Component
POWER TRAIN
127,919 NHTSA complaints about power train issues across 65 makes and 1661 models.
The power train is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 127,919 filings from 65 manufacturers and 1661 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 3,754 crashes, 858 fires, 2,053 injuries, and 59 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD F-150 with 6,760 filings, followed by FORD FOCUS and JEEP CHEROKEE. 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 | FORD F-150 | 6,760 |
| 2 | FORD FOCUS | 5,962 |
| 3 | JEEP CHEROKEE | 4,768 |
| 4 | FORD ESCAPE | 3,880 |
| 5 | FORD FUSION | 2,856 |
| 6 | FORD EXPLORER | 2,251 |
| 7 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 2,196 |
| 8 | NISSAN PATHFINDER | 2,144 |
| 9 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 | 1,898 |
| 10 | NISSAN ALTIMA | 1,892 |
| 11 | FORD EDGE | 1,820 |
| 12 | JEEP WRANGLER | 1,705 |
| 13 | NISSAN ROGUE | 1,672 |
| 14 | HONDA ACCORD | 1,641 |
| 15 | RAM 1500 | 1,513 |
| 16 | DODGE RAM 1500 | 1,466 |
| 17 | HONDA ODYSSEY | 1,454 |
| 18 | FORD FIESTA | 1,405 |
| 19 | CHEVROLET MALIBU | 1,401 |
| 20 | NISSAN MAXIMA | 1,248 |
| 21 | GMC ACADIA | 1,245 |
| 22 | CHRYSLER PACIFICA | 1,177 |
| 23 | HYUNDAI TUCSON | 1,136 |
| 24 | NISSAN SENTRA | 1,125 |
| 25 | HONDA PILOT | 1,040 |
| 26 | GMC SIERRA 1500 | 1,030 |
| 27 | FORD EXPEDITION | 1,009 |
| 28 | KIA SORENTO | 967 |
| 29 | FORD FREESTYLE | 947 |
| 30 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 938 |
Recent Complaints
My car has 2 codes, P285 and P0420. When i drive the car and accelerate the car starts to skip. At 1 point in time i was at a stop with my feet on the breaks and i tried to go once the light was green
left-most lane of a three-lane highway, I pressed the accelerator to maintain the flow of traffic. The vehicle suddenly began revving between 4,000â5,000 RPM without increasing speed. When I attempt
Car was parked, full stop, doors shut, seatbelt on. Foot on brake. Car then seemed to lurch forward by itself forward hitting parking cement block. Put in reverse to back away and car stayed still...t
truck goes into first gear shifts automatically at any speed
The car shifts into neutral on the freeway.
upper radiator fitting is leaking, Chevy is replacing the radiator and the hose
I was told that the bearing was going out in the transmission. Toyota is charging $11,000 to replace it. Seems to be a common occurrence amongst these vehicles.
Vehicle stalled in busy intersection in McKinney Texas , unable to start are shift into a neutral position on transmission to remove from extreme dangerous intersection, sheriff advised that road sid
I was driving down the road with the cruise set at 60 mph when I came over the top of a hill and I started to decend down the hill if felt like my truck had down shifted and the back tires locked up a
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, and the vehicle failed to accel
I was entering a highway when my vehicle lost the ability to accelerate. Complete loss of acceleration, audible and visual notifications on my dashboard that were difficult to read as I was dealing wi
I was driving my car when it powered down and had an unrecoverable loss of propulsion. It's a miracle I didn't crash and kill myself or anyone else on the road. This aligns with NHTSA Recall Number
I am a [XXX] woman who purchased my first vehicle on December 6, 2024, with 43,000 miles. I have driven fewer than 20,000 miles since purchase, and the vehicle currently has approximately 62,000 mile
I have a lot of ticking and stalling lights are blinking I think itâs may be the transmission and I smell gas inside the vehicle.
At 96k miles, the transmission started slipping and juddering. Three warnings appeared: transmission system, emission system, and blind-spot monitoring problems. Also P-D indicator flashing to not dr
This submission is an additional report related to NHTSA complaint #11714381. At approximately 55,000 miles, my 2021 Chevrolet Blazer experienced a sudden throttle body failure while driving. The veh
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. The contact was concerned ab
In the process of taking my daughter to the emergency room I receive a dash notification on my recently purchased 2024 GMC Acadia "car overheating, possible engine failure". My gauges were within nor
The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Dart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V674000 (Power Train). The contact several months ago, it became difficult to move the gear shifter fr
Transmission shifting is erratic at the best times and likes to randomly downshift from 10th gear to 1st gear and having to take drastic action to avoid a serious rear end collision in heavy traffic a
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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.