Vehicle problems, recalls, and years to avoid — from official NHTSA data
Every used car has a federal paper trail. Read it before you buy.
VehicleVerdict brings together NHTSA consumer complaints, safety recalls, defect investigations, and crash-test ratings — current through August 2026 — to deliver one verdict for each model year: is it a year to buy or a year to avoid?
Which vehicles have the worst records?
The ten most complained-about model years in NHTSA's files.
| # | Vehicle | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2010 Ford Fusion | 7,026 | |
| 2 | 2000 Ford Focus | 5,152 | |
| 3 | 2012 Ford Focus | 4,982 | |
| 4 | 1995 Ford Windstar | 4,799 | |
| 5 | 2011 Hyundai Sonata | 4,621 | |
| 6 | 2002 Ford Explorer | 4,097 | |
| 7 | 2014 Jeep Cherokee | 3,965 | |
| 8 | 2013 Ford F-150 | 3,953 | |
| 9 | 2018 Ram 2500 | 3,789 | |
| 10 | 2013 Ford Escape | 3,681 |
Browse by make
- Ford382,302 complaints
- Chevrolet251,680 complaints
- Dodge154,414 complaints
- Toyota139,322 complaints
- Honda124,831 complaints
- Jeep124,165 complaints
- Nissan96,848 complaints
- Hyundai77,526 complaints
- Chrysler66,882 complaints
- GMC64,121 complaints
- Kia61,800 complaints
- Volkswagen49,362 complaints
- BMW40,752 complaints
- Pontiac39,046 complaints
- Subaru34,827 complaints
- Mercedes-Benz33,410 complaints
Rankings
- The Most Complained-About Model Years
- The Most Complained-About Vehicles of All Time
- The Most Recalled Vehicles
- Model Years With the Most Recalls
- Vehicles With the Most Transmission Complaints
- Vehicles With the Most Engine Complaints
- Vehicles With the Most Electrical System Complaints
- Vehicles With the Most Brake Complaints
Based on NHTSA ODI data through August 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated August 28, 2026.
Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.