Component

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

258 NHTSA complaints about power train:driveline:universal joint issues across 29 makes and 122 models.

Data updated August 2026. Counts render from the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation standardized component field; severity flags cross-reference NHTSA ODI complaint flags for owner-reported crash, fire, and injury markers. This page is for informational purposes and does not replace NHTSA recall notices or a vehicle-specific inspection. Methodology · Corrections.

NHTSA ODI component intake brief

ODI category POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT

258 filings · 122 models · 29 makes · vintage August 2026

  • FILINGS SPARSE 258 ODI rows
  • MODELS 122 nameplates citing this part
  • MAKES 29 manufacturers in corpus
  • CRASH 1.9% 5 crash-flagged
  • RANK #246 of 696 categories
  • SEV QUIET 0 deaths · 4 injuries
POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT (this)POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVER…258ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNKELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: RE…256EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGATIONAL SYSTEM(GLOBAL POSITIONING SYSTEM)EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:NAVIGAT…263EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LIGHTSEXTERIOR LIGHTING:BACK UP LI…253
ODI filing volume neighbourhood: POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT vs nearest complaint-total peers

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT sits SPARSE on ODI intake volume (#246 of 696 standardized categories) with a QUIET severity stamp (0 reported fatalities across 122 models). Open Dodge Dakota (category leader) →

POWER TRAIN:DRIVELINE:UNIVERSAL JOINT severity reading

The standout signal for power train:driveline:universal joint is severity: 0 reported fatalities and 4 injuries (QUIET stamp) on 258 filings (SPARSE volume).

Sparse categories can swing on a single high-volume nameplate; treat the leader row as the actionable signal, not the category headline alone.

Next step: compare Dodge Dakota against ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING: REAR COMPARTMENT/TRUNK on filing totals before treating power train:driveline:universal joint volume as a purchase signal.

258
Complaints
122
Models Affected
5
Crashes
4
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 Dodge Dakota
13
2 Jeep Cherokee
12
3 Ford F-150
11
4 Dodge RAM 2500
11
5 Chevrolet Silverado
11
6 Dodge RAM
9
7 Ford Explorer
7
8 Dodge Durango
7
9 Chevrolet Blazer
7
10 Chevrolet S10
6
11 Volvo 770
5
12 Dodge RAM 1500
5
13 Chevrolet Tahoe
5
14 Chevrolet Suburban
5
15 GMC Sierra
4
16 Ford F-250
4
17 Nissan Frontier
3
18 Land Rover Discovery II
3
19 Jeep Wrangler
3
20 GMC Jimmy
3
21 Ford Ranger
3
22 Dodge Caravan
3
23 Chevrolet Silverado 1500
3
24 Volkswagen Passat
2
25 Subaru Outback
2
26 Plymouth Voyager
2
27 KIA Sorento
2
28 Jeep Liberty
2
29 Jeep Laredo
2

Recent Complaints

1999 Mercedes-Benz E320

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1999 MERCEDES-BENZ E320. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE CONTACT FELT A VIBRATION COMING FROM THE VEHICLE AND THE DRIVER AND PASSENGER SIDE CURTAIN AIR BAGS AND FRONT DR

2010 Ford F-150

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 15-20 MPH AROUND A CORNER OR OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL POPPING NOISE IN THE STEERING COLUMN. THERE WERE NO WARNING IN

2013 BMW 535xi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 BMW 535XI. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH, A CLICKING NOISE WAS PRESENT COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT OIL WAS

2003 Chevrolet Silverado 1500

THE 2003 SILVERADO 1500 SHORT BED PU U-JOINTS KEEP GOING OUT. HAVE REPLACED THEM ATLEAST 6 TIMES. PU HAD 30,000 WHEN PURCHASED IN 2006. THERE HAS TO BE SOMETHING IN THE BUILD OF THE PU THAT IS CAUSI

2010 Nissan Rogue

THE DETAILS OF THIS COMPLAINT ARE FILED UNDER NHTSA COMPLAINT #10614462. ON 7/16/2014 THE UJOINT ON MY 2010 NISSAN ROGUE SHEARED OFF THE DRIVESHAFT DROPPING THE DRIVESHAFT AND PULLING OUT THE SHIF

