8 Unreliable Car Brands Behind Tens Of Thousands Of Owner Complaints

Mechanics across Europe and North America are telling their families to avoid certain car brands altogether. These brands break down too often, replacement parts cost a fortune, and getting warranty claims approved is a nightmare. One mechanic in Munich said three models show up in his shop so frequently that he now turns them away completely, saying the repairs are “not worth the headache.” Consumer Reports’ 2026 survey of roughly 380,000 vehicles shows the same brands clustering at the bottom year after year.

Stellantis: Saving €40 per Engine, Costing Owners €4,000

Before examining individual brands, understand the company behind several of them: Stellantis. Investigations revealed that Stellantis knew about timing-chain defects affecting over one million Peugeot, Citroën, Opel, and Fiat engines, but chose a cheaper design that saved roughly €40 per unit. Those cheaper chains wear out too quickly, wrecking engines and leaving owners with repair bills of over €4,000 once their warranties run out. In France alone, 930,000 diesel vehicles were recalled due to this exact problem. To make things worse, many owners who tried to claim warranty coverage were turned away over minor paperwork issues—even though the manufacturer knew about the defect all along.

1. Jeep

Jeep finished dead last in Consumer Reports’ 2026 rankings for the third year in a row. Across its entire lineup, reliability is below average, test scores are the lowest of any brand, and owners are the least satisfied. The biggest complaints center on transmission failures, faulty electronics, and drivetrain problems—especially on the Wrangler, Compass, and plug-in Grand Cherokee. One Wrangler owner had a transmission replaced under warranty, only for identical problems to return immediately. When recurring defects can’t be fixed even under warranty, mechanics can’t recommend these vehicles to anyone they care about.​

2. Chrysler

Chrysler sells just three vehicles—the Pacifica, Pacifica Hybrid, and Voyager minivans—and all received below-average reliability scores for 2026.​ The Pacifica Hybrid ranks among the 10 least reliable vehicles available, scoring just 26 out of 100. Problems span transmissions, engines, electronics, and EV battery systems. For families buying minivans as dependable haulers for school runs and road trips, repeated service visits to the service bay become the norm. When your entire product lineup scores below average, the problem isn’t one bad model—it’s systemic organizational failure.​​

3. GMC

GMC, a General Motors brand, lands in the bottom five of Consumer Reports’ Brand Report Card despite being essentially restyled Chevrolets with premium badges. The 2026 GMC Acadia earned a reliability score of just 14 out of 100—the lowest of any model surveyed. Owners report complete transmission failures, brake malfunctions, and electrical-accessory breakdowns.​​ Buyers pay a premium over equivalent Chevrolet models yet receive worse long-term reliability. For families shopping for full-size SUVs, that equation makes no financial sense whatsoever.​

4. Ram

Ram trucks create special problems because owners depend on them for their livelihoods. The Ram 1500 ranks among the least reliable full-size trucks, with Ram placing 25th out of 26 brands for predicted reliability. Owners report powertrain electronics issues and battery-drain problems from proximity-fob systems that prevent the truck from entering sleep mode, repeatedly killing auxiliary batteries.​​ For anyone needing a vehicle that starts reliably every morning for work, this isn’t an inconvenience—it’s a career risk. Ram joins Jeep and Chrysler in the bottom tier of Stellantis’ reliability struggles.​

5. Nissan

Nissan’s continuously variable transmissions cost the company $277.7 million in class-action settlements due to premature failures before 75,000 miles. Even after paying out all that money, Nissan’s 2025 models still use essentially the same CVT design. Independent mechanics say they’re replacing three to five of these transmissions every single week at individual dealerships. Nissan quietly extended some CVT warranties to about seven years, which is basically an admission that these transmissions can’t hold up under normal driving conditions. A recall covering 318,000 Rogues for throttle software issues shows powertrain problems remain active concerns. When a manufacturer keeps selling components that already cost a quarter-billion dollars in settlements, priorities become clear.​

6. BMW

BMW ranks fifth for predicted reliability, yet costs the most to maintain. Endurance Warranty data shows BMW owners pay roughly $17,800 over ten years in maintenance and repairs, about $4,900 more than Mercedes-Benz owners and four times what Buick owners spend.​ BMW engineers complex systems that fail less frequently but cost astronomical amounts when they do break. Between expensive parts, specialist labor, and software fees, every repair can easily cost thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. A car can score well for reliability but still drain your bank account when something does go wrong—and at the end of the day, it’s the repair bill that hits your wallet, not the reliability rating.

7 & 8. Land Rover and Rivian

Land Rover ranks among the least reliable brands in multiple studies. UK warranty data shows 67 percent of 2016–2020 Range Rover Evoque models experienced major failures—suspension collapses, coolant leaks, electrical faults, transmission issues. Ten-year Land Rover maintenance costs are roughly four times those of a Buick. Heavy failure rates and complex engineering make mechanics send owners back to dealers rather than risk the work.​ Rivian’s R1T scored just 18 out of 100 for reliability. Owners report battery replacements, motor failures, and software updates bricking vehicles entirely. High satisfaction scores don’t cover two bills.

What You Should Actually Buy

According to Consumer Reports’ 2026 rankings, Toyota, Subaru, Lexus, and, Honda are the most reliable brands. Seven of the top ten are Japanese or Korean. At the bottom, you’ll find Stellantis brands like Chrysler, Jeep, and Ram, along with GMC, Dodge, Land Rover, and Rivian—with Jeep finishing last. Here’s the important takeaway: a car that rarely breaks down but costs $5,000 every time it does can end up costing you more over 10 years than one that needs regular $200 fixes. Before you sign anything, look up both the brand’s reliability score and its estimated 10-year maintenance costs. If either number doesn’t look right, walk away and keep looking.

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