Terms of Use
What this site is
What Breaks Next publishes rankings and statistics derived from NHTSA's public Office of Defects Investigation complaint, recall, and investigation databases, processed by a language model and aggregated as described on the methodology page. This site is independently operated and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by NHTSA or the U.S. Department of Transportation.
No warranty, not professional advice
Content on this site is provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, and is not automotive, safety, legal, or purchasing advice. As the methodology page explains in detail, the underlying classification has a measured, non-zero error rate, complaint data is self-selected (not a random sample of what actually goes wrong with a vehicle), and rankings can be skewed by rare-component noise or recall-notification volume. Do not rely on this site as the sole basis for a safety, maintenance, or purchasing decision - verify anything important against NHTSA's own database, a qualified mechanic, or a manufacturer's official recall lookup.
Source data and quotes
Complaint narratives quoted on this site are drawn from NHTSA's public records and redacted for third-party contact information before publication (see the privacy policy for what that redaction does and doesn't catch). Quotes reflect one owner's account of their own vehicle, not a verified fact.
Using this site's content
You're welcome to link to any page on this site. The underlying NHTSA data is itself public; this site's specific presentation - the classification labels, aggregated rankings, and generated text - may be reused with attribution back to this site. If you're unsure whether a specific use is covered, ask (see Contact).
Changes to these terms
These terms may be updated as the site changes (for example, if advertising or affiliate links are added later - see the privacy policy's commitment on that). Continued use of the site after a change means you accept the updated terms.