Component

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

614 NHTSA complaints about steering:rack and pinion:rack issues across 37 makes and 162 models.

The steering:rack and pinion:rack is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 614 filings from 37 manufacturers and 162 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 13 crashes, 3 fires, 12 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the DODGE INTREPID with 40 filings, followed by PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 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.

614
Complaints
162
Models Affected
13
Crashes
3
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 DODGE INTREPID 40
2 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX 36
3 FORD TAURUS 24
4 FORD WINDSTAR 20
5 CHEVROLET MALIBU 18
6 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 16
7 CHRYSLER CONCORDE 16
8 BUICK REGAL 15
9 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE 14
10 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY 14
11 DODGE DAKOTA 12
12 DODGE CARAVAN 12
13 CHRYSLER LHS 12
14 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 11
15 CHEVROLET CAVALIER 11
16 FORD EXPLORER 10
17 DODGE DURANGO 10
18 CHRYSLER 300M 10
19 PONTIAC GRAND AM 9
20 HONDA ACCORD 9
21 BUICK CENTURY 9
22 MERCURY SABLE 8
23 TOYOTA PRIUS 7
24 FORD FUSION 7
25 CHEVROLET IMPALA 7
26 TOYOTA CAMRY 6
27 TOYOTA AVALON 6
28 CHEVROLET VENTURE 6
29 CHEVROLET LUMINA 6
30 VOLVO S80 5

Recent Complaints

2013 FORD EXPLORER

The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that when the vehicle was started, the power steering warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel was firm. The vehi

2012 FORD FUSION

The contact's son owns a 2012 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH, the steering wheel inadvertently lost power steering. The power steering warning light and the steering assi

2014 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FUSION. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE HIS WIFE WAS DRIVING AT 30 MPH, THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE MESSAGE DISPLAYED ON THE INSTRUMENT

2016 FORD EXPLORER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL GRINDING NOISE COMING FROM THE STEERING AND THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE VEHICL

2014 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 FORD FUSION. WHILE THE CONTACT'S WIFE WAS DRIVING 25 MPH, THE POWER STEERING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED AND THE STEERING SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO VICTORY LAND FORD (903

2015 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD FUSION. WHILE REVERSING OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY, THE STEERING WHEEL SEIZED AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST FAULT, SERVICE REQUESTED WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE CONTAC

2016 FORD EXPLORER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD EXPLORER. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, AN ABNORMAL NOISE WAS HEARD. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO HALDEMAN FORD (2443 LEHIGH

2013 FORD FOCUS

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 FORD FOCUS. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN AND THE POWER STEERING ASSIST WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO

2013 HONDA ACCORD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING COLUMN WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER AND NEEDED EXCESSIVE EFFORT TO OPERATE WHILE BEING OPERATED AT 15 MPH. THE FAILURE OCCUR

2011 FORD F-150

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 FORD F-150. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, WHILE DRIVING BELOW THE SPEED LIMIT, THE STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP AND FORCED THE CONTACT TO DRIVE INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE CONTACT MANAG

2012 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 VOLKSWAGEN BEETLE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 15 MPH, THE STEERING WHEEL MADE AN ABNORMAL NOISE WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED

2010 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FUSION. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE POWER STEERING MALFUNCTIONED AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT

2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 CHEVROLET TRAVERSE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING RACK SYSTEM WAS DEFECTIVE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60-65 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE LEFT AND RIGHT LANES. T

2010 FORD FUSION

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 FORD FUSION. WHILE BACKING OUT OF A PARKING SPACE AT APPROXIMATELY 4 MPH, THE STEERING ABILITY SEIZED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE DEALER STATE

2012 HYUNDAI SONATA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 HYUNDAI SONATA. WHILE DRIVING 45 MPH AND CHANGING LANES, THE STEERING COLUMN MADE A CLICKING SOUND WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS. THE VEHICLE W

2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 CHEVROLET MALIBU. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. TH

2009 GMC ACADIA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2009 GMC ACADIA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO TURN. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE POWER STEERING PUMP AND STEERING RACK NEEDED TO BE REPLACE

2013 HONDA ACCORD

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 10 MPH, THE POWER STEERING FAILED AND THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE POWER STEERING

2001 HONDA ACCORD

2001 HONDA ACCORD. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO VEHICLE TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *SMD THE CONSUMER LEARNED AFTER THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, AND HAD IT FIXED, A CLASS-ACTION SUIT HAD BEEN FILED AGAINST

2008 MERCEDES-BENZ ML320

2008 MERCEDES ML320. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO STEERING WHEEL ISSUES. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED BEFORE THE VEHICLE REACHED 50,000 MILES, HE BEGAN TO HEAR AN UNUSUAL SOUND WHEN SHE TURNED THE STE

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve steering:rack and pinion:rack issues?
The NHTSA has received 614 complaints about steering:rack and pinion:rack problems across 162 vehicle models from 37 manufacturers.
How dangerous are steering:rack and pinion:rack defects?
STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK issues have been linked to 13 crashes, 3 fires, 12 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most steering:rack and pinion:rack problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for steering:rack and pinion:rack issues is the DODGE INTREPID with 40 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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