Link if you like car pictures:

http://www.motor-guides.com/5-least-reliable-cars/3/

Stay Away! The 5 Least Reliable Cars and Trucks You Can Buy

When buying a new car, few things are more important than reliability. You want the vehicle you purchase to last you for many years, with minimal problems.

We’ve already covered some of the most reliable cars you can possibly buy, but on the flip side, there are some vehicles you really want to steer clear of (no pun intended) at all costs.

There is no worse feeling than spending hours of your time and thousands of dollars working to fix a car that is malfunctioning through no fault of your own. The cars on this list are all relatively cheap, but will end up costing you much more in the long run, as maintenance and repair costs can exceed their sale prices in some cases.

Here are five cars you should avoid buying, unless your idea of fun is spending your paycheck on repairs.

#5: Chevrolet Silverado

via Chevrolet

Unfortunately, you’ll notice a theme with American-made vehicles being very common on this list. We start off with the Chevy Silverado, one of the more common American-made trucks.

The 2015 Chevrolet Silverado has an MSRP of just over $26,000, and represents one of the worst values for that price range, as the Silverado has much worse consumer ratings than similar trucks from competitor companies.

While recent models of the Silverado have provided improved fuel economy for the typically gas-guzzling truck, the Silverado is one of the most complained-about vehicles on the road. Common complaints focus on the uncomfortable seats, tacky interiors, and low-quality suspension that makes for a jittery, jolting ride – certainly not what you want out of a heavy-duty truck. The Silverado was also one of the most recalled vehicles in 2014, which is certainly not a positive.

Silverado is currently undergoing a lot of tweaks and redesigning in the last two years, so maybe the truck’s reliability will improve. But for now, this truck causes more problems than it is worth.

#4: Ford Escape

The Ford Escape has been one of the lowest-scoring vehicles around for several years now, without much improvement. Ford’s midsize SUV has been consistently below average in both consumer reports and JD Power Quality Studies for the last five years, which I assume is hardly something that Ford wants to brag about.

The price of a 2015 Ford Escape starts at about $24,000, which is right on par with the far superior and far more reliable Honda CRV. If you’re looking for an SUV in that price range, the Escape is very far from your best option.

Common complaints about the Ford Escape include cheap parts that quickly get rusted and damaged, a transmission that sticks when trying to shift gears, and problems with brakes, steering, and the engine stalling.

Stay away from the Ford Escape, which many angry consumers refer to as a total money pit.

via Ford

#3: Fiat 500L

via Boldride

The Fiat 500L would be rated even worse here, except that it’s still such a new model we can’t be too harsh yet…but nonetheless, we can’t say enough bad things about the Fiat 500L, which topped Consumer Reports Worst Cars of 2014 ratings, coming in an incredible 219% below average in terms of reliability.

2014 was the first year of the Fiat 500L, and unfortunately for Fiat, almost nothing went right with the vehicle.

The Fiat 500L has a veritable laundry list of consumer complaints: the dual-clutch automatic transmission is jerky and clunky, the acceleration is sluggish, the backup camera and sensor are faulty, the radio tends to malfunction, and the navigation fails with frequency.

Even worse, the 500L was lambasted by industry experts, as it scored very poorly in crash test safety ratings, and JD Power gave it subpar scores across the board.

Don’t even think about getting a Fiat 500L until many, many improvements are made.

#2: Nissan Pathfinder

Another car that has been consistently low-scoring in reliability ratings from both consumers and industry professionals is the Nissan Pathfinder.

While the Nissan Pathfinder offers solid MPGs and comes with a reasonable price tag – starting at $29,000 for the 2015 model – you can certainly get better value for an SUV in the $30,000 range. The Pathfinder was one of 2014’s most recalled cars, and has received myriad complaints on nearly all of the car’s features.

The most common problems with the Pathfinder seem to involve its transmission, which has a nasty habit of slipping and sticking. However, the liftgate, window electronics, and torque converter have also caused many consumers headaches with their defective design.

In total, the Pathfinder scored 154% below average in Consumer Reports for car reliability last year, making it one of the biggest lemons you can buy.

