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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 191,761 complaints - component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Vehicle has shift to park light and will not turn off even with the shifter in the park position.

Incident date: Feb 21, 2026

The side mirror amber lights warning of a vehicle in the blind spot randomly illuminate and remain on for upwards of an hour or upon turning the vehicle off and back on. The dash randomly notifies me that the forward collision warning isn't available and both side mirror blind spot warning lights illuminate for upwards of an hour or until I turn off and restart the vehicle. The Dash randomly goes ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Component Failed: ABS Braking System / Wiring Harness. Safety Risk: While driving at highway speeds with my service animal, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic ABS failure. The brakes became unresponsive, and the dashboard displayed multiple critical safety warnings, nearly resulting in a collision. Confirmation: The failure was confirmed by Schumacher VW (West Palm Beach) during a forensic inspec... Read more

Incident date: Oct 24, 2024

Radio screen completely back. Including no rear backup camera.

Incident date: Apr 24, 2023

I previously had this same issue August 2024 (associated complaint 11608428). My rear drivers side tail light is out completely-no brake light, reverse, turn signal, or nighttime tail light is working. I spent nearly $800 to replace part 68599920AA, as the entire motherboard was fried, as were the connectors from overheating. I’ve located several other complaints with similar issues: 11585014; 1... Read more

Incident date: Feb 23, 2026

Transmission failure at 120, 000 was replaced. Then factory thermostat went and then trickled down to the transmission. Got too hot and cooked the transmission. Come to find out it was also the radiator so that was replaced along with the thermostat and a second transmission. Put a transmission cooler on but still get very warm on the transaction fluid. Can't keep the temperature down in the summe... Read more

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

Relates to the Volkswagen Recall: 28H7-Ignition Switch that for some reason is only applied to Jetta's but needs to be expanded to include 2019 Tiguans . In vehicles equipped with a conventional ignition switch, the polyfuse can fail, particularly when the vehicle is operated in high temperature environments. If the polyfuse fails, it can result in the engine stalling while driving and failure of ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The multipurpose camera module has failed, on the vehicle resulting in the simultaneous loss of several driver-assistance and safety systems while the vehicle is in operation. These systems include cruise control, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, collision mitigation, automatic high beams, and the brake system warning. Upon inspection, there appears to be overheating within the camera mod... Read more

Incident date: Nov 15, 2025

Instrument cluster has gone blank. Unable to see digital speedometer, fuel level, engine temperature, current gear, 4WD status, and other items. Dealership said it was not part of recall 24V652000, they stated the only outstanding recall for this vehicle was 25V741000. Vehicle is scheduled to go in for that recall and further diagnosis of the instrument cluster issue.

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

Failure of the ABS control module. Scanning of the trouble code shows internal electronic failure code C2200-49. Loss of ABS on vehicle, decreased stability on wet surfaces. Appears to be a known issue with Rams, my vehicle is not on the recall list for this issue but should be there should be a wider recall forced on Ram for this issue. Loss of ABS and traction control, Loss of cruise control, an... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2026

When coming to a stop at a stop sign, my truck randomly shut off while in gear, automatically shifted to park and put the ebrake on. I restarted my truck and shut off the ebrake and drove fine the rest of the way.

Incident date: Apr 27, 2021

The child safety lock fails frequently. It begins to click as if it is trying to lock the rears doors and then a warning on the dash says the child locks have failed. I have 2 children and this is a big problem.

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

I own a 2018 Honda Accord and have been experiencing an ongoing issue where multiple warning lights appear on the dashboard at the same time. The lights include several safety and system warnings, making it look like many different systems in the vehicle are malfunctioning simultaneously. I have taken the vehicle to be serviced and attempted to fix the issues that were identified. However, even a... Read more

Incident date: Sep 28, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V455000 (Fuel System, Gasoline). Upon starting the vehicle, it started and stopped. After waiting for approximately 20 minutes, the vehicle worked as designed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The battery was repl... Read more

Incident date: Nov 9, 2023

I have been having a lot of problems with the backup camera on my vehicle. For the past 2 years the backup warning beep sounds when there is nothing behind the car. For the last year, the camera sometimes shows inverted and at times it doesn't work at all. This is a very important safety feature for me since I am unable to turn my head fully due to a neck injury. I read an article a few days a... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Camry. While the contact’s wife was inside the parked vehicle and attempting to open the sunroof, there was an abnormal sound coming from the sunroof while attempting to close it. The motor to open the sunroof was covered and made a sound; however, the sunroof failed to close. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was dia... Read more

