2004 Little Guy Rascal: what breaks, and at what mileage
What breaks on the 2004 Little Guy Rascal
Only 2 defect reports have been filed with NHTSA about the 2004 Little Guy Rascal, which is too few to compute mileage percentiles or a risk score. The reports reported other engine problem.
When each failure gets reported
Tick median reported mileage Solid middle half of reports Faint 10th to 90th percentile Colour how bad the failure is when it happens
How reports accumulate
Every report with an odometer reading, cumulative, from 0 to 200,000 miles. A curve that climbs early is a car with early problems, whatever its total.
- Line share of reports filed by that mileage
Every reported failure mode
| Failure mode | System | Reports | With reading | 25th | Median | 75th | Per 1,000 | Typical repair | Severity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Other engine problem | engine | 1 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 76.9 | $300–$4,000 | High |
| Other powertrain problem | transmission | 1 | 1 | — | 5k | — | 76.9 | $400–$4,500 | High |
Rate per 1,000 uses a fleet-size estimate derived from recall paperwork for this exact model year. It is a lower bound. Repair costs are typical independent-shop ranges for the failure, not figures from these reports.
Recalls on the 2004 model year
NHTSA has issued 1 recall campaign covering the 2004 Little Guy Rascal, affecting an estimated 13 vehicles. A recall is a different kind of evidence from a complaint: it is the regulator and the manufacturer agreeing that something has to be fixed, and the fix is free for as long as the car exists.
The campaigns cover trailer hitches. Whether the work was actually done on the car in front of you is a question only the VIN can answer, and the manufacturer or NHTSA will answer it free.
One caution about reading these together: a recall usually raises the complaint count for the same part, because owners who read about it go and file. The mileages stay informative; the counts get noisy.
TRAILER HITCHES
13 vehicles 2004-07-16- Defect
- Certain mini trailers have inadequate welds to the tongue and frame assembly. This could cause separation of the tongue assembly from the frame.
- Consequence
- This condition could cause instability and possible loss of control of the trailer, which could result in a crash.
- Remedy
- Little trailer will exchange the trailer with a new trailer and a newly designed frame. The recall is expected to begin during august 2004. Owners should contact the little trailer company at 574-522-1112.
Recall work is free at a franchised dealer regardless of the car's age. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls before assuming it was done.
What the reports on file say
The complaints recorded against the 2004 Little Guy Rascal are other engine problem (1 report, around 5k miles) and other powertrain problem (1 report, around 5k miles). With a sample this size these are anecdotes rather than a pattern, and they are shown because somebody looking at this exact car would rather see them than nothing.
Why this page is short
A model year needs about 8 reports before percentiles mean anything, and this one does not have them. Complaint volume tracks how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road, so a thin page usually means a rare car, a new car, or a car whose owners do not file.
Where this comes from. Every figure above is computed from NHTSA owner complaints and recall records for this exact make, model and year. Complaints are voluntary and self-selected, so treat counts as a floor. The methodology page writes out each formula, and the same numbers are available as JSON.
What breaks at my mileage Compare with another car
Source Owner complaints and recall records published by the US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, model years 1996–2027 Figures rebuilt Published by AtWhatMileage How every figure is computed