Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
4,093 NHTSA complaints about engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe issues across 47 makes and 459 models.
The engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 4,093 filings from 47 manufacturers and 459 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 24 crashes, 147 fires, 121 injuries, and 2 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the MERCURY VILLAGER with 120 filings, followed by JEEP WRANGLER and MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS. 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.
Most Affected Vehicles
| # | Vehicle | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | MERCURY VILLAGER | 120 |
| 2 | JEEP WRANGLER | 119 |
| 3 | MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS | 116 |
| 4 | NISSAN PATHFINDER | 109 |
| 5 | FORD F-150 | 104 |
| 6 | BUICK LESABRE | 104 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET MALIBU | 102 |
| 8 | LINCOLN TOWN CAR | 95 |
| 9 | PONTIAC BONNEVILLE | 93 |
| 10 | FORD CROWN VICTORIA | 91 |
| 11 | CHEVROLET VENTURE | 86 |
| 12 | NISSAN ALTIMA | 82 |
| 13 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 82 |
| 14 | FORD WINDSTAR | 69 |
| 15 | PONTIAC GRAND AM | 64 |
| 16 | FORD EXPLORER | 57 |
| 17 | CHEVROLET IMPALA | 56 |
| 18 | NISSAN TITAN | 52 |
| 19 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 51 |
| 20 | JEEP CHEROKEE | 46 |
| 21 | HONDA CIVIC | 46 |
| 22 | FORD MUSTANG | 44 |
| 23 | PONTIAC MONTANA | 42 |
| 24 | NISSAN QUEST | 42 |
| 25 | OLDSMOBILE 88 | 41 |
| 26 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 38 |
| 27 | FORD THUNDERBIRD | 37 |
| 28 | BUICK PARK AVENUE | 36 |
| 29 | TOYOTA COROLLA | 35 |
| 30 | FORD MUSTANG GT | 35 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2017 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In a
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, there was a rattling and squeaking sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to th
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormally loud rattling sound. The contact stated that the failure also occurred up
The contact owns a 2020 Ford EcoSport. The contact stated that while in the process of performing the State inspection of the vehicle, the inspector informed the contact that the exhaust pipe was frac
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact st
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was
The contact owns a 2016 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 30 MPH, there was an abnormal smoke odor entering the cabin of the vehicle with an unknown warning light illum
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side tail pipe flange bolts connecting the tail pipe and the muffler snapped, causing the tail pi
The contact owns a 2016 Subaru Outback. The contact stated while the vehicle was occupied and parked at residence and attempting to start the vehicle, there was an abnormal sound coming from the under
The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that when the vehicle started, the contact became aware of an abnormal ticking sound. No warning light was illuminated. The contact inspected the v
The contact owns a 2009 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact stated that there was an abnormal odor coming from the exhaust at start-up. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to
The contact owns a 2012 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the engine revved up abnormally. While driving at various speeds, there was a humming sound coming from t
The contact's husband owns a 2017 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while her husband was performing an oil change on the vehicle, an abnormal knocking sound started coming from the engine. There wa
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Cascada. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a whistling sound coming from the engine compartment, with the check engine warning light displaye
The contact owns a 2008 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additi
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that upon raising the front passenger's side power window switch, the window rolled up and then rolled back down unintentionally. The vehicle
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, there was a loud vibration coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact
The contact owns a 2015 Ram 1500. The contact stated that on several occasions while starting the vehicle, there was an abnormally loud ticking sound coming from the engine. There was no warning light
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 45-50 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. There was an abnormally loud sound coming from the exhaust. The local
The contact owns a 2020 Ram 1500. The contact stated while driving at unknown speeds, there was an abnormally loud exhaust sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many complaints involve engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe issues? ▼
How dangerous are engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe defects? ▼
Which vehicles have the most engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:manifold/header/muffler/tail pipe problems? ▼
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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.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.