Component

EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH

76 NHTSA complaints about exterior lighting:tail lights:switch issues across 15 makes and 44 models.

The exterior lighting:tail lights:switch is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 76 filings from 15 manufacturers and 44 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 1 crash, 3 fires, 1 injury, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the MERCURY SABLE with 12 filings, followed by FORD TAURUS and CHEVROLET BLAZER. 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.

76
Complaints
44
Models Affected
1
Crashes
3
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 MERCURY SABLE 12
2 FORD TAURUS 12
3 CHEVROLET BLAZER 4
4 SATURN LS 3
5 FORD CONTOUR 3
6 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 2
7 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS 2
8 CHEVROLET MALIBU 2
9 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1
10 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1
11 TOYOTA COROLLA 1
12 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER 1
13 SUZUKI VITARA 1
14 SUZUKI GRAND VITARA 1
15 PONTIAC FIREBIRD 1
16 OLDSMOBILE SILHOUETTE 1
17 OLDSMOBILE ALERO 1
18 NISSAN QUEST 1
19 MERCURY VILLAGER 1
20 MERCURY MYSTIQUE 1
21 KIA SPORTAGE 1
22 HONDA CR-V 1
23 HONDA ACCORD 1
24 GMC JIMMY 1
25 GMC ENVOY 1
26 FORD THUNDERBIRD 1
27 FORD EXPLORER 1
28 FORD EXPEDITION 1
29 FORD ESCORT 1
30 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 1

Recent Complaints

2009 KIA SPORTAGE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 KIA SPORTAGE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER TAIL LIGHT FAILED TO ILLUMINATE WHEN THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED. THE FAILURE RECURRED THREE TIMES. T

2000 MERCURY SABLE Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS 2000 MERCURY SABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE HAD AN ADJUSTABLE PEDAL. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN GREASE FROM THE BRAKE PEDAL WAS ON THE BRAKE LIGHT SWITCH, IT BURNED OUT. WHEN

2001 MERCURY SABLE

2001 MERCURY SABLE VIN: (SEE OTHER PART OF COMPLAINT) I STOPPED AT A BUSINESS PUT CAR IN PARK GOT OUT. UPON RETURNING THE CAR WOULD START BUT NOT COME OUT OF PARK. I FOUND I HAD NO TAIL LIGHTS. I

2005 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

REAR BRAKE LIGHTS WITH LIGHT TO MODERATE BRAKING WHEN STARTING TO PUSH BRAKE PEDAL THE REAR LIGHTS COME ON. WHEN YOU REACH A POINT THAT YOU EASE UP ON THE PEDAL PRESSURE, (EVEN SO SLIGHT THAT YOU DON'

2004 DODGE STRATUS

MULTI-FUNCTION STALK TO THE LEFT OF THE STEERING WHEEL WITH THE HEADLAMP AND TURN SIGNAL SWTICHES HAS MALFUNCTIONED TWICE NOW. THIS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD. WHEN IT MALFUNCTIONS, THE IN

2007 HONDA ACCORD

I AM AN OTR CDL-LICENSED DRIVER, AND, ON MORE THAN A FEW OCCASIONS OVER THE PAST 6 MONTHS, I HAVE OBSERVED SEVERAL MODELS OF NISSAN AND HONDA VEHICLES CRUISING AT DUSK WITH THEIR DASH LIGHTS ON, BUT W

2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 CHEVROLET BLAZER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE BRAKE AND HAZARD LIGHTS DO NOT WORK. THE CENTER BRAKE LIGHT WORKS, BUT THE TAIL LIGHTS DO NOT. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECH

2005 CHEVROLET CAVALIER

I SAW THAT MY REVERSE TAIL LIGHTS WERE NOT LIGHTING UP WHEN I PUT THE CAR IN REVERSE. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALER WHERE I BOUGHT THE CAR MICHAEL AUTOMOTIVE IN FRESNO CA AND THEY TOLD ME I WOULD HAVE TO P

2001 CHEVROLET VAN

OUR 2001 CHEVROLET VENTURE ONLY HAS 78,000 MILES ON IT AND HAS BEEN A PROBLEM FROM ABOUT THE TIME WE PURCHASED IT. IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS , FEBRUARY/MARCH 2007 WE HAVE PUT $5000 INTO OUR VAN. WE R

