Component

SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE

115 NHTSA complaints about suspension:rear:axle:spindle issues across 26 makes and 74 models.

The suspension:rear:axle:spindle is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 115 filings from 26 manufacturers and 74 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 19 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD EXPLORER with 9 filings, followed by DODGE RAM 1500 and FORD WINDSTAR. 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.

115
Complaints
74
Models Affected
19
Crashes
2
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD EXPLORER 9
2 DODGE RAM 1500 8
3 FORD WINDSTAR 7
4 NISSAN TITAN 4
5 HONDA VTX1800 3
6 FORD FOCUS 3
7 FORD F-150 3
8 CADILLAC CTS 3
9 PONTIAC GRAND AM 2
10 PLYMOUTH SUNDANCE 2
11 KIA SPORTAGE 2
12 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 2
13 FORD TAURUS 2
14 CHRYSLER PACIFICA 2
15 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 1500 2
16 CHEVROLET LUMINA 2
17 CHEVROLET CORVETTE 2
18 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1
19 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA 1
20 VOLKSWAGEN GOLF 1
21 TOYOTA TUNDRA 1
22 TOYOTA TACOMA 1
23 TOYOTA 4 RUNNER 1
24 SATURN SL 1
25 SATURN SC1 1
26 RAM 1500 1
27 PONTIAC SUNFIRE 1
28 PONTIAC SOLSTICE 1
29 PLYMOUTH GRAND VOYAGER 1
30 OLDSMOBILE AURORA 1

Recent Complaints

2017 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The vehicle was modified for wheelchair accessibility. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle started rocking abnormally. The contact s

2001 FORD WINDSTAR

The contact owns a 2001 Ford Windstar. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH, the rear axle fractured. There was no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The ve

2016 RAM 1500

The contact's girlfriend owns a 2016 Ram 1500. The contact stated while test-driving the vehicle, he noticed the vehicle began to shake. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The owner

2010 DODGE RAM

The contact owns a 2010 Ram 1500. The contact was driving for their local state vehicle inspection at 65 MPH when an abnormal humming noise was coming from the rear exterior of the vehicle. No warning

2015 BUICK ENCORE Crash

The contact owns a 2015 Buick Encore. The contact stated that while their son was driving at approximately 30 mph when they suddenly heard a booming sound from underneath the body of the vehicle. The

2001 FORD WINDSTAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE. THE CONTACT DISCOVERED THAT THE REAR WHEELS WERE BENT. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. ADDITI

2004 DODGE RAM 1500 Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2004 DODGE RAM 1500. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH, THE VEHICLE VEERED INTO THE OTHER LANE, SPUN AROUND, DROVE INTO A DITCH, AND CRASHED INTO A TREE. THE CONTACT WAS INJUR

2000 FORD WINDSTAR

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE VEHICLE VIBRATED VIOLENTLY AND MADE A LOUD DRAGGING NOISE. AFTER INSPECTING THE VEHICLE, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE

2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 50 MPH, THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND BURNING ODOR EMITTED FROM THE REAR END OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS

2000 FORD WINDSTAR Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD WINDSTAR SW. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE TRAVELING 65 MPH, THE REAR AXLE BECAME FAILED AND RESULTED IN THE VEHICLE SPINNING OUT OF CONTROL UNTIL CRASHING. THE DET

2003 FORD E-450 Fire

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 FORD E-450. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTRO

2005 NISSAN TITAN

2005 NISSAN TITAN LE 4X4. TRUCK HAS 60,000 MILES AND THE REAR AXLE SEAL ON THE DRIVERS SIDE IS LEAKING. *KB

2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA

2008 CHEVROLET IMPALA. CONSUMER STATES REAR TIRE SPINDLE ROD PROBLEM *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE HAS WORN OUT SEVERAL REAR TIRES DUE TO THE REAR SPINDLE ROD PROBLEM. *JB

2011 DODGE RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THE DEALER INFORMED THEM THAT THE MANUFACTURER ONLY ALLOWED DEALERS TO ORDER ONE PART PER WEEK FOR NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V656

2011 DODGE RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2001 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V656000, SUSPENSION REAR: AXLE: SPINDLE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND WAS TOLD THE

2011 DODGE RAM 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE RECEIVED A RECALL IN REGARDS TO NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 10V656000 (SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE). AFTER CALLING THE DEALER AND T

2011 DODGE RAM 1500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER IN RESPONSE TO NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V656000 (SUSPENSION: REAR: AXLE: SPINDLE) AND WAS TOLD THAT THE

2011 DODGE RAM 1500

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 DODGE RAM 1500. THE CONTACT STATED THEY RECEIVED NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 10V656000 (SUSPENSION: REAR: AXLE: SPINDLE) AND WAS TOLD BY THE DEALER IT WOULD TAKE 7-8 MO

2011 GMC SIERRA 1500

2011 GMC SIERRA 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO RECALL NOTICE FOR THE REAR AXLE CROSS PIN FRACTURE *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE WAS NOT INFORMED THAT A RECALL WAS ISSUED PRIOR TO PURCHASING THE VE

2011 CHEVROLET TAHOE

2011 CHEVROLET TAHOE. CONSUMER WOULD LIKE TO INFORM NHTSA OF THE TERRIFIC SERVICE THAT WIN KELLY CHEVROLET DID FOR A RECALL. HE RECEIVED NOTICE THROUGH ONSTAR THAT HE WAS INVOLVED IN A RECALL AND WITH

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve suspension:rear:axle:spindle issues?
The NHTSA has received 115 complaints about suspension:rear:axle:spindle problems across 74 vehicle models from 26 manufacturers.
How dangerous are suspension:rear:axle:spindle defects?
SUSPENSION:REAR:AXLE:SPINDLE issues have been linked to 19 crashes, 2 fires, 11 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most suspension:rear:axle:spindle problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for suspension:rear:axle:spindle issues is the FORD EXPLORER with 9 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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