NHTSA's defect office currently has 74 investigations open that were started since 2019. Twenty-four were opened this year. Before a defect turns into a recall, this is where it sits, sometimes for years.
Many of them cover cars that are now for sale used, and an open investigation shows up on no window sticker and in no listing.
| Vehicles | Model years | What is being investigated | Opened |
|---|---|---|---|
| Silverado 1500, Sierra 1500, Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon, Escalade | 2019–2026 | 6.2L V8 engine failures, including after the recall repair | Oct 2025, Aug 2026 |
| Ford F-150 | 2015–2017 | Sudden downshift with rear wheels locking | Jan 2026 |
| Honda Pilot, Odyssey, Ridgeline, Acura MDX, TLX | 2016–2020 | Connecting rod bearing failure in the 3.5L V6 | Aug 2025 |
| Honda Accord, CR-V | 2017–2022 | Automatic braking with nothing ahead | Apr 2024 |
| Honda CR-V Hybrid | 2020–2022 | Loss of drive at highway speed | Oct 2025 |
| Tesla Model 3, Model Y | 2018–2023 | Front suspension link detaching | Jul 2026 |
| Ford Fiesta, Focus 1.0L | 2014–2018 | Timing belt failure | Jul 2026 |
| Chrysler Pacifica | 2017–2018 | Power steering cutting out | Sep 2025 |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee | 2021–2023 | Rear coil springs detaching after the recall repair | Dec 2025 |
| Dodge Journey | 2009–2020 | Occupants unable to open the doors | Aug 2024 |
| Nissan Rogue | 2017–2019 | False automatic braking — open since 2019 | Sep 2019 |
Big engines, big numbers
The largest is GM's 6.2-liter V8, fitted to full-size pickups and SUVs. NHTSA's file cites 1,157 reports of engine bearing failures. GM recalled the engines in 2025, and in August the agency opened a second analysis of failures that happened after the recall repair, whether the fix was a change of oil or a complete replacement engine.
Honda's 3.5-liter V6 is the same story at a smaller scale: 414 reports of connecting rod bearing failures, all outside the scope of an earlier Honda recall for a crankshaft defect.
A fifth are about software that drives
Fifteen of the 74 concern automatic braking, driver assistance or self-driving systems. They include Tesla's Full Self-Driving, Ford's BlueCruise, robotaxi operators and four separate files on automatic emergency braking activating with nothing in the road. The oldest of those, on the Nissan Rogue, was opened in September 2019 and is still unresolved.
Twelve are recall queries, which test whether a recall repair actually fixed the problem. The Grand Cherokee's coil springs are one of them. The GM V8 file started as one too, before it was upgraded in August.
What an open investigation means for a buyer
Not a recall, and nothing to claim yet. Since 2005, roughly half of NHTSA's investigations have ended with a recall campaign. The rest closed with no action, often after years.
It is still useful information. It tells you which fault to ask about, which records to request and which noise to listen for on the test drive. On a 2016 to 2020 Pilot, for example, an engine replaced under warranty is good news, not bad.
It is also a reminder that a clean recall check today does not mean the car will stay clean. Many recalls arrive years after the car was built. Check the VIN before you buy and again a few months after, and read the full recall record for models like the Silverado before you commit.
Frequently asked questions
How many NHTSA defect investigations are open right now?
As of October 2026, 74 investigations opened since 2019 have no closing date, 24 of them opened this year. They range from preliminary evaluations to engineering analyses, recall queries and audits.
Does an open investigation mean a car will be recalled?
Not necessarily. Since 2005 about half of NHTSA's preliminary evaluations and engineering analyses have ended in a recall campaign. The rest closed without one, sometimes after several years.
Which used cars are under investigation?
Among the largest: GM full-size trucks and SUVs with the 6.2L V8 (2019–2026), the 2015–2017 Ford F-150 for sudden downshifts, Honda and Acura models with the 3.5L V6 (2016–2020), Honda Accord and CR-V automatic braking (2017–2022) and Tesla Model 3 and Model Y front suspension links (2018–2023).
Denis Kataev is a serial solopreneur and the founder of ForCar. With 15+ years in software engineering and 10 years in SEO, he builds data-driven products end to end — backed by a sharp eye for design. At ForCar he mines proprietary vehicle datasets, turning raw numbers into buying advice you can actually trust.
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