#1: Ford Fiesta

via Ford

And here you have it – the least reliable car you can buy today is the Ford Fiesta, which scored 162% below average in the Consumer Reports reliability rankings last year. This generation of the Fiesta has been around for five years now, leaving little hope that Ford will improve this subpar vehicle any time soon.

The Fiesta scores poorly across the board – it has a cramped interior, a weak engine, and parts that tend to break down and cause problems. Amongst the most common issues with the Fiesta are issues with the transmission, which tends to slip out of place and is very rough when switching gears. Fiestas were some of the most recalled cars in each of the last 3 years.

Many of the issues are somewhat expected from a vehicle that is one of the cheapest on the market – the MSRP for a 2015 Fiesta is just $14,500. But it’s very true that you get what you pay for, and you might as well spend a little more money up front to avoid spending much more money, and much more time, at the auto shop with a Ford Fiesta. Stay away from this lemon of a car, and save yourself the headache!

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

February 24, 2015 at 4:21 pm

OBVIOUSLY WHOEVER WROTE THIS LIST IS NOT A CAR GUY. I HAVE BEEN DRIVING, BEATING UP ON AND REPAIRING AMERICAN MADE TRUCKS FOR 40 YEARS AND NEVER ONCE DID I GET LESS THEN 250-300K FROM AMERICAN MADE IRON, AND THEN I SOLD THEM TO SOMEONE ELESE TO DRIVE, THIS GUY WHO WROTE THIS ARTICALE IS CLUELESS!

Reply

Master Blaster

March 2, 2015 at 10:31 pm

America has and still builds good trucks. GM has forgotten how. Their concealing the ignition defect for so long was inexcusable. Now we find their brake lines are rotting through from salt. GM needs to wake up or go away.

Reply

Farley Mone

March 8, 2015 at 2:56 am

Well I couldn’t disagree more. First a DUH…..the ignition switches were a terrible thing…….ON CARS! not a TRUCK problem, and the brake lines rusting are NO WORSE than other brands. You don’t know much, do you ? GM’s trucks are still the most reliable and SOUGHT AFTER vehicles on the PLANET, and as others have posted 250 to 300 K miles in some cases. Lastly, you must not remember TOYOTAS small truck back in the 80’s, the one you could throw a dead cat thru the RUSTED pick up box side ?

Reply

Brian

March 3, 2015 at 8:54 pm

I agree. While im not a fan of American cars, Whoever wrote this is clueless, but his info is from consumer reports so that says it all. Chevy pickups last a long time and their V8 engines last a long time.

Reply

btao

March 4, 2015 at 12:56 pm

You don’t have to be a car guy. This report is based on the surveys and feedback from owners of said cars. Your comment has no relationship to the article at all. It doesn’t say the cars won’t go 250-300k. They may even be easy to fix, or even all repairs done under warranty from recalls. But, it does make the quality poor and reliability poor.

The surveys have the same shortcomings for every car, such as: I forgot to turn bluetooth on on my phone, but I’m going to complain and bash Brand X because it’s the car’s fault it won’t connect.

I’m a car guy. It’s not hard to understand. You’re obviously a biased american truck owner, some of the most loyal of the bunch. You no doubt know you can keep fixing a truck until it rots away and still people will buy them for their “work” value. No other category of vehicle shares that because the cost of ownership outweighs the value. If you can fix your own vehicles, more power to you, but your numbers are dwindling. For instance, my family generally owns Subarus. For many common services I can barely buy all the parts for the same price as the full service, and the dealerships 9/10 times are cheaper than local shops and have techs trained to do things the right way faster. It’s in their best interest so they can service more vehicles in a day.

My buddy recently bought a Ram and couldn’t figure out for the life of him how to change the oil. The manual recommended a dealer service for changing the oil. A half our later we learned through the internet that you must take the wheel off, preferably flat on a lift or the oil won’t drain completely, then take the whole wheel well liner out (breaking half the clips since it’s the middle of the winter and they were all salty and sandy) just to get at the oil filter. Then when you take the filter off, it drips about a quart of oil all over the engine since it’s on the side. The truck smoked for a week. But hey, at least it wont rust! Go America!

Reply

Farley Mone

March 8, 2015 at 2:59 am

Why bring up a DODGE RAM ????? They ARE A FOREIGN vehicle now ! ! ! no longer based in America.

