Exterior Lighting
Exterior Lighting is named in 47,181 complaint component mentions since 1995, 30.1 of every 1,000 across the whole file, peaking in 2014 with 3,745.
1,374 NHTSA recall campaigns cite a component in this group. The model line with the most complaint mentions is the Toyota Prius (3,392, 265.1 per 1,000 of that line's mentions).
Complaints are consumer reports and have not been verified by NHTSA.
Model lines reported most
| Model line | Mentions | Per 1,000 of the line's mentions |
|---|---|---|
| Toyota Prius | 3,392 | 265.1 |
| Chevrolet Malibu | 1,667 | 80 |
| Pontiac G6 | 927 | 122.6 |
| Mercury Grand Marquis | 842 | 180.7 |
| Chevrolet Trailblazer | 736 | 87.3 |
| Pontiac Grand AM | 717 | 89.3 |
| Chevrolet Impala | 666 | 50.4 |
| Cadillac SRX | 663 | 307.4 |
| Pontiac Grand Prix | 654 | 91.6 |
| Ford Taurus | 615 | 27.2 |
| Lincoln Mark Viii | 570 | 579.3 |
| Ford Edge | 566 | 60.2 |
| Hyundai Sonata | 553 | 43.8 |
| Chrysler Town and Country | 520 | 32.4 |
| Dodge Durango | 493 | 31.3 |
| Honda CR-V | 491 | 46.5 |
| Dodge Ram 1500 | 488 | 33 |
| Dodge Grand Caravan | 480 | 32.4 |
| Saturn Outlook | 471 | 259.4 |
| Buick Lacrosse | 468 | 209.3 |
| Volkswagen Jetta | 448 | 40.4 |
| Oldsmobile Alero | 417 | 144 |
| Nissan Altima | 401 | 28.5 |
| Chevrolet Blazer | 391 | 38.7 |
| Ford Crown Victoria | 361 | 93.9 |
Fleet-wide reference: 30.1 per 1,000. Lines above that figure draw a larger share of their complaints from this component than the file as a whole.
Sub-components
| Description in the file | Mentions |
|---|---|
| Exterior Lighting | 28,439 |
| Headlights | 7,517 |
| Brake Lights | 1,938 |
| Turn Signal | 1,633 |
| Headlights: Switch | 1,176 |
| Brake Lights: Switch | 1,135 |
| Tail Lights | 1,098 |
| Turn Signal: Switch | 1,025 |
| Hazard Flashing Warning Lights: Switch | 641 |
| Turn Signal: Flasher Unit | 597 |
| Headlights: High/Low Beam Dimmer Switch | 511 |
| Headlights: Concealment Devices | 387 |
| Hazard Flashing Warning Lights | 315 |
| Back Up Lights | 247 |
| Fog Lights | 238 |
Mentions by year
Recalls by year
Recent recall campaigns citing exterior lighting
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Expedition, 2026 F-250 SD, F-350 SD, F-450 SD, and F-550 SD vehicles. The headlight assemblies may contain a contaminated LED chip, which can result in a loss of daytime running lights, parking lights, high beams or low beams. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: A loss of exterior lighting can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 26, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C43. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning October 26, 2026.
7 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Ford Motor Company; manufacturer campaign 26C43.
Defect, as filed: Mack Trucks, Inc. (Mack) is recalling certain Grote replacement marker lights with part number 78513681. The center roof marker lights may fail to illuminate. As such, this equipment fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Marker lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the center roof marker light, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 11, 2026. Owners may contact Mack's customer service at 1-800-866-1177. Mack's number for this recall is SC0499.
1 make/model/year entry; manufacturer: Mack Trucks, Inc.; manufacturer campaign SC0499.
Defect, as filed: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain Grote replacement marker lights with part number 78513681. The center roof marker lights may fail to illuminate. As such, this equipment fails to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Marker lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the center roof marker light, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 11, 2026. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks' customer service at 800-528-6586. Volvo Trucks' number for this recall is RVXX2609.
1 make/model/year entry; manufacturer: Volvo Trucks North America; manufacturer campaign RVXX2609.
Defect, as filed: Mack Trucks, Inc. (Mack) is recalling certain 2027 Anthem AN (4) and Pioneer PR (4) vehicles. The center roof marker lights may fail to illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Marker lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the center roof marker light, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed September 22, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Mack's customer service at 1-800-866-1177. Mack's number for this recall is SC0498. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 13, 2026.
2 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Mack Trucks, Inc.; manufacturer campaign SC0498.
Defect, as filed: Volvo Trucks North America (Volvo Trucks) is recalling certain 2026-2027 VNL (4) and VNR (4) vehicles. The center roof marker lights may fail to illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Marker lights that fail to illuminate can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the center roof marker light, free of charge. Interim letters notifying owners of the safety risk were mailed September 22, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy is available. Owners may contact Volvo Trucks' customer service at 800-528-6586. Volvo Trucks' number for this recall is RVXX2608. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning August 13, 2026.
