Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,245,377 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA, including 140,173 crashes, 56,794 fires, and 8,580 deaths.
What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?
A consumer complaint is a free-form report filed by a vehicle owner directly to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) describing a safety concern about their vehicle. NHTSA collects these reports through its Vehicle Owner Defect Report (VOQ) system and publishes them publicly. Each complaint includes the affected component, the date and circumstances of the incident, whether the failure caused a crash or fire, and any reported injuries or deaths. The owner's full narrative description is included verbatim, NHTSA does not edit or moderate the descriptions.
The database below contains over 2,245,377 individual complaints. NHTSA's investigators monitor it for clusters of similar reports, when enough owners describe the same failure mode on the same vehicle, NHTSA may open a Preliminary Evaluation that can lead to a recall. Many of the largest recalls in U.S. history, including the Takata airbag recall and the Hyundai/Kia engine fire recalls, started as patterns visible in this complaint database years before they became formal recalls.
How to interpret what you read
A few principles for reading consumer complaints usefully:
- One complaint is anecdote; a hundred similar complaints is data. NHTSA does not investigate the truthfulness of any individual report, that's the job of the Office of Defects Investigation, which looks at the full pattern. When evaluating a vehicle, look for whether multiple owners describe the same chain of events.
- Crash, fire, injury, and death flags are owner-set. They are not verified by NHTSA. They are still useful as a filter, because owners who tick those boxes are typically reporting more serious incidents than those who don't.
- Component categories are NHTSA-assigned, not owner-assigned. NHTSA standardizes the component field so that complaints can be aggregated. The owner narrative often goes into more detail than the component category captures.
- Complaint volume scales with sales volume. A best-selling model will accumulate more raw complaints than a niche model even at the same defect rate. To compare across vehicles, look at complaints per 100,000 units sold, not raw counts.
If you've experienced a defect
File a complaint. NHTSA's investigators rely on this database to detect emerging defects, and useful complaints, specific, concrete, with dates and mileage and clear descriptions of what happened, feed directly into the agency's pattern detection. The form takes about 10 minutes and is at nhtsa.gov/recalls under "Report a Safety Problem." Your complaint becomes part of the same public record that this page is built from. Owners filing detailed VOQs are how recalls get triggered.
Read more from our blog
Showing 191,761 complaints - component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
There are currently hundreds (if not thousands) of cars, operating on roads of USA, that at any particular time stop in the middle of the road. The power is cut off and Engine Control Error is displayed on the monitor. This issue has been described many times on Reddit, under Taycan-Engine Control Error threads. The affects 2020-21 Porsche Taycans. As an owner of '21 Taycan, I have run into this i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
My backup camera does not work properly. The video often appears onscreen as upside down or does not appear at all. There are no lights or warnings of any kind when this happens. I’m usually backing up in a parking lot using the backup camera and it suddenly flips upside down or it goes black. When this happens I have to react immediately and stop the car since I can no longer tell if a person o... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
The Audi e-tron GT contains a design defect where the 12v battery cannot be charged in the event it becomes depleted. The battery is stored in the front trunk, but this can only be opened when the car has electrical power - there is no manual release. This leaves the vehicle immobilized to the point it must be towed to a dealer using special equipment because the four wheel drive train is locked i... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I was driving my car and the car shut off at 30 mph. It completely stopped and the steering wheel locked up. Started flashing start/stop and told me to put it in park. Glad no one got hurt and hope it doesn’t do it again.
