Brake response concerns
14 mentions · 17.9% of complaints
Median mileage: Unavailable (0 usable records).
Matching rule
\b(brake fail\w*|brakes fail\w*|brake pedal|braking distance|unintended braking|phantom braking)\bU.S. public vehicle records
Utility TRAILER brakes problems
32 complaint narratives mention brakes terms.
Key facts
78 owner complaints analyzed
4 distinct recall campaigns
350 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 1991 to 2013 model years. Data updated: . 3 complaints include usable failure mileage. View data status.
Braking behavior evidence
32 of 78 complaints match this topic (41.0%). The keyword filter can include complaints that mention a transmission without reporting its failure. View matching rules.
Owner report 542886 · 1998-11-01 (November 1, 1998)
BRAKES SHOES FELL APART.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 542886 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 542892 · 1998-11-01 (November 1, 1998)
BRAKES FELL APART.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 542892 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 544702 · 1999-03-30 (March 30, 1999)
BRAKES ON RIGHT SIDE OF FRONT AXLE OF TRAILER CAUGHT FIRE.(OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT).
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 544702 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10025605 · 2003-07-08 (July 8, 2003)
I WAS SITTING AT THE LIGHT AT NEW JERSEY AND NEW YORK AVENUES (I WAS ON NEW YORK AVENUE) AT APPROXIMATELY 7:00 AM. A DUMP TRUCK WAS ON NEW YORK AVENUE SOUTHBOUND AND INSTEAD OF WAITING FOR THE GREEN LIGHT HE MADE A RIGHT TURN ON RED INTO ONCOMING TRAFFIC PULLED INTO THE LEFT LANE INSTEAD OF STAYING IN THE RIGHT LANE WHICH IN TURN CAUSED ME TO PUT ON BRAKES AND CAUSED EVERYONE BEHIND ME TO SLAM ON BRAKES WHICH ALMOST CAUSED AN ACCIDENT. I BLEW MY HORN AT THE AFRICAN AMERICAN MALE DRIVER AND HE PROCEEDED TO SLAM ON BRAKES AND THEN BEGAN DRIVING…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10025605 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 542870 · 1998-10-26 (October 26, 1998)
BRAKES FAILED.
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 542870 at NHTSA ↗
Explore the data
Vehicle analysis explorer
Inspect model-year patterns, reported mileage, monthly activity and the evidence behind each signal.
Data completeness
78 unique complaints in this selection. Analysis snapshot: 2026-10-01.
3.8%Usable mileage3 / 78 records
87.2%Valid incident date68 / 78 records
100.0%Valid filing date78 / 78 records
87.2%Ordered incident and filing dates68 / 78 records
Missing, zero and invalid mileage is excluded. Dates after the snapshot are excluded. Examples are limited selections, not a representative sample.
Problems by model year
Model-wide comparison of the eight most reported components across the model. Cells show counts and shares within each model year. Open a cell for source examples.
| Component | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2003 | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Tires | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 4100.0%ODI 10200195ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 11TH, I EXPERIENCE A BLOW OUT; THE BLOW OUT WAS ON THE CAR CARRIER. I CALLED CS AT 6: 25 CST AND TRANSFERRED TO THE ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE-I WAS ON HOLD FOR OVER 15 MINUTES. I CALLED BACK TO SEE IF CS WOULD HAVE ANY BETTER LUCK WITH GETTING ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, JANA STAYED ON HOLD WITH ME FOR ABOUT 10 MINUTES, SHE WAS THE MOST EMPHATIC AND PROFESSIONAL REP I SPOKE WITH THROUGHOUT THIS ORDEAL. SHE INDICATED THAT SHE COULDN'T HOLD ANY LONGER AND WOULD HAVE TO PUT ME BACK IN THE QUEUE. I ASKED FOR A SUP - MELISSA WAS UNHELPF… | 150.0%ODI 102853732001 UTILITY TRAILER LOST A REAR DUAL TANDEM TIRE THAT ALSO HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE ON THE OHIO TURNPIKE. *KB OHIO TRAFFIC CRASH REPORT # 10-0608-89. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 1100.0%ODI 11319859 · 1 miI WAS NOTIFIED THAT HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS WAS RECALLING INNOVA ULTRA RUNNER 5.30X12 TRAILER TIRES. SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS. EACH TIME I VISIT THE STORE I AM TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT TIRES IN STOCK AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. I CONTACTED HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE LOCAL STORE. | 1100.0%ODI 10607745 · 10,000 miWESTLAKE TRAILER TIRES, ST225/75R15, DOT 70LT1ET3811, (MADE IN CHINA). COMPLETE FAILURE WITH TREAD CRACKING AND SEPARATION OF 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES (4TH TIRE, DIFFERENT BRAND). NO FAILURE ON THE 4TH TIRE. APPROX. 10,000 MILES WITH ABOUT 75% OF TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. AXLE WEIGHT RATING, 5200 LBS (2 AXLES). TRAILER AND CARGO WEIGHT APPROX. 9,000 LBS. TIRE PRESSURE MAINTAINED ON REGULAR BASIS. ONE YEAR WARRANTY BY LIONSHEAD TIRES. NO CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM LIONSHEAD TIRES OR UNITED TRAILERS. UNITED TRAILER ASSUMES FAILURE IS BASED ON … |
| Trailer Hitches | 360.0%ODI 543714TRAVEL TRAILER (DUTCHMEN) EXPERIENCES EXCESSIVE TONGUE WEIGHT OVERLOAD, WHEN TRAVELING WITH ITEMS. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 120.0%ODI 879563TIRE SIZE 75016, COMMERCIAL TRAILER TIRE, TIRES HAVE FIFTY PERCENT OF TREAD LIFE LEFT. THREE TIRES HAVE FAILED WITH SIX TO EIGHT INCHES OF TREAD SEPARATING FROM THE TIRE, ALL TIRES STAYED INFLATED. *AK DOT NUMBERS 1300 AND 279 FAILED. *SLC | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Unknown Or Other | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 150.0%ODI 101753842001 UTILITY TRAILER CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT FRONT TRAILER BRAKE OR BEARING CAUGHT ON FIRE, WHICH CAUSED THE TRAILER TO CATCH ON FIRE. *JB | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Service Brakes, Air | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 120.0% | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. | 00.0%No examples available for this selection. |
Darker cells indicate a larger share of submitted complaints. Components overlap. This measures complaint composition, not failure probability.
