Cars With Transmission Problems: What 200,000 Owner Complaints Show

The cars with the most transmission problems reported to NHTSA include the 2012–2016 Ford Focus, the 2014–2019 Jeep Cherokee and several early-2000s Ford, Nissan and Honda models. For some of these model years, more than half of all owner complaints name the transmission or driveline. This guide uses NHTSA’s complaint file to show which models and years draw the most of these reports, how transmission recalls differ from everyday transmission failures, and what to check before you buy.

How common are transmission complaints?

NHTSA’s complaint form uses a “power train” category for the transmission, clutch, driveshaft and axles. It is the second-largest category in the file after electrical problems:

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 share was highest, around 17–18%, for many 2014–2020 models, the period that produced several of the problem transmissions described below. It has eased for the newest models, though those are still collecting reports. For how transmissions compare with other problem areas, see the most common car problems.

Cars with the most transmission 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.

Two columns matter. The count shows which models drew the most reports, which favors best-sellers like the F-150. The share shows how dominant the transmission is among each model’s problems: for the Jeep Cherokee, Nissan Maxima and Nissan Pathfinder, about a third or more of all complaints name the power train, against about one in seven across the whole file.

The worst model years

Transmission problems tend to cluster in particular model years, usually around a new transmission design:

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

• Ford Focus, 2012–2016: these years used Ford’s DPS6 “PowerShift” dual-clutch automatic, which owners said could slip, buck and jerk; it led to a class-action settlement (Jalopnik). The 2014 Focus has the most power-train complaints of any model year in the file. See the Ford Focus by year.
• Jeep Cherokee, 2014–2019: more than half of 2014 and 2015 complaints name the power train. In 2016 Chrysler recalled about 330,000 vehicles with its 9-speed automatic, including the 2014–2015 Cherokee and 2015 Chrysler 200, because a wiring fault could make the transmission shift unexpectedly to neutral (campaign 16V529). See the Jeep Cherokee.
• Ford F-150: several years stand out, and Ford has recalled 2011–2013, 2014 and 2015–2017 F-150s for unexpected downshifts that can cause a loss of control (campaigns 19V075, 24V444 and 26V237).
• 2003 Honda Accord and 2002 Honda Odyssey: both were covered by Honda’s 2004 automatic transmission recall of about 1.1 million vehicles (04V176).
• 2004–2005 Nissan Maxima, 2002 Ford Explorer and 2004–2005 Ford Freestar: very high power-train shares. The Freestar was recalled in 2012 for torque converter malfunctions (12V006); we found no transmission safety recall for the Maxima or Explorer years.

Nissan’s CVTs of the early 2010s (Altima, Sentra, Rogue, Pathfinder) are often named in “cars to avoid” lists. Nissan issued service bulletins to address the “judder” many owners described (Jalopnik), and the Pathfinder appears in the models table above. Each model’s best and worst years page ranks every year by complaints, for example the Ford Focus best and worst years.

Transmission recalls: mostly about safety, not wear

A transmission that slips, shudders or fails early is a costly reliability problem, but it isn’t automatically a safety defect. Federal recall law is built around safety, which the statute defines this way:

“‘motor vehicle safety’ means the performance of a motor vehicle or motor vehicle equipment in a way that protects the public against unreasonable risk of accidents occurring because of the design, construction, or performance of a motor vehicle, and against unreasonable risk of death or injury in an accident…”49 U.S.C. 30102(a)(9)

So a transmission that wears out early may be covered by a warranty or a settlement, but it is recalled only when the failure creates a crash or injury risk. That is why the transmission recalls in NHTSA’s file look very different from the complaints:

Rollaway dominates: a broken shift cable, a parking pawl that doesn’t engage, or a shifter that shows Park when the transmission isn’t in Park can let a parked vehicle roll. The largest power-train recalls since 2016:

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.

If your car has an open transmission recall, the repair is free. For problems that aren’t recalls, ask the dealer whether a technical service bulletin or an extended warranty covers your transmission; our guide to TSBs vs recalls explains the difference. All of a model’s recalls are on its recall page, for example Ford F-150 recalls.

Signs of transmission trouble

Have the car checked promptly if you notice:

• slipping: the engine revs rise but the car doesn’t speed up to match;
• delayed engagement, a clunk or a hard shift when you select Drive or Reverse;
• shuddering or “judder” at low speeds, common in complaints about CVTs and dual-clutch transmissions;
• a transmission warning light or a check-engine light with a transmission code;
• a burning smell or red fluid leaking under the car;
• a car that moves when the shifter shows Park, or a warning that the car isn’t in Park. Stop using it and check for a rollaway recall at once.

If the problem affects safety, such as a sudden downshift at speed, loss of drive or rolling while in Park, also report it to NHTSA. Complaint patterns are how NHTSA decides what to investigate.

Buying a used car? Check the transmission

1. Look up the model year. Open its report and check how many complaints name the power train, and whether there are open recalls. Our VIN decoder identifies the exact model year and engine.
2. Ask for service records showing transmission fluid changes and any transmission repairs or software updates.
3. Test-drive from cold, including stop-and-go traffic, a hill and highway speeds. Feel for slipping, shudder and harsh shifts.
4. Pay for an independent inspection that includes a scan for stored transmission codes. Our used car inspection checklist covers the rest.

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, and best-selling models draw more of every kind. This guide is general information, not mechanical advice.