What electric-vehicle owners complain about, compared with gas cars
The complaint categories that dominate EV reports, how they differ from combustion vehicles, why the numbers are skewed by a few brands, and the live problem mix of the electric segment.
Electric vehicles remove the two categories that dominate complaints about combustion cars: there is no engine to burn oil and no multi-speed transmission to shudder. They do not remove complaints. In this index the electric segment generates a distinctive mix of reports, and understanding it matters both for buyers and for anyone comparing reliability across the two technologies.
What disappears and what replaces it
Engine and transmission complaints together account for roughly a third of all reports on combustion vehicles in this index. For EVs those categories shrink to a small share, while electrical, driver-assist and brake complaints take up much more of the total. Whether the total is lower or higher depends heavily on which models are being compared: the electric segment here is dominated by one manufacturer with a very large owner base, and by several first-generation models from legacy brands.
The EV complaint categories
Driver-assist systems
The largest single category for some electric models. Phantom braking, lane-keeping that pulls toward a barrier, and hands-free driving features that disengage or behave unexpectedly generate a steady stream of reports. The separate article on phantom braking covers the mechanics.
Electrical and software
Two very different problems share this category. The first is the 12-volt battery, which in most EVs still runs the computers, the door locks and the contactors that connect the high-voltage pack; when it fails, the car is dead in the driveway or, worse, loses power on the road. The second is software: infotainment screens that go black, driver displays that reboot at speed, phone-as-key failures, and updates that changed behaviour owners relied on. Charging problems, both at home and at public stations, are reported here as well, along with high-voltage battery faults that limit range or trigger a shutdown.
Brakes
Regenerative braking means friction brakes are used less, and several EV models have complaints about corroded discs, seized calipers and a hard pedal when the friction system is suddenly needed. Others involve the transition between regenerative and friction braking, which some owners describe as inconsistent pedal feel or a lurch at the end of a stop.
Structure, glass and body
Large glass roofs, frameless doors and new body construction methods appear in EV complaints as cracked panoramic glass, water leaks, wind noise, misaligned panels and door handles that fail to present in cold weather.
Loss of motive power
EVs do not stall, but owners report sudden loss of power from battery, inverter and coolant faults, and several recalls, some of them delivered as software updates, have addressed exactly this. Recall notices describe a loss of motive power as a crash risk on any powertrain.
Reading the comparison fairly
Three cautions apply before concluding that EVs are more or less reliable. First, per-vehicle comparisons need sales data this index does not have; complaints per year on the road adjusts for age, not for how many were sold. Second, the electric segment here is dominated by one brand. Third, the EV models tracked here are on average newer designs than the combustion models, and new designs often generate more complaints in their first years regardless of what powers them. With those cautions, the live comparison of the electric segment's problem mix against the whole fleet is below.
What the data shows now · 2026-10-13
Electric vehicles · What owners complain about · vs. all vehicles
Electric vehicles · Complaints per year on the road
| # | Models | Complaints | Complaints per year on the road | Complaint index | Trend | Recent activity | Recalls | Most common issue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevrolet Bolt EV | 544 | 14.8 | 0.37 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 13 | Electrical |
| 2 | Tesla Model S | 723 | 16.1 | 0.4 | Worsening | Falling | 31 | Unspecified or other |
| 3 | Tesla Model X | 752 | 17.1 | 0.42 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 33 | Unspecified or other |
| 4 | Ford Mustang Mach-E | 678 | 24.8 | 0.61 | Improving | Within ±30% year on year | 0 | Electrical |
| 5 | Ford F-150 Lightning | 551 | 33.4 | 0.83 | Improving | Falling | 2 | Electrical |
| 6 | Kia EV6 | 544 | 37.8 | 0.94 | Improving | Rising | 5 | Electrical |
| 7 | Volkswagen ID.4 | 1,011 | 48.3 | 1.2 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 25 | Electrical |
| 8 | Tesla Model 3 | 4,327 | 91.6 | 2.27 | Worsening | Within ±30% year on year | 36 | Driver-assist systems |
| 9 | Hyundai Ioniq 5 | 1,359 | 93.8 | 2.32 | Improving | Rising | 15 | Electrical |
| 10 | Tesla Model Y | 3,850 | 112.3 | 2.78 | Stable | Within ±30% year on year | 43 | Driver-assist systems |
What to check when buying a used EV
- Battery health report. Some EVs display battery state of health; for others a dealer or a diagnostic app can read it. Compare the indicated full-charge range with the original rating.
- 12-volt battery age. Ask how old it is: 12-volt batteries wear out, and a weak one can leave an EV unable to start or move.
- Software version and recall status. Some EV recalls are fixed over the air, and the model pages note how many; confirm by VIN that they were actually applied, not just released.
- Charging test. Charge at a public fast charger and at a Level 2 station during the inspection. Charging problems appear in EV complaints.
- Brakes. Look for corroded discs and, where it is safe, test a firm stop from speed.
- Glass and seals. Inspect the roof glass edge to edge in daylight and check the cabin after a car wash.
Every electric model tracked here has its own page with year-by-year figures, owner excerpts and any open investigations, and the electric vehicle segment page ranks them side by side.