Failure mileage by component
Median and middle 50% of usable owner-reported mileages. Ranges require at least five records.
| Component | Mileage range (25th–75th percentile) | Median | Usable records | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tires | Too few reports for a range | 350 mi | 3 (sparse) | ODI 10702768 · 350 miI HAVE 2 BLUESTAR TIRES THAT I WAS TOLD ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. THE PLACE I BOUGHT THE TIRES FROM IS VERY ADAMANT SAYING THESE TIRES ARE NOT PART OF THE RECALL. I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD WITH A 2 WHEEL TRAILER WHICH THE TIRES ARE MOUNTED ON. I HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND AND I STOPPED TO FIND OUT WHAT HAPPENED. AT FIRST I COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG. BUT THEN I NOTICED 2 BULGES ON THE SIDEWALL OF ONE OF THE TIRES. I WAS PULLING IT WITH OUR TRACTOR AND ONLY GOING ABOUT 10 MPH. SOMETIMES I PULL THIS TRAILER WITH OUR PICKUP, WHICH COULD CAUSE A… ODI 11319859 · 1 miI WAS NOTIFIED THAT HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS WAS RECALLING INNOVA ULTRA RUNNER 5.30X12 TRAILER TIRES. SINCE THEN I HAVE MADE MULTIPLE ATTEMPT TO OBTAIN REPLACEMENT TIRES FROM HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS. EACH TIME I VISIT THE STORE I AM TOLD THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE REPLACEMENT TIRES IN STOCK AND THEY DO NOT KNOW WHEN THEY WILL BECOME AVAILABLE. I CONTACTED HARBOR FREIGHT TOOLS CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WAS REFERRED BACK TO THE LOCAL STORE. ODI 10607745 · 10,000 miWESTLAKE TRAILER TIRES, ST225/75R15, DOT 70LT1ET3811, (MADE IN CHINA). COMPLETE FAILURE WITH TREAD CRACKING AND SEPARATION OF 3 OUT OF 4 TIRES (4TH TIRE, DIFFERENT BRAND). NO FAILURE ON THE 4TH TIRE. APPROX. 10,000 MILES WITH ABOUT 75% OF TREAD DEPTH REMAINING. AXLE WEIGHT RATING, 5200 LBS (2 AXLES). TRAILER AND CARGO WEIGHT APPROX. 9,000 LBS. TIRE PRESSURE MAINTAINED ON REGULAR BASIS. ONE YEAR WARRANTY BY LIONSHEAD TIRES. NO CLAIM OF RESPONSIBILITY FROM LIONSHEAD TIRES OR UNITED TRAILERS. UNITED TRAILER ASSUMES FAILURE IS BASED ON … |
Complaint and recall timeline
Explore monthly filing activity alongside recall announcements. Up to ten years of monthly history is available.
Solid line: filed complaints. Dashed amber lines: recall announcement dates for this vehicle selection; markers include all recall components. The latest month is partial. Temporal proximity does not establish causation.
Monthly counts, recall campaigns and complaint examples
| Month | Complaints | Campaigns announced | Examples |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2024-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-10 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-11 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2025-12 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-01 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-02 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-03 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-04 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-05 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-06 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-07 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-08 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-09 | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
| 2026-10 (partial) | 0 | None | No examples available for this selection. |
Emerging complaint spikes
Complete months in the latest six months with at least 10 complaints, at least twice the preceding 12-month average, and at least three square-root deviations above that average.
This is a descriptive screening rule, not a statistical defect finding. Publicity and reporting changes can increase submissions.
No complete months meet the spike thresholds for this selection.
Equal-age model-year comparison
Model-wide cumulative reports during the first three or five calendar years, starting with the model year (age 0). Only fully elapsed windows are compared.
2012: 0 complaints · 2013: 1 complaints
| Model year | Through age 0 | Through age 1 | Through age 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Date coverage across each selected cohort
| Year | Incident dates used | Filing date fallbacks | Excluded dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 2013 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Incident date is preferred when valid and no later than filing; otherwise filing date is used. Model year approximates age. Equal observation time does not adjust for sales, distance driven or reporting delays. One complaint linked to multiple model years can appear in each cohort.
Components reported together
Each cell counts unique complaints naming both components. Open a nonzero cell for examples.
| Component | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | Tires | Trailer Hitches | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | Tires:Tread/Belt | Unknown Or Other | Service Brakes, Air | Electrical System:Wiring |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components | — | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| Tires | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Trailer Hitches | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic:Foundation Components:Disc:Pads | 1 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Tires:Tread/Belt | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Unknown Or Other | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 | 0 |
| Service Brakes, Air | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0 |
| Electrical System:Wiring | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — |
Co-reporting does not establish that one component caused another concern.
Recurring narrative patterns
Specific keyword mentions beyond broad component labels. Matching includes negations and comparisons and does not confirm a diagnosis.
1 patterns with matching reports.