Incident date: Mar 9, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving out of the driveway of the residence at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated related to the trailer control module; however, a trailer was not attached to the vehicle during the failure. The warning lights were continuously illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed, an... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 2500. The contact stated that on several occasions, after the vehicle had been parked for approximately two days, the vehicle failed to start. The vehicle was jump-started and taken to a dealer three times, where it was diagnosed and determined that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired three times, but the failure persisted. The manufacture... Read more

Incident date: Jan 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. A diagnostic test revealed codes for the catalytic converter efficiency below threshold Bank 2, and Bank 2 air-fuel ratio imbalance. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and the dealer referenced NHTSA ID Number: 10187289 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2018

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel displayed a black screen. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with instrument panel failure. The contact was informed that the failure was associated with an unrepaired recall. The contact was informed that parts were not yet available. The contact ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The instrument cluster no longer displays any information, it is blank. My safety is at risk as I can not see how much gas I have, mileage, oil pressure or any other warnings that are used by the display. Prior to going completely blank intermittently it would show a greenish color. Other Jeep Wranglers have had this problem, but my VIN was not part of the recall.

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Escape. The vehicle was initially taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V011000 (Equipment). The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The contact stated that the engine had overheated. A diagnostic scanner was used to determine that the head overheat protection was active and... Read more

Incident date: Jun 22, 2025

There rear parking sensors have come up with an error message. After I looked into this it looks like a wide spread problem. The Kia Dealership said it was the rear bumper harness was faulty. I am just outside of warranty and Kia is trying to charge $850 for a problem that they are well aware of and are not addressing. They are also claiming that the oil filter housing is damaged and I have only e... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

My 2022 ford Maverick is constantly sometimes several times a day and sometimes several times a week , but since 6 weeks after purchase I have been getting powertrain fault , engine fault and hybrid battery fault alerts from my ford pass my check engine light comes on my s service wrench light comes on also and my vehicle has reduced power. As well as my battery is constantly needing to be jumped... Read more

Incident date: Feb 27, 2026

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

I am reporting a failure of the Steering Column Control Module (SCCM) in my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland. The failure is manifesting as an error message saying "service transmission" and the code that it is throwing says that the paddle shifters are overheating. This component is identical to the modules currently under Safety Recall 36B (NHTSA 24V-199) and Equipment Recall 15B (NHTSA 24E-0... Read more

Incident date: Feb 28, 2026

Vehicle went into a shut down and all electrical power was dead. Attempted to charge battery and battery had 13.2 amps. Towed to dealer and they reported a software update was required. Also they later reported the battery was changed. Upon pick up, the dash reported warnings of no steering assist, no traction control and software update required. Vehicle has been back 4 times and dealer cann... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2025

I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety-related recall on my Audi Q7 involving the alternator. The wording of the recall is significantly underplayed, written off as an emissions issues. When in reality this is a life threatening flaw in the alternator. It is highly concerning that Audi isn’t being transparent with people who are driving these cars and risking their lives while doing s... Read more

Incident date: Feb 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V700000 (Electrical System); however, the part was not yet available for the recall repair. The contact had received the notification 18-months ago; however, parts were still unavailable. The dealer was contacted every six months, and the contact was informed that the part was still unavailable. The ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 20, 2026

In our 2021 Volvo XC90, the hybrid battery has completely failed, which I suspect is a common issue in this model. The error message is Hybrid System Failure, and the dealership has confirmed that the entire battery will need replacement. Volvo has not listed this car as subject to a recall over this issue, and I suspect they are underplaying its frequency. We have been waiting weeks for a replace... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

While driving on the highway at approximately 65-70 mph the Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged for no apparent reason, no vehicles were around or near our vehicle. The sudden and unexpected braking could have cause a major accident resulting in serious injuries or worst had our vehicle been rear ended.

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

Just picked up vehicle after having a new battery installed. Was getting pop up on dashboard every few seconds that electrical saving mode was active. Then all of a sudden the truck shut off while driving about 45 mph on a busy road. Dash said switch to neutral to start vehicle which i tried but nothing happened. Truck coasted to a stop and would not start or even shift into neutral to push it of... Read more

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Jeep Wagoneer S. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate and stalled. An unknown service warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road, turned off the vehicle and the vehicle was able to be restarted. On another occasion, while the vehicle was parked at the residence, the vehicle lost powe... Read more

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

This complaint involves a sudden failure of my vehicle’s Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) and Forward Collision Warning system, both of which are critical safety systems. While driving my [XXX] son to school, multiple warning lights suddenly appeared on the dashboard without any prior indication of a problem. The vehicle displayed a warning message instructing me not to exceed 36 miles per hour,... Read more

Incident date: Mar 4, 2026

The alternator/generator (part #68623194AC) stopped working and rendered the car undriveable. This happened while we were driving. It is available for inspection. The problem has been confirmed. The car started making a terrible noise prior to all of the lights coming on and it becoming undrivable.

