Component

PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL

1,022 NHTSA complaints about parking brake:conventional issues across 38 makes and 245 models.

The parking brake:conventional is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 1,022 filings from 38 manufacturers and 245 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 228 crashes, 4 fires, 49 injuries, and 4 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD MUSTANG with 75 filings, followed by JEEP WRANGLER and FORD RANGER. 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.

1,022
Complaints
245
Models Affected
228
Crashes
4
Fires
4
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD MUSTANG 75
2 JEEP WRANGLER 74
3 FORD RANGER 55
4 FORD EXPLORER 43
5 FORD F-150 39
6 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 25
7 DODGE CARAVAN 24
8 FORD WINDSTAR 17
9 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 16
10 CHEVROLET CAMARO 15
11 JEEP CHEROKEE 14
12 CHEVROLET LUMINA 14
13 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 12
14 FORD CROWN VICTORIA 12
15 FORD CONTOUR 12
16 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 12
17 FORD TAURUS 11
18 FORD F-350 11
19 CHEVROLET S10 11
20 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 10
21 MAZDA B-SERIES TRUCK 10
22 PONTIAC FIERO 9
23 FORD PROBE 9
24 FORD AEROSTAR 9
25 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 9
26 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 9
27 PONTIAC FIREBIRD 8
28 HONDA CIVIC 8
29 GMC SIERRA 8
30 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 8

Recent Complaints

2019 AUDI A7

The contact owns a 2019 Audi A7. The contact stated that while making a left turn in an intersection, the vehicle inadvertently came to a complete stop. Additionally, the contact stated that all safe

2015 FORD FUSION

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Fusion. The contact while attempting to came to a complete , the contact stated felt a Boeing feeling coming for the brake panel before coming to a complete stop. The vehi

2019 VOLKSWAGEN ATLAS

Thos vehicle has opened the rear hatch on two separate occasions, which was confirmed as an issue by both the local dealer, McLarty Volkswagen in North Little Rock, and Volkswagen Corporate. The airba

2019 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 2500 Crash

The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz Sprinter 2500. The contact stated while an employee was moving the vehicle out of the garage into the parking lot, the employee shifted the vehicle into PARK with

2020 HONDA CIVIC Crash

The contact owns a 2020 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park in the driveway idling and unattended with the emergency brake engaged, the vehicle rolled down the driveway

1994 FORD F-150

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD F-150. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE WOULD NOT HOLD THE VEHICLE, WHICH CAUSES IT TO ROLL FREELY. SECONDLY, THE BUMPER IS ABNORMALLY LOOSE AND RATTLES. AS

1994 FORD BRONCO

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1994 FORD BRONCO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, HE APPLIED THE PARKING BRAKE AND THE VEHICLE ROLLED IN THE DIRECTION OF THE HIL

1995 FORD F-150 Crash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1995 FORD F150. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON A HILL WITH THE EMERGENCY BRAKE ENGAGED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD BANG. THE VEHICLE ROLLED FORWARD INTO THE NEIGHBOR'S DRIVEWAY

1985 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1985 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 91V055000 (PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL). THE DEALER INFORMED HIM THAT HIS VEHICLE COULD

2006 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY

PARKING BRAKE ASSEMBLY BUILDS UP WITH BRAKE DUST CAUSING REAR WHEELS TO MAKE A "HONING" SOUND. I HAVE BEEN TO THE SHOP 3 TIMES IN 2 MONTHS WITH THE SAME PROBLEM. MY CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY (2006)

2001 MERCEDES-BENZ 320

VARIOUS PROBLEMS WITH ELECTRICAL, HEATING AND COOLING, SUSPENSION, POWER STEERING, LIGHTING, AND PURGE VALVE SYSTEMS. SPENT 7K IN LAST 3 YEARS ALONE. HEATING AND COOLING SYSTEM WAS REMOVED AND REINS

2002 CHEVROLET AVALANCHE

BRAKES WERE PULSATING AND TOOK TO LOCAL BRAKE SHOP FOR CHECK. REAR BRAKE JOB COMPLETED. LEFT REAR ROTOR NEEDED REPLACING DUE TO DAMAGE FROM PARKING BRAKE. PARKING BRAKE ALSO REPLACED. SERVICE TECHNICI

2003 MAZDA PROTEGE Crash

EMERGENCY BRAKE FAILS ON INCLINES--THIS HAPPENED TO ME AND A WOMAN WITH THE SAME MAKE, MODEL AND YEAR CAR SITTING NEXT TO ME AT AN INSURANCE HEARING! IT CAUSED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE TO BOTH OUR CARS AND

1999 FORD F-250 SD

TL*THE CONTACT'S CLIENT OWNS A 1999 FORD F-250 SD. THE CONTACT, WHO IS A MECHANIC, STATED THAT THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LEVER WOULD NOT ENGAGE. AS A RESULT, THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT BRAKE AT ALL. HE WAS IN

1996 FORD MUSTANG

I READ ABOUT A RECALL FOR PARKING BRAKES FOR 1996 FORD MUSTANGS WITH MANUAL. I HAVE AN AUTOMATIC I BOUGHT ONLINE IN JANUARY 2007 THAT HAS PARKING BREAK ISSUES IT WONT KEEP THE CAR FORM MOVING. I HAD I

2000 FORD F-350 SD

PARKING BRAKE DOES NOT HOLD VEHICLE. *TR

2000 FORD MUSTANG GT

WHEN PARKING BRAKE IS ENGAGED WHILE IN NEUTRAL (MANUAL TRANSMISSION) ON A SLIGHT INCLINE. THE PARKING BRAKE WILL CLICK DOWN A FEW NOTCHES AND START ROLLING CAUSING PROPERTY DAMAGE OR EVEN DEATH OF AN

2002 CHEVROLET CHEVROLET

THE 2002 CHEVROLET TAHOE HAS FAILED INSPECTION BECAUSE OF THE EMERGENCY BRAKE.. IT WAS COMPLETELY USELESS. IT DIDN'T WORK. WHY I DON'T KNOW, BUT THE INSPECTION PLACE STATED THAT THEY HAD FAILED N

1984 PONTIAC FIREBIRD

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1984 PONTIAC FIREBIRD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER WILL NOT REPAIR, REPLACE, OR PROVIDE REFUNDS ON RECALL REPAIRS PERTAINING TO HIS VEHICLE'S YEAR, MAKE, AND MODEL.

2001 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 1500

PARKING BRAKE, FAILURE TO DISENGAGE OR INDICATE THAT THE BRAKE WAS ENGAGED, LEADING TO WEAR OF THE REAR ROTOR/DRUM, AND REQUIRING REPLACEMENT. REPLACED ONCE, ONLY TO HAVE IT HAPPEN AGAIN. PARKING BRA

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve parking brake:conventional issues?
The NHTSA has received 1,022 complaints about parking brake:conventional problems across 245 vehicle models from 38 manufacturers.
How dangerous are parking brake:conventional defects?
PARKING BRAKE:CONVENTIONAL issues have been linked to 228 crashes, 4 fires, 49 injuries, and 4 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most parking brake:conventional problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for parking brake:conventional issues is the FORD MUSTANG with 75 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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