Reply

shawn

March 9, 2015 at 6:20 pm

btao. im more confused on the tittle. it sounds like your righting a story about “most in convent car/trucks” so why would you name it least reliable? if you would have named it different. you would have had a lot less “complaining” but me personally screw the new stuff. get the die hard vehicles from the 80s and below. were you can still work on them and drive them just as easy. plus there more reliable

Reply

Fred

March 4, 2015 at 4:25 pm

So…driving a car makes YOU an expert? STATS don’e lie here…maybe you got lucky, but most didn’t.

Reply

opie

March 4, 2015 at 5:20 pm

I can keep a turd running that lo9ng too. Replace a couple engines, get a “new” bed from the junkyard to replace the rusted one, and while I’m out the junkyard, maybe a couple of spare tranny’s.

P.S. Not the “Tranny’s” you hang with on a Friday night..

Reply

Alert Gray

March 4, 2015 at 6:23 pm

You have got to be kidding. I could of gone broke with the repairs my Chevy Truck need before 110,000 miles. Like all of my Chevys. How about the rusted panels and rusts brake lines that are/were part of a class action suit? Ha….

Reply

JoAnn

March 6, 2015 at 8:01 pm

I agree. I always buy American cars. I had a 1965 Mustang that lasted for more than 25 years, an Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme that NEVER broke down on me for more than 180,000 miles, and a Pontiac Grand Prix, that not only looked great, was super reliable, even though I bought it cheap seven years old with 80K miles on it. BUY AMERICAN!

Reply

t

March 6, 2015 at 11:25 pm

My pos 94 Chevy S10 is why I now have a built-in-the-US Tacoma. S-10: over a dozen trips to the mecahnic/dealer for repairs in in 9 years. Tacoma: 1 trip to mechanic/dealer for repairs in 11 years. I can change my oil and filter without removing anything.

Reply

Al Scarbrough

March 6, 2015 at 8:16 pm

I agree. I had a Silverado that I sold back several years ago and it had 375,000 miles on it when I sold it and it still ran and drove close to like when it was new. I think that this article speaks only for the brand new ones. I don’t care for the looks of the new ones. They are big and bulky looking with lots of plastic body cladding and the grill-work is just too foreboding and makes lots of room for body problems. My Silverado was a 1993 model and was as solid and reliable as an anvil.

I drove that truck all over the US and NEVER had it in the shop for any major repairs. It was just a pleasure to own and drive. Sure, trucks are jolting and have a busy ride sometimes, but trucks are not built for comfort as so many drivers think they should be. That is the problem these days. People expect them to ride and drive like a Lincoln Town Car or something. A truck is a utility vehicle and should not be expected to give a perfect ride. If you don’t like the stiffness of the ride of a good pickup, then you are a wimp that shouldn’t be driving one, anyway. Go buy an Escalade and spend three times as much.

Reply

transvaluation

February 24, 2015 at 7:07 pm

Has this data been adjusted for the inaccurate reliability and repair data that Toyota and Honda were forced to pay millions for by a federal gov’t probe?

Reply

JoAnn

March 6, 2015 at 8:02 pm

Thank you…. Hondas are like belly buttons: everyone has one. I do not like Hondas.

Reply

Randy

February 27, 2015 at 4:11 pm

Of these, the Fiat (worst in the USA) and the Nissan are the only two I agree with.
# 1 on the list of worst should have been Land Rover products: they are nice if you have a bottomless checkbook to keep them repaired.
A lot of Ford’s complaints are about difficulty in mastering the electronics interface system (MyTouch): some people don’t like or can’t master this stuff. it is too complex if you don’t like electronic gadgets.
Generally: buy lower-line, less complex midsize sedans and avoid luxury and European cars, and you will have a lot less trouble. Personally I would not be afraid to shop for cars 4-5 years old with 100,000 miles. Have it inspected by a good shop if you don’t know what you are doing and you will drive a good, safe car for a lot less money.

Reply

Made in the USA

February 27, 2015 at 5:27 pm

I’m sorry, but I refuse to recognize the Fiesta as a product of the USA. It’s made in Mexico.

Reply

btao

March 4, 2015 at 1:02 pm

Good point. Buy a Camry! Made in the USA!