2004 Subaru Outback

2004 SUBARU OUTBACK. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO UNIVERSAL JOINT FAILURE. CONSUMER ALSO SEEKS REIMBURSEMENT OF REPAIRS. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED THE FAILURE OF THE UNIVERSAL JOINT CAUSED SIGNIFIC

2007 Toyota Sequoia

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2007 TOYOTA SEQUOIA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHEN DRIVING OVER A BUMP, THE VEHICLE WOULD MAKE AN UNUSUAL CLUNKING NOISE FROM FRONT DRIVERS SIDE, NEAR THE FUEL LINE. THE VEHICLE

2005 Nissan Murano

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MURANO. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED THE FUEL SENSOR BECAME DEFECTIVE AND THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS WERE COVERED WITH RUST. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FUEL SENSOR DISPLAYED

2008 Dodge RAM 3500

ONE OF MY TIE ROD ENDS JUST DISINTEGRATED WHILE I WAS UNDERWAY ON SMOOTH SURFACE, RESULTING IN LOSS OF STEERING. I COULD HAVE ROLLED THE VEHICLE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIE ROD END TO GO ON THIS VEHICLE

2004 Dodge Dakota

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE DAKOTA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING LOCKS WHILE DRIVING. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER THREE DIFFERENT TIMES AND THEY REPLACED THE POWER STEERING PUMP,

2008 Dodge RAM 2500 Crash

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE DRIVER'S SIDE U-JOINT AXLE FAILED, WHICH JAMMED THE STEERING WHEEL TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT CRASHED THE VEHICLE INTO A TELEPHONE

2002 Chevrolet Tahoe

I JUST BOUGHT A TRUCK FROM A USED CAR DEALER, WHO SAID NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE VEHICLE. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE HEATING AND COOLING. WHEN I TURN OFF THE A/C IT STILL BLOWS AIR OUT OF THE VENTS,

2004 Chevrolet Suburban

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN. THE SPEEDOMETER MALFUNCTIONED AND DOES NOT OPERATE AT ALL. THE REPAIR SHOP COULD NOT DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE AND NO REPAIRS WERE MADE. AT 4

2005 BMW R1200 GS

ON MY BMW R1200GS, I NOTICED OIL LEAKING FROM THE FINAL DRIVE. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE SEAL WAS ONLY AN INDICATION THAT THE DRIVE WAS FAILING. THE DEALER CONFIRMED THIS AND HAS REPLACED THE FINAL DRIVE

2004 Dodge RAM 2500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 DODGE RAM 2500. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE APART AND STATED THAT THE CA

2003 Chrysler Town AND Country

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY. WHILE DRIVING 5 MPH, THE UNIVERSAL JOINTS MADE A LOUD NOISE AND THEN FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE O2 SENSOR FAILED APPROXIMATELY TEN MONT

2001 Chevrolet Chevrolet

NUMEROUS THINGS HAVE GONE WRONG WITH MY 2001 MONTE CARLO. 5 OR 6 TIMES THE DEALERSHIP HAS REPAIRED THE DRIVER SIDE AIRBAG WHERE IT CONTINUALLY POPS OUT. I AM REALLY CONCERNED WHEN IT MIGHT EXPLODE W/O

2007 GMC Acadia

ON JULY 5TH 2007 MY FAMILY AND I WERE TRAVELING IN OUR RECENTLY PURCHASED 2007 GMC ACADIA WHILE ON VACATION IN FENWICK, DE. AND AS WE WERE TRAVELING THROUGH AN INTERSECTION OUR VEHICLE EXPERIENCE A MA

2005 Nissan Frontier

2005 NISSAN FRONTIER WITH ENGINEERING DEFECTS CUSTOMER STATES THAT THE UNIVERSAL JOINT IS SUBJECT TO FAIL DUE TO RUST. **CC THE CONSUMER STATED THE MANUFACTURER MUST HAVE RECOGNIZED THE PROBLEM, BECA

2005 Nissan Frontier

POORLY DESIGNED U-JOINT TO FRONT IN 4 WHEEL DRIVE. ,U-JOINT HAS NO GREASE FITTING WILL RUST AND DISINTERESTED. MANUFACTURER HAS ADDED FITTING TO REPLACE PART. HOWEVER, ORIGINAL COULD FAIL AND BRING VE

Verify with NHTSA · consumer-reported counts are not verified defect findings.