Component

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL

1,030 NHTSA complaints about engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel issues across 23 makes and 141 models.

The engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 1,030 filings from 23 manufacturers and 141 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 13 crashes, 65 fires, 14 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD F-250 SD with 191 filings, followed by FORD F-350 SD and DODGE RAM 2500. 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.

1,030
Complaints
141
Models Affected
13
Crashes
65
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD F-250 SD 191
2 FORD F-350 SD 153
3 DODGE RAM 2500 65
4 FORD F-350 62
5 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 55
6 FORD F-250 52
7 FORD EXCURSION 42
8 DODGE RAM 3500 31
9 FORD F-450 SD 26
10 FORD F-550 SD 20
11 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 20
12 FORD E-350 19
13 JEEP LIBERTY 14
14 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500 10
15 FORD E550 9
16 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 9
17 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 8
18 GMC SIERRA 2500 8
19 FORD F SUPER DUTY 8
20 RAM 3500 7
21 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500 7
22 RAM 2500 6
23 FORD E-450 6
24 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 5
25 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE 5
26 PETERBILT 379 5
27 GMC SIERRA 5
28 DODGE RAM 5
29 CHEVROLET C3500 5
30 VOLVO VOLVO TRUCK 4

Recent Complaints

2019 GMC SIERRA 2500

Emissions Code showed up on the dash display. Tried to fix the fuel filter and cleaned a sensor off and it still shows the emissions code.

2019 RAM 3500

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was an abnormal ticking sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning lights illuminated. Addition

2000 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 3500

Vehicle regularly stalls while driving, going down hills and any random time at highway speeds, while in traffic, while stopped at traffic controls. This problem happens repeatedly and is apparently r

2016 FORD F-250

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was parked and restarted when it locked itself i

2020 INTERNATIONAL LT

related complaint tracking number: 11442614 The engine crankcase ventilation pours large volumes of exhaust gases and oil vapors into the engine bay of the truck. This is a design flaw. The crankca

2021 FORD F-550 SD Fire

While driving down the road at approximately 45 mph, under normal conditions, with no warning indicators the low fuel pressure light came on. When the driver stopped the vehicle he lost all power and

2015 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 2500

The contact owns a 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated while driving 70 mph, the vehicle loss motive power and stalled and shifted into reduced power mode. The contact had the vehicle to

2007 DODGE RAM 2500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 DODGE RAM 2500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE OPERATING THE VEHICLE THE ODOR OF DIESEL FUEL WAS PRESENT INSIDE THE CABIN WHICH HAD CAUSED RESPIRATORY PROBLEMS FOR THE DRIVE

2013 RAM 2500

2013 DODGE RAM 2500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO TORQUE CONVERTER DRAINS FLUID BACK INTO TRANSMISSION WHEN PARKED OVER NIGHT OR LONGER AT VARIOUS RATES, ENGINE STALLS, GEAR SHIFTER ISSUES. *SMD T

2016 CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 (NA) CHEVROLET SILVERADO HD. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE LOST POWER AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOS

2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

2013 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NO COMMUNICATION FROM CUSTOMER SERVICE REGARDING EMISSIONS ISSUES OR AIRBAG RECALL REPAIRS. CONSUMER STATES WANTS TO BE CONSIDERED FOR BUY-BACK P

2014 RAM 3500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED AND ALL THE WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER ILLUMINATED. THE DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICL

2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500. WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH, THE EXHAUST FLUID LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE EXHAUST HEATER FAIL

2005 DODGE SPRINTER 3500

OUR TURBO RESONATOR FAILED FOUR TIMES. EVERY TIME THIS HAPPENED WE WERE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AT 60 MPH AND THEN SUDDENLY NO POWER AND OUR VEHICLE WENT INTO LIMP MODE AND OUR MAXIMUM SPEED WAS 30 TO

2015 RAM 3500 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 RAM 3500. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, SMOKE APPEARED UNDER THE HOOD AND THE ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. THE CONTACT PULLED OVER, LOOKED U

2010 RAM 3500

2010 DODGE RAM 3500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO REPLACEMENT PARTS NOT AVAILABLE TO REPAIR RECALL NOTICES 14V-635 AND 13V-529. *LD

2015 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF

LETTER FROM SENATOR BROWN ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT REGARDING HIS DISSATISFACTION WITH THE VOLKSWAGEN GROUP OF AMERICA FOLLOWING THE PURCHASE OF HIS JETTA TDI (ATTN: JOHN PATTERSON). *SMD THE CONSUME

2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA. WHILE DRIVING 30-40 MPH, THERE WAS A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE ENGINE CONTROL UNIT FAILED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO GO INTO LIMP MO

2016 RAM 3500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 RAM 3500. THE CONTACT SMELLED AN ABNORMAL EXHAUST ODOR IN THE VEHICLE WHEN THE HEATER WAS RUNNING. THE FAILURE OCCURRED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER

2014 FORD F-250 SD

LETTER FROM SENATOR BURR ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENT RE 2014 FORD F250 FUEL SYSTEM. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED HE DROPPED THE VEHICLE OFF AT THE DEALER ON JANUARY 26, 2015, WITH A LOW ENGINE LIGHT, WATER

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel issues?
The NHTSA has received 1,030 complaints about engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel problems across 141 vehicle models from 23 manufacturers.
How dangerous are engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel defects?
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:DIESEL issues have been linked to 13 crashes, 65 fires, 14 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel issues is the FORD F-250 SD with 191 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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