Component
POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY:BANJO HOUSING
54 NHTSA complaints about power train:axle assembly:banjo housing issues across 19 makes and 45 models.
The power train:axle assembly:banjo housing is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 54 filings from 19 manufacturers and 45 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 2 crashes, 0 fires, 1 injury, and 2 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD F-150 with 3 filings, followed by DODGE DAKOTA and JEEP WRANGLER. 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 | 3 |
| 2 | DODGE DAKOTA | 3 |
| 3 | JEEP WRANGLER | 2 |
| 4 | JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE | 2 |
| 5 | FORD EXPLORER | 2 |
| 6 | CHEVROLET SUBURBAN | 2 |
| 7 | CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 | 2 |
| 8 | VOLVO S80 | 1 |
| 9 | TOYOTA CAMRY | 1 |
| 10 | TOYOTA 4RUNNER | 1 |
| 11 | SUBARU LEGACY | 1 |
| 12 | SUBARU FORESTER | 1 |
| 13 | SATURN SW | 1 |
| 14 | SATURN SL | 1 |
| 15 | SAAB 900 | 1 |
| 16 | PONTIAC GRAND PRIX | 1 |
| 17 | PONTIAC GRAND AM | 1 |
| 18 | PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER | 1 |
| 19 | NISSAN TITAN | 1 |
| 20 | MERCURY SABLE | 1 |
| 21 | MAZDA PROTEGE | 1 |
| 22 | LINCOLN TOWN CAR | 1 |
| 23 | JEEP CHEROKEE | 1 |
| 24 | GMC C SERIES (LIGHT) | 1 |
| 25 | GMC 7000 | 1 |
| 26 | GEO TRACKER | 1 |
| 27 | FORD WINDSTAR | 1 |
| 28 | FORD THUNDERBIRD | 1 |
| 29 | FORD TAURUS | 1 |
| 30 | FORD F-250 SD | 1 |
Recent Complaints
The Axle Tubes are held to the center differential with 3 x Plug Welds per side. The plug welds on our axle are weeping oil and do NOT appear to be properly welded. Upon online comparisons this is a
REAR AXEL HOUSING RUSTED OFF OF CHASSIS REQUIRING NEW AXEL HOUSING. VEHICLE DOES NOT HAVE MUCH RUST OTHERWISE. *TR
DVR REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK (WHICH SATURATED BRAKE PADS LEADING TO POSSIBLE SEVERE PROBLEM, BUT WAS CAUGHT BEFORE ANY SITUATION) AT 28,XXX MILES, REAR AXLE SEAL LEAK PASS. SIDE (WARRANTY OPTIONED TO REPLA
1,100 MILES INTO OWNING OUR NEW 2007 SILVERADO, A LOUD CLUNK WAS HEARD PULLED OVER TO FIND THE LEFT REAR AXLE SHOOTING OIL AND SMOKING LIKE CRAZY. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE TOWED BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP. 1
THE REARS IN DODGE TRUCKS FAIL WITH MILEAGE BETWEEN 65000 TO 10000 AND THEY TELL EVERYONE THAT IT IS FROM NORMAL WEAR. MINE FAILED AT 83000 RESULTING IN THE REAR HAVING TO BE REBUILT AT A COST OF 2200
WHINE IN REAR END OF A 15911 MILE 2002 FORD EXPLORER, PART, RING AND PINION, HAD TO BE REPLACED, I HAD TO PAY A 100 DED. SUPERVISOR AT FORD'S 800 # DENIED THAT THIS WAS A COMMON IDENTIFIED PROBLEM, SA
THERE IS A WHINE OR "HOWL" COMING FROM THE REAR AXLE OF OUR 2004 FORD EXPLORER WITH LESS THAN 9000 MILES ON IT. WE BROUGHT IT BACK TO THE FORD DEALER IN CAMDENTON, MO WHERE IT WAS PURCHASED AND EXPLAI
DT: THE VEHICLE IS A 2001 VOLVO S80. THE CONSUMER'S DAUGHTER WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE IN TRAFFIC WHEN IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FREEWAY. SHE WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO RESTART BUT WHEN SHE
REAR DIFFERENTIAL ROARING SOUND AGAIN IN 3000 MILES AFTER REPLACEMENT OF ALL REAR BEARINGS/SEALS AND BOTH AXLES BY DEALER. RECENT ROADTEST/INSPECTION BY DEALER CONFIRMS CONTINUED EXCESSIVE WEAR OF NEW
RUBBER AXLE BOOT TORN ON PASSENGER SIDE; REPAIR ESTIMATE WAS PROHIBITIVE. LAST YEAR HAD RUBBER AXLE BOOT REPAIRED ON DRIVER SIDE AT A REASONABLE COST/WAS TOLD BY DEALERSHIP THAT THEY JUST ACTIVATED T
THE ARMS THAT HOLD THE FRONT END IN PLACE ARE BROKEN THEY WILL KNOT FIX IT. THEY ARE SAYING IT GOT HIT THE TRUCK HAS 8320 MILES ON IT. *AK
WHEN YOU ENAGE THE FRONT DRIVE AXLE A SEVEAR GRINDING NOISE OCCURS WHEN THE FRONT END IS JUST FREE WHEELING SOUNDS LIKE METAL TO METAL GRINDING BUT WHEN ROLLED OVER BY HAND ITS QUIET
THE TRANSMISSION SUDDENLY LOCKED UP, THROWING PASSENGERS FORWARD WITH GREAT FORCE. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. PH
WHOLE HOUSING OF REAR END IS DEFECTIVE WHICH EATS AWAY THE BEARINGS, CAUSING REAR END TO LOCK AND STOP WHEELS FROM ROLLING. DEALER CONTACTED.*AK *SLC
RIGHT SIDE AXLE SHAFT/FRONT SWAY BAR LINKS TOTALLING $576.44 IN REPAIRS.*AK
DUE TO THE AXLE SHAFT FAILING, THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL BECAME SEPARATED FROM THE HUB AND ALMOST CAME OFF THE VEHICLE.*AK
FRONT OF VEHICLE SHAKES/ BRAKES FADE, AND ABS LIGHT IS ON. THIS IS A RESULT OF AXLE SHAFT GOING BAD. AT 57,000 MILES LEFT AXLE HAD TO BE CHANGED. ALSO, AT 65,000 MILES RIGHT AXLE HAD TO BE
CONSUMER NOTICED VEHICLE WAS LEAKING ON DRIVEWAY, JUST SMALL PUDDLES. DEALER REPLACED HOUSING UNIT BECAUSE OF CRACKS TO TRANSMISSION.*AK CONSUMER FEELS THIS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED CONSIDERING
THE FOLLOWING ITEMS HAVE PREMATURELY FAILED CAUSING REPLACEMENT: ROTORS, OIL PRESSURE GAUGE AND SENDING UNIT, THERMOSTAT & GASKET, INSTRUMENT PANEL, POWER STEERING PUMP, BATTERY, ALTERNATOR, PISTON, T
REAR AXLE SHAFT HOUSING TUBE FAILED WHILE DRIVING. LOST CONTROL OF VEHICLE. NEARLY ROLLED OVER. HAD IT TOWED TO MECHANIC. INDICATION WAS A LACK OF OIL GOING TO DIFFERENTIAL WHICH CAUSED PROBLEM WITH
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Frequently Asked Questions
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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.