Incident date: Oct 27, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 330I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted, and confirmed the parts were on backorder. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

Following the remedy of the engine recall in 2025, the truck started having intermittent electrical issues (i.e. warning lights on dash turn on/off: service 4WD, Loss traction Control, etc) come one while the truck is being driven. If the truck is turned off while the dash warning lights are on, it will NOT Start for about 24 hours. If the warning lights are ignored, eventually they will go off o... Read more

Incident date: Oct 13, 2025

Kia has a known wiring‑harness defect that causes the low engine oil sensor to trigger incorrectly. Despite this, there has been no recall, and new vehicles are still being sold with the issue. The wiring harness is now on back order, leaving me without a car for weeks or longer. The vehicle has plenty of oil, and the dealership confirmed there are no engine problems, yet the warning light keeps... Read more

Incident date: Mar 8, 2026

Touch screen system has completely stopped turning on (and wont turn on) any time the outside temperature drops below about 70 degrees fahrenheit. Per online research this is a common, known issue and given that this prevents the use of key saftey features such as the backup camera and climate controls I am unsure why this has not yet initiated a safety recall. I have dealt with this for the past ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

regarding the rear view camera. It stopped working intermittently and now it shows the picture inverted (backwards) I see an extensive list of vehicles that have been recalled, but my vin is not listed. How do I get this repaired?

Incident date: Jan 26, 2026

The idle stop on the van will stall the vehicle. This has happened 3 separate times where the vehicle stops, then stalls when the engine tries to turn back on. This can be very dangerous, especially when trying to turn from an intersection and the vehicle stalls.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

The vehicle’s infotainment display intermittently freezes or shuts off while the vehicle is in operation. When this occurs, the rear-view backup camera display also fails or becomes unavailable. The malfunction happens randomly during normal driving conditions. This presents a safety concern because the driver relies on the navigation display while driving. When the screen suddenly freezes or sh... Read more

Incident date: Dec 30, 2025

Vehicle Details: 2024 Hyundai Ioniq (leased from McGovern Hyundai, Wilmington) Recall Services Notes: ICCU S/W,DTC CHK,&FUSE/REP([XXX]) • 272 Mileage: 10,714 mi Owner: [XXX] What Happened ([XXX]): My Ioniq suddenly died in the center lane on [XXX] near CVS Market, Burlington MA This created a dangerous nighttime traffic jam, The dashboard showed "12V battery voltage low. Stop safely" -... Read more

Incident date: Oct 15, 2025

After stop at traffic light with air conditioning on, the auto idle stop system engaged. When the brake was released, the engine stalled, able to be restarted after 5-10s. Problem exactly matches NHSTA investigation EA25004.

Incident date: Feb 11, 2026

Head Gasket caused multiple issues with coolant burning quickly. Multiple ignition coils also got damaged and had to be replaced. Though the underlying issue with the gasket was not addressed by the dealership. The head gasket is currently broken and does not function at all and the car has only driven 84000 miles.

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

While driving my 2023 Nissan Rogue (approximately 51,000 miles), the vehicle completely lost all electrical power twice. The first incident occurred on Wednesday while stopped at a traffic light, and the second occurred on Friday afternoon after parking the vehicle; in the second instance, it would not start and had to be towed to the dealership. Prior to the failures, the vehicle displayed CVT Ma... Read more

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

ICCU failed unexpectedly at having only 1780 miles. All power failed within 15 minutes of an alert. Car could not even be put in park. Had to keep foot on brake until tow arrived.

Incident date: Dec 1, 2024

Basically, the instrument cluster lighting is very, very poor. Very difficult to read when driving, especially in a day break. You must turn off your daylight running lights to make it a little bit brighter. This is a problem.

Incident date: Oct 28, 2024

Electronic power steering has started working intermittently. Very hard to steer truck at times. Very dangerous.

Incident date: Feb 7, 2026

Major electrical issues causing problems with the wipers, cruise control, break lights, sensor issues and much more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

Read more from our blog