Reply

Philip Topps

March 7, 2015 at 6:41 am

Your cookie cutter Camry is NOT made in the US. It is ASSEMBLED in the US, from parts MADEIN JAPAN, and cheaply imported here through Mexico and Canada thanks to NAFTA. I wouldn’t drive a Japanese, or Korean car for all the tea in China! You can keep your foreign crap. And, as far as that old chestnut about them being better than American iron, BS. Any vehicle ( except ” Government Motors” ) which you maintain properly will provide good service. BUY AMERICAN NAMEPLATES.

Reply

Sebastian

March 11, 2015 at 4:44 am

“Your cookie cutter Camry is NOT made in the US. It is ASSEMBLED in the US, from parts MADEIN JAPAN, and cheaply imported here through Mexico and Canada thanks to NAFTA.”

I’m not a Toyota fan, but this is totally wrong. I actually work for a supplier who makes parts for the Camry. I’ve toured the TMMK plant as well. You would be shocked at what all is made in house at the plant and Toyota makes a big point of going with local suppliers for what they don’t make. My company actually built a plant close to theirs in order to get the business.
It’s probably one of the most American made cars being sold today.

Reply

Moe Better 11

March 1, 2015 at 6:10 pm

MM – working on trucks that get 200K on the engine or transmission, does not make gem reliable. This list is for people without a garage or the time to repair every little thing breaking down.

Reply

Marc Westenberger

March 1, 2015 at 6:45 pm

I have been driving a Fiat 500l Trekking for over six months and have found it to be one of the most reliable and well built new cars I have ever owned. The six speed manual transmission coupled with the Turbo Abarth engine makes it accelerate very fast. My last two cars were Mercedes and this car does not disappoint. It’s fun and very solid to drive. I haven’t had a single problem with it. Get one.

Reply

auhunter

March 2, 2015 at 7:45 am

Trans, I have a 2003 Toyota Tundra, bought it new, pushing 200k miles in Arizona heat. My only repairs have been replacement of fan belts which dried out and started to crack. I get 18 to 21 mpg, depending on load. First 100k were a lot of off road miles in Search and Rescue work. Replaced tires at about 125k. I’ve owned at least one Toyota since 1976 never had a problem with any of them.

Reply

Brian

March 3, 2015 at 9:03 pm

Toyota pickups last forever!

Reply

John Weald

March 2, 2015 at 3:48 pm

The uncomfortable seats and the crappy interior might have been true of the 2013 and earlier Silverado, but that is not true for the 2014/2015. The comfort of the seats is quite objective and if a person’s rear end is very large…yea, any seat can be uncomfortable. For me, my 2013 had thousands of miles and I never felt uncomfortable while driving. But I will say the interior was cheap looking, but I knew that when I purchased it. But in 25K miles, it was only at a dealer for oil changes, and a reprogram due to a failed shake sensor.
My 2015, just purchased last month, and comfortable seats…possibly more comfortable than the 2013, hard to tell until I get more highway miles. However, the interior is NO longer cheap looking, and is a 1000 percent better than the 2013 and earlier trucks.
As for recalls…not every truck was recalled each time there was a recall. Yes, there were too many recalls, but that is the nature of the vehicle world. Toyota has their fair shares of recalls….

Reply

M. Huntley

March 2, 2015 at 4:22 pm

This guy is nuts and has no car experience. I have both fords listed and have never had a single problem with either and I have had the escape now for 13 years.

Reply

btao

March 4, 2015 at 1:06 pm

Do you have a point? Not everyone has problems with their cars. Just more people have problems with the ones you have compared to others. Are you being defensive? Perhaps a bit of latent regret? He’s not speaking from experience, but from the reports from owners by the mandated surveys and customer feedback.

Reply

SS

March 2, 2015 at 7:40 pm

What is good 40 years ago is not necessarily what is good now MM….

Reply

Master Blaster

March 2, 2015 at 10:25 pm

Fiat has been and still one of the worst built cars in the world. Very poor reliability, early wear problems, rust problems, cheap interiors, and the list goes on. Buy one of those if you have a death wish.

Reply

Master Blaster

March 2, 2015 at 10:28 pm

I am surprised that Ford with all of its good cars continues to produce something like the Fiesta. That car is destine for the scrap yard before leaving the showroom floor. One would think they would clean up their act on this one.

