Component

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE

1,956 NHTSA complaints about service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module issues across 41 makes and 335 models.

The service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 1,956 filings from 41 manufacturers and 335 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 109 crashes, 57 fires, 57 injuries, and 2 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the TOYOTA PRIUS with 194 filings, followed by CHEVROLET SILVERADO and VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT. 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.

1,956
Complaints
335
Models Affected
109
Crashes
57
Fires
2
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 TOYOTA PRIUS 194
2 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 186
3 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 166
4 FORD ESCAPE 68
5 FORD WINDSTAR 64
6 GMC SIERRA 47
7 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 42
8 AUDI A4 40
9 HYUNDAI GENESIS 32
10 CHEVROLET TAHOE 31
11 CHEVROLET BLAZER 28
12 TOYOTA SEQUOIA 27
13 FORD F-150 26
14 AUDI A6 26
15 CHEVROLET SUBURBAN 23
16 VOLVO S70 19
17 FORD EXPLORER 19
18 DODGE DURANGO 19
19 CHEVROLET S10 18
20 VOLVO 850 17
21 AUDI S4 15
22 VOLVO V70 14
23 HONDA ACCORD 14
24 FORD EXPEDITION 14
25 MAZDA TRIBUTE 13
26 ISUZU RODEO 13
27 GMC YUKON XL 12
28 CHEVROLET C/K PICKUPS 12
29 CHEVROLET ASTRO 12
30 GMC YUKON 11

Recent Complaints

2017 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2017 RAM 1500. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the check engine, ABS, and the traction control warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an indepe

2013 HYUNDAI AZERA Fire

The Car started to emit Smoke while Driving on highway. All the feature indicate that the issue is purely related to the recall but the Hyndai took in the vehicle and gave me a decision that the engin

2015 FORD EXPLORER

The contact owns a 2015 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS and several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurre

2016 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the ABS control module warning light and the braking system warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dea

2017 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the ABS, traction control, and brake warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who

2016 RAM 1500

The contact owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the message "Service ABS" remained displayed with the check engine and traction control warning lights remaining illum

2018 RAM 3500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 3500. The contact stated while driving at various speeds or while at a traffic light, the “Service ABS system Soon” message was displayed. There was an abnormal dinging

2023 BMW X1

See attached document for complaint

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electronic service system warning light illuminated, and the ABS, and traction control warning ligh

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, an alarm sounded, and the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had been r

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was determined that th

2012 HYUNDAI TUCSON

See attached document for complaint

2013 HYUNDAI SANTA FE

See attached document for complaint

2012 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

See attached document for complaint

2017 RAM 3500

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 3500. The contact stated that while driving at unknown speeds, the ABS and traction control warning lights were flashing and turning on and off. The contact was unable to h

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the ABS and Traction Control warning lights continuously flashed off and on or remained illuminated. Also, during the

2018 RAM 2500

There is a failure in the brake system. Either the HCU or ABS module has failed. the cost of repair is in the 1500.00 range. I have since learned that this was/is a problem with this year of vehicle a

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the ABS and traction control warning lights illuminated with the "Service Electronic Braking System" message

2015 JEEP WRANGLER

The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the brake light, ABS, and traction control warning lights illuminated. The contact called an independent mobi

2018 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ABS warning light and the traction control warning light intermittently illuminated. The vehicle wa

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module issues?
The NHTSA has received 1,956 complaints about service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module problems across 335 vehicle models from 41 manufacturers.
How dangerous are service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module defects?
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE issues have been linked to 109 crashes, 57 fires, 57 injuries, and 2 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for service brakes, hydraulic:antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip:control unit/module issues is the TOYOTA PRIUS with 194 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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