23-03-2025
8 Car Brands With the Least Reliable Engines
When you purchase a luxury automobile that costs a lot of money, you expect it to last. You might even expect a seamless experience, with visits to the mechanic only for routine maintenance. If you're not careful, however, you could wind up purchasing a car brand with an engine that fails early on in its lifecycle.
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Shari Prymak, car reviewer at Car Help Corner, compiled a list of the top car brands to avoid purchasing in 2025 due to their poor engines and transmissions. Whether you're buying new or used, these eight car brands may be ones you want to stay away from buying.
Prymak said Nissan has been using CVTs — continuously variable transmissions — in several car models since 2003. Though there have been improvements in recent years, CVTs used between 2003 up until 2018 have been known for their high failure rates.
While fluid changes can help reduce risks, these transmissions are still fragile.
'When they do fail, there is no repairing or rebuilding them,' Prymak said. 'The only solution is a brand-new transmission, which costs around $7,000 to $8,000.'
Prymak's recommendation is to avoid buying used Nissans with a CVT. The few exceptions to the rule include Nissans that recently had their transmission replaced or if there's a well-documented service history provided of the model's routine fluid changes.
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According to Prymak, the problem Hyundai or Kia models to watch out for include any made between 2010 and 2021 with 1.6-liter, 2-liter and/or 2.4-liter four-cylinder engines. Engine problems include oil consumption, knocking noises, failed rod bearings, connecting rods and piston rings.
These engines fail fast, so much so that Hyundai and Kia have recalled nearly 10 million vehicles due to engine failures.
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Savvy car shoppers will want to avoid any Volkswagen model with a 1.5-liter TFSI engine, or the EA211. While this engine comes in many forms, Prymak said its most popular variant is the 1.5-liter turbo engine, which is used in the Jetta and Taos models.
Some of the problems associated with these engines include oil consumption, oil leaks, timing chain issues, turbo issues, weak fuel and ignition systems, which can develop problems and lead to total engine failure. Prymak does not recommend buying a Volkswagen, new or used, if it has these engines.
One of the Ram 1500's most problematic engines is also quite popular: the 5.7-L HEMI V8. Prymak said this engine has a few serious problems associated with it that can lead to total engine failure.
'These engines are known for having lifter failure, which is caused by poor oil flow,' Prymak said. 'This can lead to cam shaft damage and engine failure.'
While the Ram 1500 no longer offers the HEMI engine in its 2025 models and uses a twin turbo six-cylinder engine instead, Prymak said the engine is still pretty complicated and doesn't necessarily have high hopes for it.
Avoid purchasing any Ford vehicle with an EcoBoost engine, which includes three-cylinder, four-cylinder and six-cylinder engines.
Some of the most common problems associated with these engines include coolant and oil leaks, overheating issues, turbocharger failure, timing chain issues, bad injectors, coils, oil pumps and cam phasers. Generally, Prymak said models with the three-cylinder engines tend to have the most problems.
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Though General Motors is known for making reliable V8 engines, Prymak said this changed after it introduced new cylinder deactivation technology.
This led to major engine failures, specifically on their 5.3-liter and 6.2-liter Ecotec V8s. The 5.3-liter Ecotec V8 engines can be found in many Chevrolet and GMC pickup models dating between 2014 and 2019, according to SlashGear.
The 10-speed automatic transmission is known as 10R 80 transmission. It was co-developed by General Motors and Ford for full-size trucks from 2017 onward. Vehicles that have this transmission include the Ford F-150 (2017 through present models) and Lincoln Navigator (2018 through present models).
'These transmissions have been notorious for harsh jerking, shifting, clunking noises, loss of power and complete failure,' Prymak said.
Brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Audi, Land Rover and Volvo are high risk to own after their warranties expire. The older these vehicles get, the more their repair problems pile up for owners. After a while, it's not uncommon to spend four figures on repairs.
Prymak said, 'If you experience a failed engine with one of these vehicles, you could easily be looking at $20,000 to $30,000 for a replacement.'
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This article originally appeared on 8 Car Brands With the Least Reliable Engines