Reply

btao

March 4, 2015 at 1:14 pm

Ford can’t make a cheap car without being cheap. My least favorite car in the world, the MK1 Ford Focus, base trim. Every door creaked, and even broke off on a windy day, and when you got in and started it, the engine would make the whole car vibrate to the point where you couldn’t see out the rearview mirror. An ex had one and I’d drive it occasionally. Throttle response was so absurd that 90% of the throttle opened when you pressed the peddle 10% down and the whole second half of the throttle was essentially nothing. The doors didn’t have enough weight to close, and the trunk had the same issue and would pop up on the road even after slamming it, sitting on it, and swearing at it multiple times.

Seems like the Fiesta has taken over…

Reply

JoAnn

March 6, 2015 at 8:04 pm

Yep, one car magazine reviewer called it “a miserable little car”.

Reply

RMW71

March 3, 2015 at 3:48 pm

Well, I don’t know what to tell you, but I bought my 2007 Silverado(1/2 ton) in Feb ’08 and have not had ANY mechanical trouble out of it. 82,000 miles so far and no sign of wearing out. I’ve pulled boats, trailers, used it for construction, takes it all and keeps right on going. The heaviest thing I pulled was a trailer full of construction trash weighing over 15,000 lbs. This is well over the suggested max of 8,000. Pulled it no problem.

Reply

Superjuster

March 3, 2015 at 11:55 pm

Bought a Ram 2500 HO diesel new in June, 2003. Have installed front brake pads- that is the extent of mechanical repairs. Have replaced all hoses and belts only as a common sense maintenance matter at 120,000. Uses no oil, gets 19 mpg in town, 24 mpg on hwy. Has been absolutely bulletproof, has no rattles even. Great truck.

Reply

ED

March 4, 2015 at 12:23 am

This person hasn’t a clue. Having a Fiesta SE for over a year now, I can tell you this is one great little fun car to drive. Zero problems very good acceleration and the 6 speed auto is one of the best. Never liked automatics and still prefer old style stick and clutch but this auto is great. only negative is that when you stomp on it there is a little lag before you launch, but this car has good acceleration. For a sub compact there is plenty of room and the controls are set up well. In Colorado on icy roads I like to Ken Block this little car and there is no fear just smiles. Do better research. For example: My friends Chevy Cruze has been recalled twice and in the shop twice and there is still stuff going wrong with that car.

Reply

Rob

March 8, 2015 at 7:45 pm

I agree 100%…mine is an 13 and I have 90,000 on it now. In Colorado…it is really good in the snow and ice for a little car..and it handles like no other subcompact I drove including Volkswagen.

Reply

Chuck

March 4, 2015 at 4:17 pm

Interesting on the Silverado, I have a 2014, No Recalls that I can remember since purchasing, or any other problems.

Reply

Old Glory

March 4, 2015 at 4:31 pm

I am still driving a 2002 Silverado with nearly 300K miles. To date, the only things I have replaced a fuel pump (due to trash in bad gas that I bought) and a water pump. If that is considered unreliable, then I’ll take unreliable any day. I use this truck as a daily driver, to pull my boat, a tractor on a trailer as well and a camping trailer. After 13 years, it’s still firing up immediately and running strong.

Reply

Crystal

March 5, 2015 at 3:11 pm

100% is all of something. To have 162% less of something has no meaning in the real world.

Reply

daniel

March 5, 2015 at 10:22 pm

I laugh at this list a little. ..while many of the American brands have had issues (and I used to be a Chevy guy until I bought my tacamo) to say a pickups suspension is to rough is like saying an economy car has to little acceleration. …does not make sense.

Reply

Al Scarbrough

March 6, 2015 at 8:30 pm

Don’t know what a “tacamo” is. Sorry.

