Categories: Cars

10 vehicles that drivers complain about the most

Michael Timmermann | March 24th, 2017

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The Toyota Prius is among the vehicles that drivers complain about the most, according to a new study from iSeeCars.com.

The automotive and data research company analyzed nearly 500,000 safety-related complaints across 400 models reported by vehicle owners to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

A complaint rate was then calculated based on the number of new cars sold.

Cars with the highest and lowest safety complaint rates

Owners reported an overall average of 26.8 complaints per 10,000 vehicles sold, but the safety complaint rates were a lot higher for the top 10 models, including eight vehicles from domestic brands.

Here are some of the highlights from the top 10 list:

Chrysler 300: Electrical problems make up 18% of owner reported problems for this vehicle, such as the car not starting or stalling while driving.
Jeep Wrangler: There were many complaints about problems with the vehicle’s fuel system.
Toyota Prius: Nearly half (48%) of complaints involved exterior lighting, brake problems and issues with acceleration, especially with 2006 and 2010 model years. Complaints led to several major recalls.

Didn’t think the Toyota Prius would make the list? We didn’t either. To be fair, the Prius was ranked most reliable in a recent Consumer Reports survey.

Meanwhile, iSeeCars.com reports that two Kia models, Forte and Soul, have the lowest safety complaint rates.

How to file a vehicle safety complaint

Remember that this study focused only on safety complaints to NHTSA, which requires the owner or someone like a dealer or mechanic to submit a complaint.

So these complaints indicate that an issue was serious enough for someone to take action.

‘It’s important for all consumers to use NHTSA’s system to file a complaint when they feel that their safety is compromised in their cars,’ said iSeeCars.com CEO Phong Ly. ‘These complaints are often the impetus for NHTSA to open an investigation, which may lead to a recall, and can often prevent collisions, not to mention save lives.”

If you have a vehicle safety complaint, visit NHTSA’s website to fill out a simple form.