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: Feb 28, 2026
Hello, I has problems driving my car like by brakes braking out of nowhere. There was even a couple times I felt like the car swerved, even though I did not do anything to the steering wheel. Then I found out I had a recall that said not to drive the car because it was dangerous so I parked it in my driveway and I have not driven it for many months as I’ve been getting rental cars. Eventually, I... Read more
TOYOTA
RAV4 PRIME
(2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while using the key fob to unlock the vehicle, the vehicle failed to open unless the key fob was nearby the front driver's side exterior door lock button. The contact stated that while idling, the steering wheel locked up on one occasion, and on another occasion, the vehicle lunged forward while depressing the brake pedal. Additionally,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
I have been in and out of the shop since May of 2025 I have a paper trail of all dates and events including the times I did go in for a recall the times I was changed whe I should have never been charged , bout 3 or 4 times . I’m on the interstate and I’m going like 74/75/76 and my speed drops on me to like a 10-15 and I try to move as quickly as possible because everyyyyy time that has happen... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The vehicle was being driven on a city street when it suddenly felt sluggish and lost acceleration ability. It would not drive above 43mph in a 50mph zone. The display showed the error "Check electrical vehicle system". After getting home a mile away and turning it on, driving was tested again after about 30 minutes. Upon entering drive mode, it beeps rapidly and displayed "Stop vehicle and check ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C230
(2007) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
I’m getting a indicator that I need to service my shifter and it’s making a strange noise and having problems shifting
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2007 Mercedes-Benz C230. The contact stated while driving in a storm, the windshield cracked. The taillight and indicator lights were inoperable. There was an abnormal tapping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who confirmed there was no failure with the sunroof. The vehicle was repaired. After retrieving the vehicle, the vehicle failed to ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
OnStar Telematics module is defective and keeps draining the battery causing the need for multiple jump starts. The problem has been confirmed by Don Hewlett Chevrolet Buick on March 5th, 2026 and was told that the part is on backorder and that there is no ETA.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle unexpectedly shut off. An unknown flashing warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle was manually restarted. This failure occurred frequently. The dealer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Canyon. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the automatic emergency braking (AEB) unexpectedly engaged. The message "Reduce Acceleration Proceed with Caution”, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restarted and r... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
When shifting from reverse to drive there was a loud pop towards the back up the car. A check electrical system warning popped up, and then eventually a Check Power Supply stop now warning came up. The vehicle would not go above 26MPH and had to be stopped in a parking lot to be towed to the dealership. The ICCU went out and needed to be replaced, was at the dealership for 2 weeks for replacemen... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2024
On February 28, 2026, while preparing to leave our home with our two children in the vehicle, we experienced a critical vehicle malfunction. Upon attempting to start the car, all dashboard warning lights illuminated, including transmission error, “service needed,” and “automatic emergency braking system needs service.” The battery warning light was also on. The vehicle would not start init... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
My Tesla Model 3 was brought to Tesla Princeton Service Center on February 27, 2025 for a 12V battery replacement. During the service visit, Tesla also replaced the rear glass, citing the rear defroster as the root cause of the battery drain — a repair that was added without prior discussion and increased the total invoice from an original estimate of $180 to a final charge of $1,730. Upon picki... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
The vehicle experienced recurring electrical system failures beginning in December 2023. The vehicle intermittently would not start and on several occasions lost power unexpectedly. The vehicle was taken multiple times to an authorized Ford dealership for diagnosis while still under the manufacturer warranty. The dealership repeatedly reported that no issue could be identified despite the recurri... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
See attached document for complaint. I am the owner of a 2019 Nissan Leaf that has a recall on the Level 3 charging system. I have received many letters telling me it will be soon for them to fix the issue and they still haven't done a thing to resolve this. I am [XXX] and live on $1200 a month social security and can’t afford to trade in with a payment every month to upgrade. I live in the cou... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
My 2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe has been in the shop at Tameron Jeep in Daphne, AL for 37 consecutive days. After having the recall on the hybrid battery software performed, an engine light came on. When I returned it to Tameron service department, I was told the diagnostic scan showed a fault in the hybrid battery due to the recall software update. It has remained at the service department for 37 days ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
Component Failure & Inspection: The rear windshield glass spontaneously imploded/shattered. This is a documented manufacturing defect involving the rear defroster grid, as detailed in Acura Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) 22-014. The vehicle and the shattered glass are currently available for inspection. Safety Risk: The glass shattered while the vehicle was occupied, spraying shards of tempered... Read more
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
