Reliability is often a major factor for car buyers, and rightfully so. It’s no secret that cars, just like people, begin to experience more problems as they age. It’s an inevitable part of owning a vehicle, but keep in mind that not all models age alike.
While modern cars can reach a 200,000-mile lifespan, there are several older and newer cars that will never hit this milestone. If you’re in the market for a new vehicle and are looking for longevity, then avoid these cars prone to transmission problems.
Why Just Transmission?
When it comes to long-term issues, there are three primary components most likely to cause problems. Those are the engine, the head gaskets, and the transmission. Every model will eventually experience failure in all three of these parts.
Transmission, however, can lead to an overwhelming amount of issues. Slipping gears, getting stuck in one gear, and overheating are the most common. Left unchecked, your transmission can cause total failure and leave your car undriveable.
At that point, you can’t simply replace the transmission. Instead, you would need to rebuild it. That’s an expensive task that requires plenty of know-how under the hood and a lot of time. Even catching a problem before failure can be expensive to fix, especially with a high frequency of issues. So, the longevity of your car’s transmission is one of the most vital factors to consider in reliability.
2013 Nissan Sentra
Kicking off this list is the 2013 Nissan Sentra. This model was also produced in 2014, so don’t let an extra year fool you. Most owners found issues in their transmissions between 67,500 and 102,000 miles. The 2012 to 2015 Toyota Corolla, a very similar model, does not share this same problem.
2014 Nissan Versa
You’re going to see Nissan pop up in this list often. Why? Their transmissions simply seem to run into more problems than others. The 2014 Versa Note is one such model, seeing issues occur between 55,500 and 64,500 miles. If you’re looking for a better alternative, try the 2015 Kia Soul.
2008 GMC Acadia
Any Acadia model produced from 2008 to 2010 will experience issues down the road. Most owners saw transmission problems somewhere between 97,000 and 146,000 miles, which wouldn’t be so bad if this wasn’t an SUV. The Lexus RX, 2006 to 2010, is an excellent alternative.
2014 Nissan Pathfinder
In comes Nissan again with the Pathfinder, produced from 2013 to 2015. You can expect problems to arise between 50,000 and 75,000 miles. A more reliable alternative would be the 2014 to 2015 Honda Pilot.
2014 Ford Focus
Experiencing transmission issues as soon as 30,000 miles, this purchase turned out to be a lemon. Plenty of Californians turned to San Francisco law firm, Conn Law, for lemon law cases pertaining to the Ford Focus and other models. On the bright side, Toyota’s 2012-2015 Corolla is a similar and better alternative if you’re looking for a nice four-door sedan. So is the Kia Rio, 2011-2016 and later.