SONIC. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO DEFECTIVE DASHBOARD WIRING. CONSUMER BELIEVES IT CAN BE A MANUFACTURING DEFECT AND WOULD LIKE ASSISTANCE TO RESOLVE SAFETY ISSUE AND REPAIR COST. *A

2011 HONDA CIVIC Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 HONDA CIVIC. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE AND SMOKE EMERGED FROM THE STEERING COLUMN. THE CONTACT DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TERMINAL BE

2008 BMW 335XI Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2008 BMW 335XI. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, SMOKE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM THE DASHBOARD. THE CONTACT ALSO NOTICED THAT THE BOTTOM OF THE DASHBOARD ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE

2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2010 MERCEDES-BENZ GL450. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, A BURNT RUBBER ODOR WAS DETECTED INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTICED FLA

2015 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS RESTARTED, THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FAILED TO ILLUMINATE. THE VEHICLE WAS

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS

2008 TOYOTA PRIUS. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO ILLUMINATED WARNING LIGHT AND DASH NOT WORKING. *LD THE CONSUMER STATED THAT VEHICLE WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE RECALL DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE.

2007 BMW 328I Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2007 BMW 328I. WHILE DRIVING WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 75 MPH AND THE HEATER AT 70 DEGREES, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE AND A FLASH OF LIGHT UNDERNEATH THE PASSENG

2005 HYUNDAI XG350 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 HYUNDAI XG350. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT CAUGHT FIRE AND EXPLODED UNDER THE CONSOLE WHERE THE STICK SHIFT WAS LOCATED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO IN

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash issues?
The NHTSA has received 3,866 complaints about electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash problems across 501 vehicle models from 49 manufacturers.
How dangerous are electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash defects?
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH issues have been linked to 61 crashes, 1,184 fires, 113 injuries, and 14 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for electrical system:wiring:interior/under dash issues is the FORD EXPLORER with 94 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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