Component
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
1,394 NHTSA complaints about power train:automatic transmission:torque converter issues across 36 makes and 275 models.
Data updated August 2026
NHTSA ODI component intake brief
ODI category POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER
1,394 filings · 275 models · 36 makes · vintage August 2026
- FILINGS MODERATE 1,394 ODI rows
- MODELS 275 nameplates citing this part
- MAKES 36 manufacturers in corpus
- CRASH 0.5% 7 crash-flagged
- RANK #131 of 696 categories
- SEV QUIET 0 deaths · 5 injuries
Filing-volume peers
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:TORQUE CONVERTER sits MODERATE on ODI intake volume (#131 of 696 standardized categories) with a QUIET severity stamp (0 reported fatalities across 275 models). Open FORD FREESTAR (category leader) →
The power train:automatic transmission:torque converter is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 1,394 filings from 36 manufacturers and 275 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 7 crashes, 10 fires, 5 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD FREESTAR with 102 filings, followed by FORD EXPLORER and FORD TAURUS. 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 FREESTAR | 102 |
| 2 | FORD EXPLORER | 70 |
| 3 | FORD TAURUS | 52 |
| 4 | FORD WINDSTAR | 48 |
| 5 | JEEP LIBERTY | 35 |
| 6 | FORD CROWN VICTORIA | 33 |
| 7 | FORD F-150 | 31 |
| 8 | DODGE CARAVAN | 30 |
| 9 | FORD THUNDERBIRD | 29 |
| 10 | HONDA ODYSSEY | 27 |
| 11 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 26 |
| 12 | HONDA ACCORD | 26 |
| 13 | FORD ESCAPE | 26 |
| 14 | FORD EDGE | 23 |
| 15 | DODGE RAM 1500 | 23 |
| 16 | MERCURY MONTEREY | 21 |
| 17 | FORD MUSTANG | 20 |
| 18 | MAZDA 626 | 19 |
| 19 | MERCURY GRAND MARQUIS | 18 |
| 20 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 17 |
| 21 | INTERNATIONAL SCHOOL BUS | 17 |
| 22 | DODGE RAM | 17 |
| 23 | CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY | 17 |
| 24 | DODGE INTREPID | 15 |
| 25 | DODGE GRAND CARAVAN | 15 |
| 26 | MERCURY SABLE | 13 |
| 27 | SUBARU OUTBACK | 12 |
| 28 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 | 12 |
| 29 | PLYMOUTH VOYAGER | 11 |
| 30 | DODGE DAKOTA | 11 |
Recent Complaints
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the transmission. Later, while the contact’s wife wa
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Camaro. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal rumbling sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated t
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving at 25 MPH, the vehicle started jerking abnormally. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact had received n
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, there was a loud scraping sound coming from the engine compartment, and the vehicle jerked abnorm
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that in the first month that the vehicle was purchased, the vehicle intermittently hesitated before slamming into gear hard. No warning ligh
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50-65 MPH, the vehicle jerked, and the message "Transmission Systems Failure" was displayed on the instrument p
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the transmission was failing and was slipping between 3rd and 4th gear. Additionally, the contact stated that the torque converter was al
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving approximately 25-35 MPH from a complete stop at a traffic light, the RPMs increased to 4,000 before the transmission
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission vibrated. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an indep
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle briefly shuddered and jerked before returning
The contact owns a 2016 Chevrolet Corvette. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while shifting from second gear to third gear. The transmission was sk
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while shifting into gear, or while driving approximately 40 MPH, the engine sputtered. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle wa
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle unintendedly decelerated and then accelerated. The contact stated that the engine was hesitati
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission struggled to shift into gear. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken
The contact owns a 2016 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated while responding, shuddered, and made an abnorma
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The contact stated that the check
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Transit. The contact stated that the vehicle vibrated abnormally while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken for an alignment; however, after driving for five m
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the power train malfunction warning light was illuminated. In addition, the contact bec
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced rough idles while his wife was driving the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated while driving 30-65 MPH, the vehicle was shuddering abnormally. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced a failure with
Related Vehicle Components
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.
Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Component figures are computed directly from NHTSA complaint data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.