Cars With Engine Problems: Models and Years From NHTSA Data

The cars with the most engine problems reported to NHTSA include several Ford Escape years, Hyundai Sonata, Santa Fe and Kia Sorento and Optima years, and the 2016 Honda Pilot. For some of these model years, more than half of all owner complaints name the engine. This guide shows which models and years draw the most engine complaints, which of them were recalled for engine failure, and what to check before you buy.

How common are engine complaints?

NHTSA’s complaint form has used two engine categories over the years, “engine” and “engine and engine cooling”. Together they are one of the largest problem areas in the file, alongside the electrical system and the powertrain:

One complaint can name several components. Recent model years are still collecting reports. Source: NHTSA owner complaints file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

The engine’s share is higher for 2010 and newer models, the years that include most of the engine families recalled for bearing wear in the sections below. For how engines compare with other problem areas, see the most common car problems.

Cars with the most engine complaints

Counts of owner reports, not verified defects or rates; models that sold in larger numbers draw more complaints. The share compares with all complaints for that model over the same model years. Source: NHTSA owner complaints file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

Counts favor best-sellers, so look at the share column too. For the Kia Soul, nearly two-thirds of all complaints name the engine, and for the Kia Optima and Sorento it is more than 40%, against fewer than one complaint in five across the whole file.

The worst model years, and which were recalled

Source: NHTSA owner complaints file, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

• Hyundai Sonata 2011–2014, Santa Fe Sport 2013–2014, Kia Optima 2011–2014, Sorento 2012–2014 and Sportage 2011–2013: recalled in 2015 and 2017 because metal debris from manufacturing, or machining errors, could cause bearing wear and engine seizure (15V568, 17V226, 17V224). See the Hyundai Sonata by year.
• Kia Soul 2012–2016: recalled in 2019 because high exhaust temperatures could damage the catalytic converter and then the engine (19V120). The 2014–2015 Soul, with the 2012–2013 Sorento, 2012–2015 Forte, 2011–2013 Optima Hybrid and 2012 Sportage, was recalled again in 2020 because engine damage could lead to an engine compartment fire (20V750).
• Honda Pilot 2016, 2018–2019 and other Honda and Acura V6 models: recalled in 2023 because a connecting-rod bearing could wear and seize, damaging the engine (23V751), covering the 2015–2020 Acura TLX, 2016–2020 MDX, Pilot, Ridgeline and 2018–2019 Odyssey.
• Ford Escape: the 2013 Escape with the 1.6-liter engine was recalled twice because the cylinder head could overheat and cause a fire (12V551, 13V583). In January 2026 Ford recalled 2013–2019 Escapes with the 2.0-liter engine because the block heater could crack, leak coolant and short circuit (26V011). We found no engine-failure recall for the 2017 or 2018 Escape, although more than half of their complaints name the engine.
• Kia Sorento 2016 and Hyundai Santa Fe 2017: the 2016 Sorento’s only engine-related recall is for a leaking high-pressure fuel pipe (18V907); a 2017 bearing-wear recall for the Santa Fe (17V578) covered only about 420 vehicles. Most owners of these years were not covered by an engine-failure recall.
• 1995 Ford Windstar, 1999–2000 Dodge Intrepid and 2017 Ford Edge: very high engine complaint shares, but no engine recall of any kind covering those years in NHTSA’s file.

As with transmissions, an engine that wears out early is often treated as a warranty or reliability problem rather than a safety recall, unless the failure creates a crash or fire risk. Our transmission guide explains that distinction, and each model’s best and worst years page shows its problem areas year by year.

Engine recalls: what fails

Engine recalls fall into two groups. Some fix internal damage that can make the engine fail or seize while driving, usually traced to manufacturing: debris left in the engine, machining errors or defective connecting rods and bearings. NHTSA’s record for the 2017 Hyundai recall puts the risk simply:

“Bearing wear may result in the engine seizing, increasing the risk of a crash.”NHTSA recall record for Hyundai campaign 17V226, nhtsa.gov

The other group are fire risks: oil or coolant leaking onto hot parts, overheating, or electrical faults such as block heaters and PCV heaters. Our car fire statistics cover those. Recent engine-failure recalls include GM’s 2025 recall of 2021–2024 trucks and SUVs with the 6.2-liter V8 (25V274) and Nissan’s 2026 recall of Rogue models with the VC-Turbo engine (26V080).

Vehicle descriptions are NHTSA’s own summary wording; “repaired” is the share the manufacturer reports as fixed, and new campaigns start near zero. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026.

Newer engines with problems: the 2022–2026 recalls

Most of the high-complaint years above are a decade or more old, because complaints take years to build up. The recall file shows which newer engines have problems now. Five engine families stand out:

• Toyota’s 3.4-liter twin-turbo V6 (V35A): recalled three times because machining debris left in the engine can make the main bearings fail, causing a stall: 2022–2023 Tundra and Lexus LX 600 in 2024 (24V381), 2022–2024 Tundra, LX and 2024 GX in 2025 (25V767), and more 2024 Tundras in 2026 (26V320).
• GM’s 6.2-liter V8 (L87): about 598,000 2021–2024 Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Escalade models, recalled in 2025 for connecting-rod and crankshaft defects (25V274).
• Nissan’s VC-Turbo: 2019–2020 Altima, 2021–2024 Rogue and 2019–2022 Infiniti QX50 in 2025 (25V437), then 2023–2025 Rogues in 2026 because hot oil can break down and seize the bearings (26V080).
• Jeep’s 2.0-liter turbo in the 4xe plug-in hybrids: 2023–2025 Grand Cherokee 4xe and 2024–2025 Wrangler 4xe, recalled in late 2025 because debris inside the engine can cause engine failure (25V766). It is one of the least-repaired on this list.
• Honda’s 1.5-liter turbo: owner reports and lawsuits over oil dilution are widely covered, but we found no engine recall for it in NHTSA’s file.

The Jeep recall adds a fire risk to the stall risk. NHTSA’s record states:

“A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash, and a vehicle fire can increase the risk of injury.”NHTSA recall record for Chrysler campaign 25V766, nhtsa.gov

For any of these, the repair is an inspection and, if needed, an engine replacement, at no charge. Parts shortages mean some owners wait; ask the dealer what to do in the meantime.

Warning signs of engine trouble

Most engine failures give some warning first. How urgently to act depends on the sign:

An engine run without oil pressure or coolant can be destroyed within minutes, so the red warnings matter most. If the engine stalls or loses power while driving, also report it to NHTSA: complaint patterns are how investigations start.

Buying used: checking the engine

1. Check the model year’s engine complaints and recalls before you look at the car, and confirm any engine recall was completed. Our VIN decoder shows the engine fitted at the factory.
2. Ask for oil-change records. Several of the recalls above involve bearing wear, and a gap in service history makes it harder to tell a manufacturing defect from neglect.
3. Start it cold and listen for knocking or ticking, and check under the oil cap and dipstick.
4. Get an independent inspection with a scan for stored codes. Our used car inspection checklist covers the rest.

For recalls of water pumps, coolant leaks and cooling fans see our water pump and cooling system recalls guide.

Complaint and recall figures are PlainVIN’s analysis of NHTSA’s files and update when we refresh the data; complaints are owner reports, not verified defects. This guide is general information, not mechanical advice.