Component

SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT

587 NHTSA complaints about service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light issues across 36 makes and 219 models.

The service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 587 filings from 36 manufacturers and 219 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 37 crashes, 3 fires, 23 injuries, and 1 fatality. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the RAM 2500 with 66 filings, followed by VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT and RAM 3500. 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.

587
Complaints
219
Models Affected
37
Crashes
3
Fires
1
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 RAM 2500 66
2 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 34
3 RAM 3500 22
4 TOYOTA PRIUS 16
5 HONDA ACCORD 15
6 RAM 1500 13
7 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 13
8 FORD FUSION 12
9 DODGE JOURNEY 10
10 CHEVROLET MALIBU 10
11 JEEP WRANGLER 9
12 HYUNDAI SANTA FE SPORT 8
13 FORD ESCAPE 8
14 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 8
15 ISUZU RODEO 7
16 FORD EXPLORER 7
17 TOYOTA SEQUOIA 6
18 FORD F-150 6
19 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 5
20 GMC YUKON 5
21 CADILLAC SRX 5
22 TOYOTA COROLLA 4
23 PONTIAC GRAND AM 4
24 NISSAN ROGUE 4
25 NISSAN PATHFINDER 4
26 LEXUS RX HYBRID 4
27 KIA SORENTO 4
28 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 4
29 HYUNDAI SANTA FE 4
30 HONDA CR-V 4

Recent Complaints

2018 RAM 2500 Crash

The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received a recall letter related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at 20-25, th

2018 RAM 2500 Crash

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact located the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service brakes, Hydraulic). While driving at 55 MPH, another vehicle passed him on double yellow

2018 RAM 2500

See Attached Letter

2014 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2014 RAM 1500. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH, the ABS warning illuminated, and then the cruise control mode became inoperable. The contact was able to take control of

2015 CHRYSLER 300 Crash

The contact owns a 2015 Chrysler 300. The contact stated that while driving at 69 MPH on the freeway, when the contact attempted to switch lanes and the vehicle spun independently, causing her to coll

2013 HONDA CIVIC

Several warning lights on the dashboard illuminated: powersteering warning, ABS system warning, VSA warning. We had to pay almost $300 for dealer diagnostics which advised our ABS VSA module must be

2018 FORD EDGE

The contact owns a 2018 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS, the Advance Trac, the Hill Start Assist, and the Powertrain warning lights were illuminated.

2014 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2014 RAM 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagn

2014 TOYOTA PRIUS

See Attached Letter

2017 HONDA ACCORD

ABS Module set the following lights to turn on: emergency brake, traction control, steering wheel with exclamation mark.

2023 HONDA ODYSSEY

8 warnings/problems all at once: Adaptive cruise control Brake hold system Vehicle stability assist Power steering system Hill start assist Collision mitigation system Road departure mitigation sy

2014 DODGE CHARGER

The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Service Transmission" displayed, with a grinding sound coming from the transmission. The cause

2021 HONDA ACCORD Crash

The contact owns a 2021 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle's auto braking applied without warning. The vehicle was rear-ended by a possible 2024/2025 Buick Envi

2017 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 2500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the ABS warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896

2017 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2017 RAM 1500. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at undisclosed speeds, the ABS, Traction Control, and parking brake warning lights illuminated. The vehicle

2014 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2014 Ram 1500. The contact stated that they had noticed the front wheels on their vehicle locking up upon depressing the brake pedal while driving at various speeds, causing the veh

2018 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE Crash

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 10 MPH, the wheels locked up. The contact was unable to identify which wheels had locked up. The vehicle began spi

2017 NISSAN ROGUE Crash

The contact owns a 2017 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at 30 MPH just after a snowstorm, approaching an intersection, and attempting to slow the vehicle, the ABS fail

2020 FORD ESCAPE

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the ABS and Traction Control warning messages had been displayed and the power steering had failed causing the

2018 TOYOTA PRIUS Crash

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that while in bumper-to-bumper traffic, the vehicle suddenly accelerated. The brake pedal was applied but failed to respond. The driver crashed

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light issues?
The NHTSA has received 587 complaints about service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light problems across 219 vehicle models from 36 manufacturers.
How dangerous are service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light defects?
SERVICE BRAKES, AIR:ANTILOCK:ABS WARNING LIGHT issues have been linked to 37 crashes, 3 fires, 23 injuries, and 1 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for service brakes, air:antilock:abs warning light issues is the RAM 2500 with 66 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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