By year
Owner complaints about Vanguard vehicles peaked at 123 in 2019
Owner complaints filed with NHTSA, 1996 to 2026. 2026 runs through October.
Source: NHTSA ODI complaints and recalls files. Complaints are not verified by NHTSA.
Make
Vanguard
The complete NHTSA record for Vanguard vehicles: owner complaints, recall campaigns, defect investigations and manufacturer communications, for every model and model year on file.
Most Vanguard recalls are filed by Vanguard National Trailer, part of Vanguard.
Owner complaints in the last five years1129 on file in all, across 16 models
Recall campaigns83 in five years
Severity index0.0Crash, fire, injury or death per 100 complaints
Investigations00 service bulletins
Components
Structure draws the most owner complaints about Vanguard vehicles, 95% of them
Share of all owner complaints on file, by component.
Source: NHTSA ODI.
Models
The DRY Freight VAN Trailer has the most complaints of any Vanguard model
Every Vanguard model with complaints or recalls on file, by complaints. Counts are not rates: NHTSA publishes no sales volumes.
| Model | Model years | Complaints | Severity index | Recalls | Investigations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DRY Freight VAN Trailer | 2009 to 2015 | 123 | 0.0 | 2 | 0 |
| Cool Globe | 2011 | 1 | 0.0 | 1 | 0 |
| Palomino | 1993 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| Puma | 2006 | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
| VXP | 2014 to 2024 | 0 | None | 6 | 0 |
| Cimc DRY Freight Trailer | 2015 to 2016 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| Cimc Reefer Trailer | 2015 to 2016 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| Maxcube | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| Refrigerated Trailer | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VAF Trailer | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VIP 4000 | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VSD Trailer | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VSF Trailer | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VTD Trailer | 2023 to 2024 | 0 | None | 2 | 0 |
| VIP | 2014 | 0 | None | 1 | 0 |
| VIP-53 | 2022 | 0 | None | 1 | 0 |
Source: NHTSA ODI. Recall counts add campaigns across model years, so a campaign covering three years counts three times.
Latest recalls
Recent campaigns listing a Vanguard product
- 25V-385 Jun 19, 2025
Pintle hook box assembly may crack or break, reducing the trailer's stability while being towed
Structure · 2,192 vehicles - 23V-497 Jul 19, 2023
TPP electronic controller may open the check valves, causing the tires to deflate
Tires · 102 vehicles - 22V-345 May 17, 2022
Wheel hubs may have an insufficient amount of lubrication, which could cause the hub bearings to fail
Wheels · 2 vehicles - 16V-025 Jan 21, 2016
Affected vehicles may experience brake drag due to an improperly seated diaphragm in the brake chamber
Brakes · 96 vehicles - 15V-847 Dec 16, 2015
Affected axle assemblies have caliper bolts that may not have been properly tightened, allowing the caliper mounting bolts to back out and the…
Brakes · 85 vehicles - 14V-546 Sep 9, 2014
Affected trailer suspensions have pivot bolts that may fail
Suspension · 311 vehicles - 10V-580 Nov 10, 2010
Suspect systems may have missing welds at the interface of the lower seat bracket and axle beam
Suspension · 30 vehicles
Source: NHTSA ODI recalls file.