Vehicle: 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL (battery-electric SUV). At approximately 4,500 miles the vehicle began displaying battery/high-voltage system warnings and charging system errors. An earlier incident involved a critical battery warning instructing service. When presented to the dealership, the vehicle was initially described as potentially requiring extensive diagnostic disassembly. The deale... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
When applying the brake slowly all of a sudden the car went full acceleration and crashed 500ft away at high speed. The car is crashed but available for inspection for a short period of time until the insurance company takes full posession. There are not open recalls. The only lights on the dash were for TPMS sensor.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
I purchased car less than 24 hours ago. Service engine light is on. Dealership ran code and say it wasn't diagnosing a problem. And engine light went off. Drove for 3 hours and then engine light came back on. When I drove the car today, I came to a stop at a stoplight and when I went to go the car would not go. Looked down and my car had been gone into emergency parking. This issue was NOT di... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
In early September 2025, I leased a 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV. Unfortunately, the vehicle has already been in the dealership service department three separate times since I took delivery. The first two service visits occurred after the vehicle completely bricked and would not turn on. I was informed that the vehicle’s electronic module required updating and that the batteries had repeatedly... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER HYBRID
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Oct 5, 2024
Tailgate opens randomly on numerous occasions. Sometimes it won't open after pressing the button.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Highlander Hybrid. The contact stated that the second-row seats had been making an abnormal rattling sound. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormally strong foul odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the car wash, the contact was informed that the foul odor was coming from the steering wheel. The contact stat... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
On multiple occasions my vehicle (2019 equinox LT) that I bought just over 30 days ago has falsely activated the forward collision feature and slammed on its own brakes followed by “service ESC” and “service brake assist” with traction control lights and stability control lights illuminating. Dealership has confirmed that 4 computer modules are out of date on programming/updates. This is a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the infotainment screen was touched but went black and failed to respond. The vehicle was turned off and restarted at the next traffic light, and the infotainment screen was touched and remained black and failed to respond. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed; however, t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
In several separate unreplicable instances, the vehicle has turned off while driving, once on the highway, once on my street, once turning across heavy traffic, and others. I've almost died a couple times and I've taken it to the dealership several times, they have Not been able to find anything wrong with it and have been unable to replicate the issue. The engine has been replaced, and it was ha... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her husband was at a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was successfully jump-started; however, after driving approximately one mile, the vehicle began jerking and lost power again and was pushed to a residence. The contact referenced NHTSA ID Number: 23V652000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC); as a possible cause for th... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that occasionally, while driving at various speeds at night, the headlights intermittently became inoperable. The failure occurred with the high beam and low beam headlights. Additionally, the windshield wipers only operated at high speeds because the variable speed control was inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The battery ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
During a one-hour car ride, the front passenger side seat heater burned a hole through the seat, damaging my wife's skirt and leaving a hole in the upholstery. The overheating definitely originated within the seat. We immediately turned the seat heater off and have not used it since. It could have started a fire, which is very scary, or burned my wife, which is a serious safety risk. This issue ha... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 2500
(2025) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
am writing again regarding serious safety concerns with my Chevrolet Equinox EV RS. This is my fourth attempt to contact Chevrolet, as my previous emails have not received a response. These issues present a significant safety risk and require immediate attention.The problems I am experiencing include: Unintended lane movement: The vehicle shifts into another lane without any steering input from me... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
Vehicle communication failures. One point unable to start the vehicle. Then the wipers and all warning lights came on without being able to turn the vehile off. Had to disconnect both batteries while the wipers destroyed themselves on a dry windshield. This is also causing a Service Shifter warning light then total loss of power steering while driving down the road at any speed. This includes high... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
I am filing a complaint regarding my 2023 Toyota Camry with 23,375 miles. The vehicle has been diagnosed with an infotainment system failure that presents identical symptoms to an active recall affecting similar vehicles. Toyota has confirmed my VIN is not included in the recall campaign, despite the failure matching the recall description. The dealership has documented the defect, and Toyota appr... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
When I start the car or first start rolling the whole dashboard goes black! I can still hear sound but nothing on the screen. This is a safety issue. It flickers while driving then goes black.
