8 vehicles Consumer Reports flagged for blowing engines, topped by an Audi A4 2.0T

Engine failures rarely announce themselves, and the lists compiled by Consumer Reports and the Center for Auto Safety show which model years drew the most trouble. The entries range from a turbocharged German sedan to a retro-styled American hatchback and a best-selling pickup. Each carries a specific mileage window or ranking, and eight are covered below.

Help yourself and the planet: The Cool Down makes it easy to help yourself while helping the planet, with smart, simple changes to save more and waste less in your everyday life.

Get The Cool Down →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.

1. Audi A4: Turbo Troubles

The 2009-2010 A4 2.0T tops Consumer Reports’ ranking for engine problems, according to a Motor1 rundown of the list. Owners reported failures involving the cylinder head, the turbo, the timing chain and oil consumption. Those problems typically surfaced at around 170,000 to 245,000 kilometers, which is roughly 107,000 to 153,000 miles.

The ranking is a warning about a specific engine in specific model years, not a verdict on every Audi sold since. Anyone shopping for a used A4 of that vintage has reason to ask for service records covering the timing chain and oil use before committing to a purchase.

2. Chrysler PT Cruiser: Retro Looks, Real Leaks

Third place on the same list belongs to the 2001 PT Cruiser with its 2.4-liter engine, as laid out in the Motor1 engine report. Reported trouble spread across several systems, including oil leaks, cooling problems, the timing belt and the pistons. Owners tended to run into those issues at roughly 102,500 to 133,000 miles.

A timing belt failure and a leaking cooling system can compound each other, so a car that looks sound at idle may still be close to a costly repair. The retro-styled hatchback shows that a distinctive design says little about how long the engine underneath will last.

3. Chevrolet Equinox: Thirsty For Oil

Fifth on the ranking is the 2010 Equinox, which shares its problems with the GMC Terrain, according to The Car Guide’s gallery. The complaints centered on the cylinder head, heavy oil consumption and the fuel system. Trouble was reported at about 135,000 to 175,000 kilometers, a range many owners reach well before they expect a major repair.

Oil consumption is easy to miss because the level drops slowly between changes. Drivers of this generation who skip regular dipstick checks risk running an engine low on oil without any warning light, which turns a manageable annoyance into a far more expensive failure.

4. Jeep Wrangler: Gasket Gripes

The 2006 Wrangler with the 2.4-liter engine lands sixth, based on The Car Guide’s tally. Problems on that list include blown head gaskets, cooling troubles and oil consumption. They appeared at around 240,000 kilometers, the highest mileage of any entry that came from the Canadian outlet’s ranking.

A later onset suggests the engine is more durable than some rivals on the list, although a head gasket repair is rarely cheap. Off-road use and heavy loads put extra strain on cooling systems, so the mileage figure should be read as a rough guide rather than a guarantee.

5. Cadillac SRX: Luxury With Baggage

Seventh place goes to the 2010 SRX, according to the Car Guide engine ranking. The list cites electrical faults, a failing catalytic converter, fuel injectors and the timing chain. Owners ran into these around 210,000 kilometers, well into the life of a typical crossover and likely long after any factory coverage has ended.

Several of those items, particularly the catalytic converter and injectors, sit outside the core engine yet still count toward engine-related complaints. A used luxury crossover in this range can carry repair bills that rival its remaining value, so a pre-purchase inspection is worth the cost.

6. Ford F-150: America’s Best Seller, Engine Woes

Complaint data from the Center for Auto Safety puts the 2018 F-150 second among the most complained-about vehicles of 2023, as shown on its 2023 complaints list. Engine problems were the top category of complaints for the truck. The figure reflects reports filed by owners rather than a laboratory test or a reliability survey.

Sales volume matters here, because a pickup that sells in very large numbers will naturally generate more complaints than a niche model. Even so, a top engine category on the second-ranked vehicle is a signal that buyers of this model year should check for open recalls and service bulletins.

7. Hyundai Sonata: Engine Trouble Ranks High

Eighth on the 2023 most-complained list is the 2013 Sonata, according to the Center for Auto Safety ranking. As with the F-150, engine problems were the leading category among the complaints filed. The listing offers no specific failure mode, only the pattern that engine concerns outweighed every other kind of complaint.

That vagueness limits what can be concluded, since the data says where owners complained but not exactly what broke. Shoppers can treat it as a prompt to research recall history and extended warranty coverage for this model year instead of relying on the complaint count alone.

8. Kia Sorento: Ninth On The List

Rounding out the group is the 2017 Sorento, which sits ninth on the 2023 most-complained list at the Center for Auto Safety. Engine problems again formed the largest share of complaints. That makes the Sorento the third vehicle in this group where owner reports pointed first at what is under the hood.

Placement near the bottom of a top-ten list still means a large number of owners filed reports. Taken together with the other seven entries, the pattern shows that engine complaints cut across brands, body styles and price points instead of belonging to a single manufacturer.

Help yourself and the planet: Get The Cool Down →

We may earn a commission if you sign up.