3 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Volvo Trucks North America; manufacturer campaign RVXX2608.
Defect, as filed: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2025-2026 Camry Hybrid vehicles. The instrument cluster display may fail during vehicle startup, deactivating the hazard lights, turn signals, seat belt warning system, and smart key reminder. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) numbers 101, "Control and Displays," 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment," 114, "Theft Protection and Rollaway Prevention," and 208, "Occupant Crash Protection."
Consequence: An instrument cluster that fails to display critical safety information increases the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the display software, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 21, 2026. Owners may contact Toyota's customer service at 1-800-331-4331. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 26TB16 and 26TA16.
2 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing; manufacturer campaign 26TB16 / 26TA16.
Defect, as filed: Rivian Automotive, LLC (Rivian) is recalling certain 2025-2026 R1S and R1T vehicles. One or both front turn signals may fail to illuminate and flash. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Turn signals that do not function properly increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Rivian will inspect and replace the front turn signals as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed September 29, 2026. Owners may contact Rivian customer service at 1-888-748-4261. Rivian's number for this recall is FSAM-1833. This is an expansion of Recall 25V387. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 31, 2026.
4 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Rivian Automotive, LLC; manufacturer campaign FSAM-1833.
Defect, as filed: Tesla, Inc. (Tesla) is recalling certain 2017-2023 Model 3 and 2020-2023 Model Y vehicles. The headlight low beams may be too bright and exceed the maximum light output. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Headlight low beams that are too bright can reduce visibility for oncoming drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: The remedy is currently under development. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed October 3, 2026. Owners may contact Tesla customer service at 1-877-798-3752. Tesla's number for this recall is SB-24-17-003.
11 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Tesla, Inc.; manufacturer campaign SB-24-17-003.
Defect, as filed: Jayco, Inc. (Jayco) is recalling certain 2025 Entegra Reatta XL, Reatta, 2026 Cornerstone Reserve, 2024-2026 Cornerstone, Aspire, and Anthem motorhomes built on certain Spartan K1, K2, and K4 chassis. The exterior brake lights may remain illuminated when the driver is not applying the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Brake lights that remain on may fail to alert other vehicles of the driver's intention, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the pressure switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 31, 2026. Owners may contact Jayco customer service at 1-800-283-8267.
12 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Jayco, Inc.; manufacturer campaign Shyft Group 26V-292.
Defect, as filed: Foretravel, Inc. (Foretravel) is recalling certain 2025-2027 Realm Presidential and 2025-2026 Realm motorcoaches. The exterior brake lights may remain illuminated when the driver is not applying the brakes. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Brake lights that remain on may fail to alert other vehicles of the driver's intention, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Foretravel will work with Shyft to replace the pressure switch, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 28, 2026. Owners may contact Foretravel customer service at 1-800-955-6226.
5 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Foretravel, Inc..
Defect, as filed: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC (DTNA) is recalling certain 2026-2027 Freightliner EM2, Freightliner Custom Chassis S2RV, Freightliner Custom Chassis S2C, and Freightliner Business Class M2 vehicles. A software error may cause the low beam headlights to illuminate improperly.
Consequence: Insufficient low beam headlight illumination can reduce driver visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the headlight software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 18, 2026. Owners may contact DTNA customer service at 1-800-547-0712. DTNA's number for this recall is F1036.
8 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Daimler Trucks North America, LLC; manufacturer campaign F1036.
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain ITRM accessory kits with part number RL3Z-19H322-AA, ML3Z-19H322-AA, AB, BA, BB, CA, and CB that were sold as aftermarket accessory kits for Ford 2021-2026 F-150 vehicles. The integrated trailer module (ITRM) may lose communication with the vehicle, causing a loss of brake function, turn signals and brake lights. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, " Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: A loss of trailer brakes or lights can reduce the driver’s ability to control the trailer and decrease the trailers visibility to other road users, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the ITRM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 28, 2026. Owners may contact Ford customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C35.
1 make/model/year entry; manufacturer: Ford Motor Company; manufacturer campaign 26C35.
Defect, as filed: Shyft Group (Shyft) is recalling certain 2016, 2019, and 2021 Utilimaster Velocity vehicles. Water may enter an improperly sealed strobe light and cause a short circuit.
Consequence: An electrical short increases the risk of a fire.
Remedy: Owners are advised to remove the control module for the strobe light. The remedy is currently under development. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed July 17, 2026. Another notice will be sent once the remedy becomes available. Owners may contact Shyft customer service at 1-800-237-7806. Shyft's number for this recall is 26-06.
3 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Shyft Group; manufacturer campaign 26-06.
