Top Cars to Avoid
What are the most unreliable cars with major engine and transmission failures?
I’m gonna share the most unreliable vehicles that you can buy that have the highest failure rates for their engines and transmissions.
So if you wanna avoid spending several thousands to even tens of thousands in repairs for a vehicle, that might just be a total pile of junk.
These are the vehicles, whether you’re buying new or used that you should avoid.
Nissan CVT Transmission Issues
Let’s get started with the first one on the list, which is known for its very bad transmissions.
And that of course is Nissan with its CVT.
The continuously variable transmission, also known as the CVT, is a transmission type that Nissan has been using in several models since 2003.
Although they have improved in recent years, these transmissions between 2003 all the way up to around 2018 were known for their alarmingly high failure rates.
Properly Maintaining these transmissions with fluid changes does seem to reduce the risk, but regardless, it’s very clear that these transmissions are extremely fragile and when they do fail, there is no repairing or rebuilding them.
The only solution is a brand new transmission which costs around seven to eight grand.
The problems are so severe that Nissan has faced major class action lawsuits and we’re forced to provide extended warranties on the transmission for certain model years.
This is why I always Suggest avoid buying a used Nissan that has a CVT unless it recently had its transmission replaced Or maybe if it comes with properly documented service history of regular fluid changes, which is also what you need to do if you buy a brand new one.
Otherwise you are taking a major risk buying what’s basically a ticking time bomb of a major repair bill.
Hyundai & Kia
The next one on the list is another massive one just like Nissan CVTs, and that is any Hyundai or Kia with a recalled four cylinder engine.
The vehicles that are the problem are those made between 2010 all the way up to 2021 with the 1.6 liter two liter and 2.4 liter four cylinder engines, which are known to fail at an alarming rate.
Hyundai and Kia combined have recalled around 10 million vehicles for engine failures and like Nissan have faced major class action lawsuits and even massive fines from Nitsa depending on the vehicle.
Subaru Forester vs Toyota RAV4 vs Honda CR-V
The problems with these engines include oil consumption, knocking noises, failed rod bearings, connecting rods, and even piston rings, any of which point to a failed engine that’s in need of replacement.
This is why I Suggest avoid buying any used Hyundai or KIA with these engines. Remember, we are talking about several millions of affected vehicles.
Make no mistake, this is by far the largest and most extreme engine failure recall in the modern history of the auto industry.
Nothing else even comes close, so do not take the risk.
Volkswagen’s Fragile 1.5L TFSI Engine
The next vehicle in the list that you need to avoid is Volkswagen and any model with the 1.5 liter TFSI engine, otherwise known as the EA 211.
This engine comes in many forms, but the most popular variant is the 1.5 liter turbo engine used in the Volkswagen Jetta and Taos.
These engines are known for a wide range of problems including oil consumption, oil leaks, timing chain issues, turbo issues, weak fuel and ignition systems, which can develop a wide range of problems and even total engine failure.
Again, these engines seem to be rather fragile and sensitive to maintenance and when they do have problems being a Volkswagen,
they are extremely expensive to repair and that’s why I do not recommend buying any Volkswagen with these engines.
Whether they’re new or used, they should absolutely be avoided at a warranty.
RAM 1500
The next vehicle on the list is the first truck that you need to avoid and that is the RAM 1500.
Most of the engines that are used by RAM can be quite problematic, including both diesel and gas engines, including their most popular 5.7 liter Hemi V eight.
Although this is a long running engine which RAM has been using for ages, it does have a few serious problems, some of which can lead to total engine failure.
These engines are known for having lifter failure, which is caused by poor oil flow, and this problem can lead to camshaft damage and engine failure.
They are also known for having problems with cracking or warping exhaust manifolds and broken manifold bolts, which is another serious and expensive issue.
ram, which is part of Stellantis, is unfortunately not very well known for stellar build quality or the quality of its parts and craftsmanship.
The problems with these vehicles are often quite expensive, and not only that, but when they do have issues like Hyundai and Kia, the customer service that you get from Stellantis is usually pretty terrible.
They are often extremely difficult to deal with and often give you a hard time over warranty claims.
It’s worth noting that RAM no longer offers the Hemi engine in the 2025 , which now uses a brand new twin Turbo six cylinder engine.
And given how complicated this engine is, I would not have high hopes for it either.
Ford EcoBoost Engines
The next vehicles on the list come from Ford, and for this one I’m including any vehicles with Ford’s Eco-boost engines.
Eco-Boost is Ford’s marketing name Ford Turbocharge, which includes three cylinder, four cylinder and six cylinder engines in a wide range of vehicles.
some of the more common ones include coolants and oil leaks, overheating issues, turbocharger failure, timing, chain issues, bad injectors, coils, oil pumps, and cam phasers.
There have also been so many recalls that Ford is now the industry leader in that area.
Generally speaking, the three cylinder engines seem to have the most problems and the six cylinder engines in the F-150 trucks seem to have the least and the four cylinder engines are somewhere in the middle.
Yes, with good maintenance, it is possible to get good life out of these engines, but even so, the risk is still too high and I really do not think it’s worth it.
So we’ve done ram, we’ve done Ford.
GM’s Ecotec V8 Engines
What about General Motors? Well, they are certainly not exempt.
The biggest issue with them unquestionably is the Ecotec V eight engines.
Although historically GM was well known for making reliable V eight engines, that all changed after they introduced their cylinder deactivation technology, which has led to major engine failures on their 5.3 and 6.2 liter ecotec V eights, much like the Ram 5.7, these engines suffer from common lifter failures, which can easily lead to an engine replacement.
These failures can even happen at extremely low mileage.
The problem is so bad that it has also led to major class action lawsuits against General Motors.
It is a sad situation and one that GM has failed to address even after several years of these problems which are just ongoing.
So unfortunately, buying a GM truck is a major risk.
Ford-GM 10-Speed Automatic Transmission
The next vehicles on the list have a major problem that shared between both Ford and General Motors, and that is any GM or Ford vehicle, which used the 10 speed automatic transmission known as the 10 R 80 transmission, which Ford and GM code developed for their full size trucks from 2017 onward.
These transmissions have been notorious for harsh jerky, shifting, clunking noises, loss of power, and complete failure.
Again, the problems have led to major recalls and class action lawsuits and dealers replacing these transmissions left and right.
So whether you are buying a Ford or GM truck, it is not just the engines that might be a concern.
The transmissions can be just as problematic or even worse.
European Luxury Brands
And that brings us to the next vehicle Or vehicles, I should say, on the list And that is any European brand luxury vehicle that is outta warranty.
It really doesn’t matter which brand, whether it’s BMW, Mercedes, Audi, land Rover, or even Volvo.
All of these vehicles are incredibly high risk to own once the warranty expires as they age, repair problems increasingly pile up to the point where spending four figures on repair after repair becomes the norm.
if you experience a major failure such as a failed engine with one of these vehicles, you could easily be looking at 20 to 30 grand for a replacement.
European luxury vehicles are certainly not uncommon.
This is why all of these vehicles depreciate so rapidly, especially after the warranty expires because no one wants to get stuck with an expensive money pit that drains your bank account every time you go for a drive.
It’s sad to say, but these really do seem to be disposable vehicles that are just not made to last, and they are certainly not made for the average consumer to own post warranty.
That’s why I only recommend leasing them for three to four years under warranty and just returning them.
Anything beyond that is not worth the trouble.
So there you have it. Let me know what you thought of this list and these vehicles.