Component

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS

406 NHTSA complaints about suspension:rear:springs issues across 27 makes and 78 models.

The suspension:rear:springs is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 406 filings from 27 manufacturers and 78 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 7 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, and 3 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the FORD TAURUS with 134 filings, followed by FORD ESCORT and MERCURY SABLE. 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.

406
Complaints
78
Models Affected
7
Crashes
0
Fires
3
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 FORD TAURUS 134
2 FORD ESCORT 66
3 MERCURY SABLE 58
4 FORD EXPLORER 19
5 FORD CONTOUR 14
6 TOYOTA TACOMA 11
7 MERCURY TRACER 10
8 MERCURY MYSTIQUE 5
9 FORD RANGER 3
10 FORD F-150 3
11 DODGE RAM 3
12 VOLVO V40 2
13 NISSAN PATHFINDER 2
14 MERCURY MOUNTAINEER 2
15 KIA SPORTAGE 2
16 FORD FORD 2
17 FORD F-350 SD 2
18 FORD F-350 2
19 FORD EXPEDITION 2
20 DODGE STRATUS 2
21 DODGE DAKOTA 2
22 DODGE CARAVAN 2
23 CHEVROLET ASTRO 2
24 BUICK LESABRE 2
25 VOLVO V70 1
26 VOLVO S70 1
27 VOLVO S40 1
28 VOLKSWAGEN EUROVAN 1
29 TOYOTA TUNDRA 1
30 TOYOTA COROLLA 1

Recent Complaints

2008 GMC ACADIA

The contact owns a 2008 GMC Acadia. The vehicle had previously been serviced at the dealer under NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 14V118000 (Air Bags) and 15V415000 (Structure) however, after the recall repair

2008 FORD RANGER

The contact owns a 2008 Ford Ranger. The contact stated that after lending the vehicle to a neighbor, the neighbor informed the contact that the vehicle was making an abnormal noise. Upon inspection,

2003 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, A POPPING NOISE WAS PRESENT FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DISCOVERED THAT

2011 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS UNDERGOING AN INSPECTION, THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE SPRING WAS FRACTURED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. JOHNSTO

2008 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT 50 MPH, A CLUNKING NOISE WAS HEARD FROM THE REAR DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE MEC

2001 FORD TAURUS Crash Fatal

2ND REQUEST ON BEHALF OF CONSTITUENTS, REQUESTING NHTSA NOT ONLY RECALL THE 2001 FORD TAURUS BUT REOPEN A 2007 INVESTIGATION RE THIS MATTER, ES HAVE NO REC OF PREVIOUS LTR FM SEN. MCCONNELL BUT RE ES1

1995 GMC SAFARI

1995 GMC SAFARI. CONSUMER STATES THE REAR SPRINGS ARE CARBON FIBER AND HAVE DELAMINATED. *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED IT CAUSED AN UNSTABLE CONDITION WHILE DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS AS THE VEHICLE'S BO

2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C240

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 MERCEDES-BENZ C240. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PARKING THE VEHICLE IN A RESIDENTIAL GARAGE, HE NOTICED A LARGE PUDDLE OF FUEL HAD LEAKED FROM THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WA

1998 FORD ESCORT

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1998 FORD ESCORT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR COIL SPRINGS BROKE IN 2003 AND WERE REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS AT A REPAIR SHOP GETTING AN OIL CHANGE WHEN THE CONTACT WAS INFOR

2003 FORD TAURUS

FORD TAURUS 2003 REAR COIL SPRING BROKEN. CAUSED RUBBING ON TIRE ON SAME SIDE WHICH WORE A DEEP GROOVE IN THE SIDE WALL. ALSO CAUSED TIRE ON OPPOSITE SIDE TO WEAR UNEVENLY. HAD TO REPLACE BOTH TIRE

2000 FORD TAURUS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 FORD TAURUS. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH OF THE REAR SPRINGS FAILED. HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND THEY MADE THE REPAIRS. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 101,659. UPDAT

2002 FORD EXPLORER

DURING A SERVICE THE REAR SPRING WAS FOIND TO BE BROKEN IN TWO PLACES. THE FIRST TWO COILS OF THE RIGH REAR COIL SPRING WERE BROKEN. *TR

2002 FORD EXPLORER

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD EXPLORER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE AIR BAG INDICATOR REMAINED ILLUMINATED. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE SEAT BELT LATCH SYSTEM DOES NOT WORK AND THEY ARE CHARGING HI

2002 FORD TAURUS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 FORD TAURUS. IN APPROXIMATELY DECEMBER OF 2007, THE CONTACT HAD TO REPLACE THE FRONT DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE AND SPRING. ON JUNE 12, 2008, HE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP

2000 FORD TAURUS

2000 FORD TAURUS PROBLEMS WITH THE REAR SPRINGS. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE REAR SPRINGS AND LINKS WERE REPLACED. BRAKE LINE WAS REPAIRED, AND THE RACK AND PINION STEERING WAS REPLACED. *KB ***NAR***

2001 MERCURY SABLE

BROKEN FRONT AND REAR SPRINGS 2001 MERCURY SABLE. *TR

2001 FORD TAURUS

NOISE WAS NOTICED COMING FROM REAR DRIVER'S SIDE TIRE. SOUNDED LIKE BRAKE PAD STICKING. AFTER A COUPLE OF MILES OF DRIVING THE TIRE BLEW OUT. WHEN INVESTIGATING TIRE FAILURE IT WAS FOUND THE SPRING

2000 FORD TAURUS

INSPECTION OF VEHICLE AFTER SUFFERING A FRONT FLAT TIRE REVEALED THE LEFT REAR SPRING BROKEN. BROKEN SPRING ALMOST CONTACTS THE TIRE. VEHICLE IS BEING SERVICED THIS WEEKEND TO REPLACE PARTS. *TR

2001 MERCURY SABLE

A LOUD BANG FROM THE REAR OF MY 2001 MERCURY SABLE. I REMOVED ONE OF THE REAR TIRES AND FOUND THAT THE REAR SPRING HAD BROKE ON THE DRIVERS SIDE. IT HAD A SHARP EDGE ON IT THAT COULD PUNCTURE THE R

2002 FORD EXPLORER

FAILURE OF BOTH REAR SPRINGS ON 2002 FORD EXPLORER. 95,000 MILES, NORMAL DUTY (NEVER OVERLOADED). SPRINGS LITERALLY BREAKING APART STARTING AT TOP. SUSPECT DESIGN OR MATERIAL FLAW. INTERNET SEARCH

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve suspension:rear:springs issues?
The NHTSA has received 406 complaints about suspension:rear:springs problems across 78 vehicle models from 27 manufacturers.
How dangerous are suspension:rear:springs defects?
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS issues have been linked to 7 crashes, 0 fires, 7 injuries, and 3 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most suspension:rear:springs problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for suspension:rear:springs issues is the FORD TAURUS with 134 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.

Verify with FDA →