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in the driveway and shifted to park(P), the vehicle started to slowly roll backwards unexpectedly. While attempting to re-enter the vehicle to stop the vehicle, the contact was knocked to the floor by the driver’s side door. The contact sustained injuries to the knees, back, thighs, and a concussion. The ... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety issue with my vehicle, a Hyundai Ioniq 5, which I purchased new and which currently has only 4,795 miles. The vehicle remains fully covered under the manufacturer’s warranty. Yesterday, March 19th 2026, while driving on a heavily congested street, the vehicle suddenly displayed a warning message stating: “Stop Vehicle and Check Power S... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
Rear passenger captain chairs and third row bench do not respond to occupancy when folding. I have dogs who I put in the cargo area with the third row down. My dogs are prone to move and bump buttons which has caused one or both captains chairs to move forward when loading them into the vehicle. Hyundai is aware of the problem and a temporary remedy is pending. There were no warning lights or mess... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
While driving the instrument cluster would flicker and then the truck would down shift gears. The first time it did, it dropped from 6th gear to 3rd gear at 70 mph, and the next time it dropped from 6th to 1st around 65 mph. It also occurred at lower rates of speed.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
Active Lane Management disengages itself upon start up. Sometimes says needs servicing - message disappears upon car restarting. Car states key fob is not in vehicle when it is. Car has turned on, not shifted into gear, and then not been able to be turned off. Steering input from the system is sudden and does not consistently match actual road conditions Radio screen flashes/goes black/free... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Mar 7, 2026
I am on my second 2026 Honda Passport. The first one was taken to dealership 6 times (once at red rock Honda in Colorado and 5 times at Cleo bay in Texas) for a failed part in the steering wheel. The airbag and other parts were replaced and would fail again afterward. I had to replace it with another of the same vehicle because of so many problems and no suitable repair. My new 2026 Honda Passport... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
On March 13, 2026, I was operating my 2015 Hyundai Tucson when the steering locked up, causing me to crash into a tree head-on. In the course of this head-on crash, my airbags failed to deploy. As a direct result of my airbags not deploying in a serious car crash, my head hit the steering wheel, causing a confirmed concussion diagnosis of Post Traumatic Headache and Post Concussion Syndrome in a h... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Feb 24, 2026
Received multiple "Check Vehicle Electric Systems" on a drive which went away and then got into the car, turned it on, shifted into drive, and heard a pop from bellow before moving at all and the car went into Turtle Mode and blasted warnings. The car completely died with zero power leaving it stranded in sub freezing temperatures and unable to lock the car or open the lift gate to access the trun... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2024
Faulty sensor in the shifter assembly. This prevents the car from turning off and displays an error message “Shift To Park” This issue is recalled on models 2020 and newer but not 2019 which is an oversight and should be.
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
Had a service electrical system soon message, the had total failure while driving on interstate, lost all power and manuvered truck to side of the road, waited 15 minutes, restarted. Now, complete dead battery, replaced battery, still no start. There was a tsb for 2022 mavericks for bad battery cable but not for the time mine was built, but has same bad battery cable connection. Confirmed by deale... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
3/3!2026 while driving heat stop working. Called Milea Saburu spoke to Christian made an appointment for 3/5/2026 they had nothing sooner. Told her what happened. Brought in they gave me loaner 12 days later on 3/18/2026 pick up car. Paid bill they told me everything done no problems. I would get my 250 dollars for the car back in 30 days. Even though they said it was a hold it went through. I ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The failure of the APIM has completely disabled the Rearview Backup Camera, which is a federally mandated safety feature (FMVSS No. 111). Operating a heavy-duty F-250 without a functional backup camera creates a significant blind-spot hazard and an immediate safety risk to pedestrians and property. King Ford has confirmed the failure. Service Director Jamie Churchwell has acknowledged the damage ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
This 2025 RAV4 hybrid XLE Premium is in permanent shape of inoperable due to continues electrical system that drains the 12v battery. Anytime I want to drive the car I have to charge the 12v battery for 3-4 hours before I can attempt to drive the car. This is all the time problems that start about 2 weeks into the purchase of the vehicle.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
My vehicle completely shut off while I was driving with my children in the car. The dealership replaced the battery but never identified the root cause. Since then my car has been experiencing RPM surging while in Park — the engine revs up and down repeatedly on its own. The vehicle also feels sluggish and does not want to accelerate properly while driving. Additionally since taking ownership of... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
On 3/19/2026, the vehicle ignition was turned on. Immediately, we received a variety of warnings, including: "charging system malfunction", "i-ACTIVESENSE Partially Disabled", "Hybrid System Malfunction", "i-stop Malfunction", "Charging System Malfunction", and "Critical Systems Failure". Vehicle has only 20,040 miles. On 3/20/2026 8:30 AM, we contacted the Mazda dealer where vehicle was purcha... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2025) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Travel Assist option is controlled by a sensor in the steering wheel. There is no way to disable it. When the sensor malfunctions, it plays an extremely loud and repetitive beep that cannot be disabled. It’s extremely distracting while I drive and happens every 30-45 seconds.
