Component

SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY

335 NHTSA complaints about suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly issues across 23 makes and 90 models.

The suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly is one of the standardized component categories NHTSA uses to classify consumer safety complaints. Across the public complaint database, it accounts for 335 filings from 23 manufacturers and 90 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 9 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 fatalities. The most complained-about vehicle in this category is the TOYOTA TACOMA with 82 filings, followed by FORD F-150 and FORD ESCORT. 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.

335
Complaints
90
Models Affected
9
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Deaths

Most Affected Vehicles

# Vehicle Complaints
1 TOYOTA TACOMA 82
2 FORD F-150 50
3 FORD ESCORT 33
4 FORD RANGER 10
5 TOYOTA TUNDRA 8
6 CHEVROLET S10 8
7 CHEVROLET SILVERADO 7
8 FORD EXPLORER 6
9 DODGE DAKOTA 5
10 FORD TAURUS 4
11 DODGE DURANGO 4
12 DODGE CARAVAN 4
13 TOYOTA PICKUP 3
14 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER 3
15 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS 3
16 MERCURY MYSTIQUE 3
17 FORD CONTOUR 3
18 DODGE GRAND CARAVAN 3
19 BUICK REGAL 3
20 TOYOTA TOYOTA TRUCK 2
21 TOYOTA T100 2
22 OLDSMOBILE CUTLASS SUPREME 2
23 NISSAN FRONTIER 2
24 NISSAN D21 2
25 MITSUBISHI MONTERO SPORT 2
26 MERCURY TRACER 2
27 LINCOLN CONTINENTAL 2
28 GMC SIERRA 1500 2
29 GMC SIERRA 2
30 FREIGHTLINER FREIGHTLINER 2

Recent Complaints

2023 INTERNATIONAL RH

See attached document for complaint.

2019 FORD RANGER

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Ranger. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer for routine maintenance and the dealer became aware that the driver’s side rear leaf spring at the front end

2017 RAM 2500

The contact owns a 2017 Ram 2500 trailered to a 2022 Quality Cargo trailer. The contact stated that while transporting the trailer, the contact noticed that the trailer was not aligned correctly. The

2010 TOYOTA TUNDRA

The contact owns a 2010 Toyota Tundra. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made an abnormal sound. Upon inspection, the contact noticed that the rear leaf spring

2003 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO INDEPENDENT MECHANIC, WHERE SHE WAS INFORMED THAT THE DRIVER?S AN

2013 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2013 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE WAS LOWER THAN NORMAL. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO ALLEGHENY TOYOTA (722 ALLEGHEN

2011 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT CALLED ON BEHALF OF A SIBLING WHO OWNS A 2011 TOYOTA TACOMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE LEAF SPRING FRACTURED AND THE VEHICLE BECAME INOPERABLE. THE VEH

2016 FORD F-150

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 FORD F-150. WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD ABNORMAL RATTLING NOISE EMERGING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED. THE

2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 MERCEDES-BENZ SPRINTER 3500. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY, THE REAR LEAF SPRINGS BECAME BENT AND COULD NOT SUPPORT THE WEIGHT OF THE CARGO. THE DEALER (MYRTLE BEACH AUT

2006 HUMMER H3

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 HUMMER H3. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LEAF SPRING FRACTURED WITHOUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH. THE VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN AND PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RES

2003 NISSAN FRONTIER Crash

TL* THE CONTACT OWNED A 2003 NISSAN FRONTIER. WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE CONTACT HEARD AN ABNORMAL NOISE AND THOUGH IT WAS DUE TO A FLAT TIRE. THE CONTACT COASTED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND NOTIC

2002 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRAME FROM THE REAR LEAF SPRING HANGER WAS CORRODED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FRAME NE

2006 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT BOTH REAR LEAF SPRINGS ON THE VEHICLE FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 14V604000 (SUSPENSION); HOWEVER,

2005 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THERE WAS A CLANKING NOISE COMING FROM THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REP

2003 TOYOTA TACOMA

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 TOYOTA TACOMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LEAF SPRING FRACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS

2007 TOYOTA TACOMA

HEARD A RATTLE UNDER THE TRUCK LOOKING INTO IT FOUND THAT THE PASSENGER REAR LEAF SPRING WAS BROKEN AND HAD DAMAGED THE BRAKE LINE. THIS COULD HAVE BROKEN THE BRAKE LINE AND CAUSED A BRAKE FAILURE. *

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA

2003 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO FRAME RUST RECALL NOTICE. *SMD THE CONSUMER STATED LAST YEAR, THERE WAS A RECALL ON THE FRAME. SHE TOOK THE TRUCK TO THE DEALER, AND THEY REPLACED

2008 GMC SIERRA 1500

2008 GMC SIERRA 1500. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO THUMP UNDER THE RIGHT REAR WHEEL *TGW THE CONSUMER WAS INFORMED THE FRONT DIFFERENTIAL HAD A CRACK IN IT AND THE REAR MIDDLE LEAF SPRING WAS BROKEN

2007 TOYOTA TACOMA

2007 TOYOTA TACOMA. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH LEAF SPRINGS *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE WOULD BOTTOM OUT WHEN HE HIT A SMALL DIP IN THE ROAD.

2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA

2001 TOYOTA TUNDRA. CONSUMER WRITES REGARDING RUSTED FRAME *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE ONLY DISCOVERED THE FRAME RUST WHEN THE REAR LEAF SPRING BROKE UNEXPECTEDLY WHILE DRIVING IN AUGUST 2009. *JB

Frequently Asked Questions

How many complaints involve suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly issues?
The NHTSA has received 335 complaints about suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly problems across 90 vehicle models from 23 manufacturers.
How dangerous are suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly defects?
SUSPENSION:REAR:SPRINGS:LEAF SPRING ASSEMBLY issues have been linked to 9 crashes, 0 fires, 4 injuries, and 0 deaths according to NHTSA complaint data.
Which vehicles have the most suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly problems?
The most complained-about vehicle for suspension:rear:springs:leaf spring assembly issues is the TOYOTA TACOMA with 82 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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