1996 DODGE RAM 2500

I DRIVE QUITE A BIT DURING THE NIGHT TIME WITH MY VEHICLE. THERE SEEMS TO BE A VERY SERIOUS ISSUSE WITH THE WIRING OVER HEATING AT THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH. I HAVE REPLACED 5 ... GOING TO BE 6 HEADLIGHT S

1997 DODGE RAM 3500

STRONG SMELL IN CAB SEEMINGLY ONLY AT NIGHT. GOT PULLED OVER FOR NO TAIL OR RUNNING LIGHTS BEHIND THE CAB. THEY WERE WORKING EARLIER. HEADLIGHT SWITCH WAS MELTING CAUSING NASTY SMELL WHICH RESULTED IN

2007 CHRYSLER PT CRUISER

TL* - THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TAIL LIGHTS ON HIS 2007 CHEVROLET AVEO DO NOT COME ON AUTOMATICALLY AS DO THE HEADLIGHTS. THE VEHICLE HAS APPROXIMATELY 400 MILES. THE CONTACT STATED THIS COULD BE

1992 MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS

WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, IT WAS NOTICED THAT THE INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS, TAIL LIGHTS, AND PARKING LIGHTS WERE NOT LIT EVEN THOUGH THE HEADLIGHTS BRAKE LIGHTS AND TURN SIGNALS WERE WORKING PROPERLY. T

1998 HONDA CR-V

THIS SPRING, WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE MY 1998 HONDA CR-V SUDDENLY STALLED. NO WARNING AT ALL. LUCKILY, I WAS ABLE TO PULL TO THE SHOULDER. TURN THE IGNITION OFF, WAIT A WHILE AND RESTART THE

2004 DODGE INTREPID

DT: 2004 DODGE INTREPID. THE CONSUMER STATED THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STAYED ON. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP TO BE CHECKED, AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG WITH IT. THE CHECK ENG

2001 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

DT: WIRING LOOSENED ON FRONT HEADLIGHTS, HAD TO PULL OVER AT NIGHT, AND PLUG IN AGAI. CHECKED FUSES TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE THE ACTUAL ONES. ALSO, THE BULBS THAT WORKED THE BLINKERS FAILED, AND THE

2002 CHEVROLET TRAILBLAZER

NOISES COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE SUV ,CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CONSTANTLY CAME ON AND ONE NIGHT I WAS GOING AROUND 55 MPH MY 15 YR OLD DAUGHTER,WE HEARD A LOUD POP IT SOUND LIKE WE HAD HIT SOMETHING IN THE

2001 CHEVROLET BLAZER

2001 CHEVROLET BLAZER REAR LEFT TAIL LIGHT DOES NOT WORK , CANGED BULBS CHANGES FUSES, BUT YET NOTHING HAPPENS, A FEW YEARS BACK I BROUGHT IT IN FOR A RECALL ON A TAIL LIGHT SWITCH THAT WAS RECALLED Y

2002 DODGE RAM 1500 Fire

1.SPARKS FROM DASHBOARD AREA NEAR HEADLIGHT SWITCH WERE SEEN BY MY WIFE WHEN SHE BORROWED THE VEHICLE. 2.NOW THE HEADLIGHTS WILL NOT TURN OFF, WHEN THE SWITCH IS TURNED TO THE OFF POSITION THE FOG LIG

1999 CHEVROLET MALIBU

TAIL LIGHTS WORK INTERMITTENTLY. CONSUMER STATES THAT SHE CAME VERY CLOSE TO SEVERAL ACCIDENTS BECAUSE SHE DID NOT KNOW THE LIGHTS WERE OUT UNTIL SOMEONE BLEW THE HORN. SHE HAD THE TAIL LIGHTS REPL

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve exterior lighting:tail lights:switch issues?
The NHTSA has received 76 complaints about exterior lighting:tail lights:switch problems across 44 vehicle models from 15 manufacturers.
How dangerous are exterior lighting:tail lights:switch defects?
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:TAIL LIGHTS:SWITCH issues have been linked to 1 crashes, 3 fires, 1 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most exterior lighting:tail lights:switch problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for exterior lighting:tail lights:switch issues is the MERCURY SABLE with 12 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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