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Failed to schedule recall RP1063 repair with dealer Boston Polestar (617) 925-7300 for my Polestar 3. I contacted Boston Polestar several times to schedule the recall RP1063 repair, but I was unable to get an appointment. The call operator redirected me to the Polestar service department, which was always busy. The operator left notes for the Polestar manager and promised I would receive a call b... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
E350
(2012) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
I have a 2016 Chevy volt. It had to be towed to a Chevy dealership because it will not drive. The BECM module has failed, as is apparently the case with so many volt owners. GM, as a result of lawsuits about this car, extended the warrantee to fix the issue, but my vin number is not included in the case. The gar is a brick, and there is no way to fix it now. GM doen't even replace these batte... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2026
My Oil Pressure Switch is diagnosed as faulty by independent service center as well as Kia. Kia is denying coverage. I have found information that it should be covered. My check engine light shows an oil can light.
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact stated that the vehicle had been at a dealer since November 2025, because of an instrument panel failure. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceed... Read more
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety issue involving my 2021 Chevrolet Suburban equipped with the 3.0L Duramax diesel engine. The vehicle has experienced a recurring problem related to the engine wiring harness. While driving, the vehicle will unexpectedly stall without warning. At the same time, there is an immediate loss of power steering assist, significantly reducing the ... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE L
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Sep 20, 2025
ICCU unit of the car short circuited right in middle of driving and caused the car to go in "limp mode". Sudden pop noise and slowdown created situation where car could be rear-ended. The part has already caused recall for prior model years, but model year for my car is not included in the recall. Based on internet search it is a continued and widely prevalent issue, manufacture has not done en... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Auto-Restart is failing, causing car to stall or shut down entirely. When we pull up to a red light and the engine turns off, the car does not restart. Sometimes, it needs to be manually turned back on — sometimes, it shuts down entirely and requires a jump. Most recently, it required a jump and blocked traffic for 15 minutes on a busy street.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Failure of Battery Energy Control Module (BECM), within the high voltage battery. Vehicle is unable to charge and sets “reduced power” message. GM released special coverage bulletin for this issue (N232432680), but this vehicle is not listed due to which state it was registered. Continued failure of the BECM will lead to inoperability of the vehicle.
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Renegade. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled for several seconds and then restarted. The contact stated that prior to the vehicle stalling, while stopped at a traffic light, several unknown warning lights illuminated and then turned off. The failure was intermittent but had become a recurring failure and occurred whether drivin... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
Rear back up camera will intermittently lose functionality while in use - blue screen or error message will appear instead of camera feed. Tends to happen more frequently when wipers are in use; can be highly problematic when the weather is causing visibility issues and the need for the camera is greater. Service tech has inspected, verified the issue and made mention of the current recall on diff... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 20, 2026
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
Pop sound while driving. Lost ability to drive at normal speed. Was able to take car to repair shop and was informed of ICCU failure
Incident date: May 12, 2025
Truck broke down with a rear-wheel lockup and had the transmission replaced in June 2025. In December 2025 and February 2026, truck lost power two times and entered limp mode while on a major highway and major interstate. The problem was misdiagnosed in June 2025, diagnosed properly in December 2025, but not properly repaired, and diagnosed properly in February 2026. All three times the vehicle ha... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V315000 (Back Over Prevention), 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline), and 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the parts for the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
Engine rattles noise when starting the car after sitting for more than an hour it makes that sound another issue is that when i turn the headlights on all interior lights shuts off including the instrument cluster radio and ac climate control buttons
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
My ioniq 5 EV experienced an integrated charge control unit (ICCU) failure. A couple days prior to complete failure, we were unable to charge the vehicle using either level 1 or level 2 chargers. Our local Hyundai service center advised us that it was likely an ICCU failure and was unsafe to drive, due to the possibility of sudden loss of drivetrain power. The vehicle was towed to our local servic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
ICCU FAILURE STOPPED ON ROAD
Incident date: Sep 15, 2023
After performing regular oil changes, and even a new fuel pump sensor, I experienced an issue. Last oil change was within the past two weeks. Driving home from the mountains, I heard a knocking sound from the engine bay. I narrowed it down to all gears above 2500RPM, increasing knocking with RPM speed. I took it easy on the engine, mostly coasting down the mountain. Suddenly during acceleration on... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2025
ICCU failure. Car was at 16% when I tried to charge the car. Heard a pop sound from underneath the car and the dashboard had a message saying to check the electrical system.