Defect, as filed: Harbor Freight Tools (HFT) is recalling certain Kenway 12V LED Towing Light Kits with part number 64282, manufactured November 13, 2019 to December 22, 2019, and 12V Submersible Lights with part number 64274, manufactured July 1, 2019 to July 8, 2019. The lights may not illuminate properly. As such, these lights fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Assoc. Equipment."
Consequence: Improper illumination from the towing lights can reduce trailer visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: HFT will replace the light kits, free of charge. Owners that purchased these lights prior to November 2020 are advised to check the last 6-digits on the serial codes: Model 64282 - 462019 or 522019 and Model 64274 - 272019. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed August 30, 2026. Owners may contact HFT customer service at 1-800-444-3353.
2 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Harbor Freight Tools.
Defect, as filed: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Ram 1500 vehicles. The headlight wiring may cause the parking lights and daytime running lights to flicker on and off, or fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Parking lights and daytime running lights that fail to illuminate properly reduce the vehicle's visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the headlight assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 17, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 62D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning July 9, 2026.
1 make/model/year entry; manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC); manufacturer campaign 62D.
Defect, as filed: Piaggio Group Americas, Inc. (PGA) is recalling certain 2026 Liberty 50 and Liberty 150 motorcycles. A fault in the electrical circuit may cause the low beam and/or high beam headlight to unexpectedly turn off. In certain conditions, the instrument panel lighting may also fail to illuminate.
Consequence: Loss of lighting can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the date code label affixed to the headlight assembly, and if the date is between January 1, 2026 and January 30, 2026, the headlight will be replaced, free of charge. PGA has not yet provided a schedule for owner notification. Owners may contact PGA's customer service at 212-380-4400, or customercare@us.piaggio.com.
2 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Piaggio Group Americas, Inc..
Defect, as filed: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A. (Kawasaki) is recalling certain 2025-2026 W230 motorcycles. The turn signal light bulbs may contain foreign material or have cracks, resulting in light bulb failure.
Consequence: A front or rear turn signal that does not illuminate to indicate the rider's direction of travel increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace all turn signal lights, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 7, 2026. Owners may contact Kawasaki customer service at (855) 878-4217. Kawasaki's number for this recall is MC26-08.
2 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Kawasaki Motors Corp., U.S.A.; manufacturer campaign MC26-08.
Defect, as filed: Ford Motor Company (Ford) is recalling certain 2018-2020 F-150 vehicles previously repaired incorrectly under recall number 20V097. When the headlight switch is turned from "Autolamps" to "Headlamps On," the Daytime Running Lamps (DRLs) may remain fully bright instead of dimming to parking lamps as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Daytime Running Lamps that do not dim may reduce the visibility of other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: ,Dealers will reprogram the body control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact customer service at 1-866-436-7332. Ford's number for this recall is 26C28. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on July 6, 2026.
3 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Ford Motor Company; manufacturer campaign 26C28.
Do not drive advisory
Defect, as filed: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA (Yamaha) is recalling certain 2025 XTZ690 motorcycles. The turn signal lights may fail to operate when activated. As such, these motorcycles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Turn signals that do not function properly may fail to indicate the rider's intention to change direction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Owners are advised not to ride their motorycle until the remedy is complete. Yamaha will replace the meter assembly, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed June 26, 2026. Owners may contact Yamaha's customer service at 1-800-962-7926. Yamaha's number for this recall is 990190. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning June 26, 2026.
1 make/model/year entry; manufacturer: Yamaha Motor Corporation, USA; manufacturer campaign 990190.
Defect, as filed: Wabash National Corporation (Wabash) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Transcraft Platform and 2024-2027 Wabash Platform trailers. The conspicuity tape may not have been installed. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Consequence: Missing conspicuity tape can reduce the visibility of the trailer to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Wabash will provide the conspicuity tape, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 17, 2026. Owners may contact Wabash customer service at 1-765-771-5404.
9 make/model/year entries; manufacturer: Wabash National Corporation.
Questions and answers
Which vehicles have the most complaints about exterior lighting?
By complaint mentions: Toyota Prius (3,392), Chevrolet Malibu (1,667), Pontiac G6 (927), Mercury Grand Marquis (842), Chevrolet Trailblazer (736). Raw counts reflect how many of each line are on the road as much as anything else; the per-1,000 column shows how large a share of that line's complaints the component takes.
How many recalls concern exterior lighting?
1,374 NHTSA campaigns list a component in this group; the 20 most recent are shown above.
Where does this data come from?
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall flat files, public domain, dated 15 May 2019 and 24 Sep 2026. Component groups are the first level of NHTSA's component taxonomy.
Provenance
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation flat files, public domain, dated 15 May 2019 (complaints) and 24 Sep 2026 (recalls). See the methodology.