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Dodge Charger. The contact stated that the battery was completely drained. The contact stated that the hood plastic scoop was leaking onto the felt heat protector, and the engine was wet whenever it rained. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, and the battery was replaced. The contact called another dealer, Elmwood Chrysler Do... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 3500
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
Rear view camera has sometimes screen has inverted view, totally blank, and even blue screen, sometimes works for a few seconds and then goes blank
Incident date: Sep 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2026 Ram 1500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were on backorder. The contact called another dealer, Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram of Utica Service Center (5017 Commercial Dr, Yorkville, NY 13495); however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
I purchased the vehicle back in June of 2023, brand new, fresh off the lot and from then the issue began. I had a leak in the fuel line and the engine blew. That was all fixed. But the main issue was the loud vibrating noise that the service department tried to correct multiple times and couldn’t tell where it was coming from. Diagnostics were ran and the vehicle was in the shop multiple times b... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
On Sunday, March 1, 2026, my vehicle suddenly malfunctioned while I was driving. The car abruptly lost power, would not accelerate beyond 25 miles per hour, and then completely shut down within minutes. This left me stranded on the roadside off the highway, which was both dangerous and extremely distressing. The vehicle was towed to the dealership, and it has now been four days with no updates re... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
While driving northbound on US-280 freeway, the vehicle experienced sudden deceleration with maximum speed limited to approximately 40 mph. The dashboard displayed a "Check Power Supply" warning. The vehicle required a tow to the dealership. Dealer diagnosis indicates likely ICCU (Integrated Charging Control Unit) failure. This is a known issue affecting multiple Hyundai Ioniq 5 vehicles, with num... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
RAM 3500 truck was purchased in Ventura, CA and has experienced multiple electrical and drivetrain failures beginning shortly after purchase. In January 2025 while traveling in Oregon, the infotainment system repeatedly blacked out and the cruise control button stopped functioning. A dealership replaced the cruise control button, restoring cruise control, but the infotainment problem remained. Whe... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2025
Vehicle Safety Complaint - Tesla Cybertruck Steering System Failure During FSD While driving my Tesla Cybertruck with Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged, the rear steering system failed without any prior warning. FSD immediately disengaged, and a red steering system ERROR appeared on the instrument cluster. The rear axle steering was completely disabled, turning radius became severely limited, and ve... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? FACTORY TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL UNIT. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? BRAKE CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO WORK. NOT ABLE TO STOP 15,000 LB TRAILER. WEIGHT PUSHS VEICHLE OUT OF CONTROL. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? N... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 22, 2025
The vehicle lost power after a warning that the battery was not recharging. I have a portable jump start battery. Tried to jump start it -- the battery would not hold a charge once cables disconnected. Had the vehicle towed to the dealer. I was told this is a DC-to-DC converter problem that is widespread across Defenders 20222-present. parts are unavailable.Being stuck in a vehicle with no po... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
Two incidents of rodent eating the wires of the car in a span of two weeks that cause a lot of money to repair. Dealership did mention that wires have soy based insulation which was the cause. Newer Toyota Cars have the same problem which a coworker of mine had last year and my brother as of this date have the same problem.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
While driving home from work on the interstate, the steering locked up and became stiff. The power steering light came on the dash. It was very scary as it was on a high speed interstate with no ability to control it. The safety of myself and others were at risk as I could no longer fully control the vehicle. It has not been taken to a dealer as of yet. The component has not been inspected as of y... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Bronco Sport. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel and then disappeared. Additionally, there was a soft, audible chime coming from the rear of the vehicle, and the Wi-Fi and Bluetooth systems activated the connections despite no known devices being present. The contact was concerned about th... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
GTI
(2018) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
The component that is seeming to fail in most KIA EV6's is the ICCU assembly. This is the component that failed in my KIA EV6 GT. Part# 364-1XFA0AQQK Also the ICCU Fuse, Part#375F2-GI040QQK FUSE-HIGH VOLTAGE. My safety and everyone around me was put at risk when the vehicle loss power due to this ICCU failure. As I entered the highway the vehicle starts loosing power. The vehicle gradually l... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
I am reporting a water intrusion issue involving the rear hatch area of my 2018 Volkswagen Golf GTI Autobahn. Water leaks into the vehicle through the hatch wiring boot area and travels into the interior of the car, causing the headliner to become saturated with water. During periods of rain or after washing the vehicle, water enters near the rubber hatch wiring boots and leaks into the interior ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
While driving, car displayed a check electrical vehicle system warning light. The 12 volt battery completely died and could not maintain charge resulting in slower and then complete loss of propulsion. Towed to dealer and the following Monday determined it was an ICCU failure. Part is back ordered but verbally told on 2/24/2026 that part would be delivered in two weeks. We'll see!!! If ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
My 2018 BMW 530e suddenly shut down while I was driving. I charged it overnight, but the next day it showed a check‑engine light and a drivetrain failure warning. I tried driving it again, and it drove for some distance and shutdown after few minutes. Luckily, i was able to park the car on the side of the road. I brought(towed) it to a mechanic, and he told me the issue was a CCU failure, which ... Read more