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Feb 14, 2026
The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU), part number 36400-1XAD5, failed on my 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 SEL RWD at 2138 miles. The ICCU is responsible for charging the 12V auxiliary battery from the high voltage traction battery. DTC P1A9096 was recorded on 03/02/2026. When the ICCU fails, the 12V battery drains because it has no charging source. The vehicle becomes undrivable as all vehicle syst... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Was driving on hwy when vehicle loss power, was able to quickly pull over. Turned vehicle off and restarted vehicle. Got back onto the hwy ,vehicle loss power again, this time it wouldn't turn over. Replaced fuel pump,replaced valve timing sensor, crank sensor, replaced battery, replaced ignition switch and antitheft oem {replaced 5X}, reprogrammed vehicle 3X's, bought new key to program to vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
Vehicle: 2022 Toyota Highlander Limited Mileage at failure: ~60,000 miles The driver seat began moving rearward without any driver input while the vehicle was being driven. The movement was intermittent and occurred multiple times over several days. In one incident, the seat moved rearward while my wife was driving, causing her to lose proper reach to the brake pedal and nearly lose control of t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I have a 2014 Ford escape 1.6 engine which was clearly on the recall list for engine coolant failure and my vehicle is showing all the signs I repaired some things changed the hoses and it keeps giving me the high engine light oil is mixing into the reservoir. I have not passed emissions over a year The sensor keeps going off and the electrical system is really bad it creates a lot of static I can... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
My vehicle contains a defective high-voltage lithium-ion battery that is subject to internal short circuits caused by deviations in the battery supplier's production process. According to NHTSA and Mercedes-Benz's own recall documentation, an internal short circuit in a battery cell can trigger a thermal event — that is, a vehicle fire — whether the vehicle is parked or being driven. Criticall... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
I am reporting a defect involving the Bluetooth and infotainment system in my 2026 Subaru Solterra. While driving, the vehicle’s Bluetooth connection consistently disconnects after approximately 5–10 minutes. The phone call itself does not drop; however, the connection to the vehicle’s hands-free system fails. In addition, infotainment functions such as audio streaming and app connectivity ... Read more
BRIDGESTONE
BRIDGESTONE
(9999) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 19, 2026
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The vehicle was completely dead on the morning of 2/24/2026. Following the proper jumping procedure, the vehicle was jumped to restore power. A message on the dash stated to "check charging system". This message is generic in nature and usually indicates a 12V battery problem. The vehicle was left on and then plugged in to a Level 2 EV charger. The vehicle then caught fire and destroyed our detach... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
The vehicle has 2 permanent codes. One is a communication blackout, the other code means the hardware is melting. GM is doing a formal inspection in April. The Ucode meant that the engine stopped talking to the transmission or visa versa. The vehicle “ran my daughter and I” off the highway into the dirt, on 2 different occasions. They are described as “catastrophic engine failures”. The la... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
The backup camera flips the image upside down and has static throughout the image. Occasionally it blinks out completely. This began happening on an occasional basis over the past few years, but in the past year it has been consistently upside down all the time.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
I am reporting a severe combined safety failure involving fuel delivery and electronic systems. Between 1:22 PM and 3:37 PM, documented evidence shows the vehicle's fuel range dropped by 37 miles while the odometer recorded only 6 actual miles driven—a 600% abnormal fuel consumption rate accompanied by excessive engine noise. The odometer also exhibited erratic behavior, reversing and then spiki... Read more