About the data

KnownFlaws shows the known problems of each car by make, model and year. Every complaint was filed by a vehicle owner in official public vehicle safety records.

We combine three kinds of public records: owner complaints, safety recalls and defect investigations. We do not edit the complaints, and we do not publish personal information (owner names, cities, VINs or dealers).

Years to avoid are model years from the last 25 years with more than twice the complaints of a typical year of the same car. Fewest complaints are the three model years from the last 20 years with the fewest complaints, counting only those that have been on the road for at least four years, since newer cars have had less time to fail.

Complaints are unverified statements by owners, and a high count can also reflect how many cars were sold. Use the data as one input, and always check a specific vehicle's history and open recalls before buying.

KnownFlaws is independent and is not affiliated with any automaker or government agency.