Suspension Problems and Recalls: Which Cars, From NHTSA Data

The cars with the most suspension complaints to NHTSA include the 1999 Dodge Durango, the 2002 Ford Taurus, the 2017 and 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty and the 2002–2004 Jeep Liberty, and the biggest recalls involve parts that can break while you drive: toe links, control arms, trailing arms, coil springs and axles. Most advice about suspension covers worn shocks and a bumpy ride. This guide uses NHTSA’s complaint and recall files to show which cars and years are involved, which were recalled, and which recalls are still mostly unrepaired.

Suspension complaints: which cars and years

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.

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

Counts favor popular models, so look at the share column. Suspension is more than a third of all complaints for the Ford F-250 Super Duty and more than a quarter for the Dodge Dakota, against about 5% across the whole file. Pickups and older SUVs dominate: heavy-duty trucks carry heavy loads, and older vehicles have had time to rust.

Which of those years were recalled

We checked the worst model years against NHTSA’s recall file:

• Jeep Liberty 2002–2004: recalled for lower ball joints in 2003 and 2006 (03V460, 06V288, about 826,000 vehicles in the second) and for a rear lower control arm that can fracture from corrosion in 2012 and 2018 (12V085, 18V278). Only about 30% of the 2018 recall is reported repaired.
• Ford Windstar 2001: recalled for rear axle cracking in 2010 (10V385, about 493,000 vehicles), corrosion fractures of the front lower control arm in 2012 (12V194), and in 2015 because the axle recall repair may have been performed improperly (15V608, 23% repaired).
• Dodge Dakota 2000: a 2004 recall for upper ball joint wear (04V596, about 593,000 vehicles).
• Toyota Tacoma 2005–2011: recalled in 2014 because a rear leaf spring could fracture and puncture the fuel tank (14V604, about 711,000 vehicles, 48% repaired).
• 1999 Dodge Durango, 2002 Ford Taurus, 2017 and 2019 Ford F-250 Super Duty, 2005 Ford Escape and 2002 Ford Explorer: heavy suspension complaint shares, but we found no suspension, axle, steering or frame recall for those model years in NHTSA’s file.

Complaints are owner reports, so a high count may reflect many owners of a popular model rather than a defect rate. A model’s best and worst years page shows its year-by-year problem areas, and steering faults are covered in our power steering guide.

Suspension recalls: what breaks

“Repaired” weights each campaign’s reported completion rate by its vehicle count; “not yet repaired” is the matching estimate. A vehicle in several campaigns is counted in each. Source: NHTSA recalls file and US DOT completion data, retrieved Oct 6, 2026; computed by PlainVIN.

The biggest group is rear suspension links and arms. Ford has recalled the Explorer four times for rear toe links that can fracture: 2011–2017 models in 2019 (19V435, about 1.19 million vehicles), 2013–2017 models originally sold or registered in certain states in 2021 (20V675 and 21V537), and 2017–2019 models in 2026 (26V101, 29% repaired). NHTSA’s record for the first explains the risk:

“A fractured rear toe link will cause a sudden change in vehicle handling and increase the risk of a crash.”NHTSA recall record for Ford campaign 19V435, nhtsa.gov

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.

• Toyota: 2006–2011 RAV4 and 2010 Lexus HS 250h in 2016 for rear suspension arms (tie rods) that can corrode (16V596, 40% repaired), and the Tacoma leaf spring recall above.
• Volkswagen: 2011–2013 Jetta and 2012–2013 Beetle in 2014 because a rear trailing arm can fracture and cause a loss of control (14V656).
• Chrysler (FCA): 2021–2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L and 2022–2023 Grand Cherokee models in 2026 because rear coil springs may be incorrectly installed and detach while driving (26V562, about 328,000 vehicles), after a 2023 recall for incorrectly installed rear springs (23V413).

Suspension recalls in 2026

The largest of the year is Honda’s June 2026 recall of about 880,000 2016–2022 Pilot, 2017–2023 Ridgeline, 2019–2023 Passport and 2014–2020 Acura MDX vehicles sold in Connecticut, Delaware, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan and other states (26V365). A corroding rear subframe can lead to failure of rear suspension components. CBS News reported that Honda estimates only about 1% of the recalled vehicles actually have the defect. NHTSA’s record states:

“Failure of rear suspension components, such as the rear control arm, can cause a loss of vehicle handling and control, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.”NHTSA recall record for Honda campaign 26V365, nhtsa.gov

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.

Two more are worth knowing. Ford’s “do not drive” recall (26V340) covers about 4,650 2021–2026 Bronco Sport and 2022–2026 Maverick vehicles whose front lower control arm ball joints may have been incorrectly installed or repaired, which can let the control arm disconnect from the wheel knuckle. And NHTSA has opened an investigation into about 1.2 million Tesla vehicles over suspension failures, as Reuters reported on July 31, 2026. See our do-not-drive recall list for the other urgent recalls.

Corrosion is behind many of these failures: Honda’s rear subframe recall, Hyundai’s crossmember recall and Toyota’s rear arm recall all name it. Our rust and corrosion recalls guide shows which states each of these recalls covers.

Signs of a suspension problem

A suspension that handles badly is more than a comfort issue: a broken arm or link can cause a loss of control. If a recall covers your car, the repair is free; check your VIN, and if the car handled strangely before a crash or breakdown, report it to NHTSA. When buying used, our inspection checklist covers the walk-around and test drive, and our common problems guide shows how suspension compares with other problem areas. To see what owners report for your exact model year, use our VIN decoder.

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.