Reply

20.  Pingback: 2013 Escape Fail - Page 3 - 2013 / 2014 / 2015 Ford Escape Forum

Robert Jones

March 6, 2015 at 6:54 pm

I JUST SOLD A 93 CHEVY 1500 P/U WITH 303000 MILES ON IT , I HAVE AN 04 CHEVY SUBURBAN WITH 190K AND AN 03 2500 HD 4X4 WITH OVER 200K ON IT , SO I DONT KNOW IF ITS THE NEW CHEVYS OR WHAT BUT I LOVE MY CHEVY TRUCKS , WOULD NOT EVEN CONSIDER DRIVING A DODGE OR A FORD TRUCK

Reply

Al Scarbrough

March 6, 2015 at 8:28 pm

Had a 2007 Nissan Pathfinder for three years and it was CONSTANT trouble, so I agree with this article. Interior, suspension, electronic components, brakes, ventilation, and back hatch problems were too numerous to name. The eventually became such a money pit that I sold it for a song just to not have to mess with it anymore. I told the buyer what all recurring problems it had and they bought it anyway. That is why I had to sell it for very little money. It was junk from day one.

Reply

23.  Pingback: Nissan recalls 2014 Pathfinders - Nissan Pathfinder Forum

Helen Cole

March 7, 2015 at 3:45 am

I love my Fords. I really enjoy the Ford Flex. It is not real pretty but it is comfortable and very reliable.

Reply

Fred

March 7, 2015 at 5:48 pm

I think that the author of this article might benefit from a larger set of experience when it comes to automobiles. Were I to write an article about it, I wouldn’t focus on the list price or ratings, but instead document the reliability problems. Cramped interior space or a harsh ride are not reliability issues, but are instead choices that the consumer makes when purchasing a vehicle of the selected type.

Reply

Rob

March 8, 2015 at 7:41 pm

The comments on the Ford Fiesta are well…In a word, incorrect. I own one as a commuter car and have put 90,000 on it in 18 months. It is small, but reasonably comfortable. I have a 5 speed manual that is easy shifting and smooth. As far as power..it will cruise down the road at 75-80 on cruise control no problem. Its handling is far superior to the other small cars I test drove such as Toyota’s, KIA and even Volkswagen to name a few. It is stable and tight on the interstate and feels very solid. Mine was stripped $13,500 out the door so I can’t say much about the touchscreen. I also know nothing about the automatic..I have had 1 recall on the cruise wiring which was fixed in an hour when it was new…NO other issues…I mean NONE.

Reply

Jeff

March 9, 2015 at 1:43 am

The complaints consumer report gets are all complaints /100 vehicles. The younger generation who didnt own or drive cars from the 70’s-90’s complain about everything from very minor problems like noise to the engine blowing up, A car that has the engine and transmission replace has the same number of issues as a Honda with a broken radio knob and a breaks wearing up to quickly complaint bc the owner left the parking break on. If a Silverado has a noisy suspension, squeaky breaks, a radio knob pop off, and faulty ignition switch that’s four issues. It doesn’t matter if the truck ran for 500,000 miles under reliability from magazines like consumer reports. That’s why cars that are pieces of **** get above average reliability when their engines are garbage while other cars have average ratings when other cars with same power train are above average. I you look at consumer complaints from 1990-1999 have far fewer complaints even though new cars today are far more reliable. The millennial generation complain about every little thing when there’s nothing wrong with the Carl A Honda civic isn’t a Mercedes and its going to be noisier.

Reply

Eugene

March 9, 2015 at 8:05 pm

Almost all vehicles have some issues. I’ve owned American trucks for over 30’years. No huge problems. I now own a 2010 Silverado. Haven’t had any trouble with it. It rides like a car on the highway. Nothing squeaks. Nothing leaks. Also, I own a Ford Ranger with 215,000 miles on it. Sure, I’ve had to change stuff like gaskets, brakes, some small parts. But, they were from wear and tear. This reviewer needs to review other things…not cars! He do t know diddly squat.!!

Reply

James Cranford

March 10, 2015 at 9:51 pm

the problem with reports or ‘surveys’ like this, is they count only the people that respond and thus they get all the complainers, most people with most cars are fairly happy with their choice and have a decent vehicle. i would stay away from a vehicle that has many recalls, or it is the first year of that ‘model’. i find the ads pitting the pickups against each other hilarious.

Reply

TJjr

March 11, 2015 at 11:14 am

WHAT does an uncomfortable seat have ANYTHING to do with reliability??? I see MANY more F and E series trucks with BLOWN 4.6 and 5.4 engines. AND lets not forget the 6.0 PowerJoke!