11. Chrysler PT Cruiser
The PT Cruiser didn’t earn the nickname “PT Loser” for no reason. While the vehicle may have sold well and received praise when it first arrived on the scene in 2001 for it’s looks and features, the vehicle had mediocre performance scores. The years didn’t do this vehicle any favors, as it has a number of issues reported by owners. The complaint that is most prevalent with the PT Cruiser is oil consumption. The engines burn through oil like gas, and end up needing a quart of oil every 500 miles driven. Even after engine replacements, the vehicle still ends up consuming oil. Other areas of concern include the electrical system, transmission, fuel system. and airbag system.
12. Land Rover
The Land Rover was reported to be the UK’s most unreliable car by a newspaper. A whopping 71 percent of Land Rovers over three years old break down at least once a year. Since new Land Rovers carry such a high price tag, many opt to purchase them used, not the best idea considering their reliability issues. On top of breaking down often, the Land Rover requires a great deal of repairs as well. Frequent smaller repairs are reported by consumers, such as brakes, electrical problems, starting problems, heat / AC issues, and suspension component failures. With older Land Rovers having frequent issues, you might be better off buying a new one or steering clear of this vehicle all together.
13. Chrysler Town & Country
The Town & Country is one of the most popular minivans on the market today. It also has reliability issues according to owners on various forums. Almost anything that can go wrong with the vehicle has been reported by owners. Electrical issues are common for the Town & Country. Issues with the radio, gauges, ignition switch, light flicker issues, and starting issues being the top electrical complaints. The sliding doors are also ranked high among issues with the Town & Country. The doors come off the track, the tracks bend or get damaged, and in some cases the doors rub against the outside of the vehicle. Engine problems and transmission problems are also reported, but are less frequent compared to the other issues.
14. Jaguar S-Type / XF
The Jaguar S-Type was produced between 2000 and 2009 when it was replaced by the Jaguar XF. Both vehicles have reliability issues, the XF more so than the S-Type. The vehicles require frequent repairs, some of them major. Autoblog reports that the XF requires and average 141 visits to the dealership per 100 cars each year, which is terrible compared to other models in its class that ranged from 33 to 97 trips on average. Small problems such as cheap interior plastics breaking to larger issues such as window regulators and rear axles failing are reported. Electrical problems are common, and the power steering system is another area of concern for these vehicles, with numerous failures reported by owners.
15. Saturn Relay
Some people might not even know this vehicle exists. The Saturn Relay was produced between 2005 and 2007 before being shelved. The style design was criticised by reviewers and the sales were dismal. As a used car, the Relay is terribly unreliable. Forums show owners have issues with almost every area when it comes to the Relay. The check engine light illuminates often, power steering hoses leak, corrosion on the fuel tank causes fuel leaks, starting problems, electrical problems, ABS system malfunctions, and more. The front brake pads commonly wear unevenly, causing rotor issues and in some cases calipers need to be replaced. The Relay was a flop when it was new, and it’s a bad choice for a used car. There are plenty of better quality minivans out there to choose from.
16. Chevrolet Colorado
The Chevy Colorado is a small, light duty pickup truck that sold relatively well a few years back. As the full duty and heavy duty trucks came down in price, consumers have largely ignored the light duty vehicles, since it isn’t that much of a price jump to purchase a better model. The newer model Colorado lacks the performance and features of full size trucks, and scores lower in crash and safety tests. The issue found with many used Colorados (as well as other used light duty trucks) is that previous owners may have exceeded the vehicle’s maximum towing capacity or payload capacity. This leads to transmission damage and suspension damage. In some cases the engine may be damaged due to overworking the vehicle.
17. Dodge Nitro
The Dodge Nitro is a subpar entry into the already crowded SUV market. It doesn’t offer anything new or better than the competition, so it has no reason to stand out among its peers. The interior is smaller than others in its class, and the plastics used are cheap and tacky. The handling is rigid and the performance and fuel economy are lackluster. The Nitro was offered with a 4×4 package, and it did perform well off road, but when buying one used be aware that the vehicle may have been abused while off-roading. The 2008-2009 models had a high center of gravity, which earned them a 3 out of 5 star rating in rollover protection. Many owners complain in forums about transmission problems, as well as fuel system and climate control issues.
18. Kia Sedona
Another minivan on the list, the Kia Sedona was Kia’s attempt at getting a taste of the minivan market. The Sedona received decent marks from critics who praised the large interior and performance, although fuel economy was a bit on the low side. The Sedona doesn’t have much in the way of reliability unfortunately, as the Consumer Reports lists the vehicle as below average or well below average for all of the model years. The worst model years for the Sedona are 2002 and 2006, with 2012 close behind. Electrical problems top the list of issues, with airbags system failures, and body/paint problems ranking high as well. The suspension is also reported to have components prematurely fail and fuel system issues are common as well.
19. 1996-2003 Honda Accord
The Honda Accord is a great car and has been one of the top selling sedans each year since it’s release. When it comes to newer Accords, used models are a safe bet. The models built between 1996 and 2003 however should be avoided like the plague. These model Accords suffer from widespread transmission failures. The problem usually shows up around 90,000 miles and ends up completely failing soon after. The replacement can cost upwards of $2000.00 and even after replacement the problem may return. The 2000-2001 Accords were given extended warranties as the result of a class action lawsuit, but by now that warranty has expired. Unless the seller can provide proof that the transmission has recently been replaced, don’t even think about buying one of these vehicles.
20. 2005-2010 Nissan Pathfinder
The Nissan Pathfinder is one of Nissan’s first entries into the SUV market. It sold well and was relatively popular, but the 2005-2010 model year Pathfinders had a serious mechanical defect that makes it a terrible choice for a used car. There was a defect in the coolant system that caused a coolant leak, as if a leaking coolant line wasn’t bad enough, the system leaked into the transmission causing catastrophic transmission failure. The transmission requires replacement, which could end up costing upwards of $3,500.00 according to owner reports. Other issues reported with the Pathfinder include fuel system problems and body / paint problems. Much like the Honda Accords that suffered from transmission failures, if the owner can’t provide proof that the vehicle has had this defect corrected, avoid this car at all costs.
*Concluded
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