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: Jul 9, 2025

Mercedes dealership refused to replace ism module and I'm driving with blank instrument panel! No rmp no mph no gas gauge no milage nothing! This vehicle is my only source of income as I'm a delivery driver! It's my only vehicle! I need this fixed now or I can't pay my bills! This part is recalled and I expect them to fix it!

Incident date: Dec 1, 2025

Passenger back locks stopped working first. Then driver side back locks. Now both driver and passenger front locks will not lock/unlock automatically. This is scary when not being able to get in/out of vehicle for an emergency. I have reviewed multiple complaints and it appears this is a very common Nissan problem that needs to be addressed before it becomes a bigger safety problem.

Incident date: Jan 31, 2026

My car reported an error "check electric vehicle system" and would not drive over 25 mph. I had it towed to the nearest Hyundai dealership. This was after the car repeatedly killed the 12 volt battery. This is a common issue known with the ICCU.

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

I have a 2020 Honda HRV and the gas gauge flickers on and off. I have overheard technicians say this is a common problem with the HRV. The dealer wants to charge 177 to hook it up on the computer to diagnose the HRV. This HRV has only 20,000 miles on it. It has struts that are going bad and this HRV has had all the services done. My wife drives it 2.6 miles a day. I think these issues need to be l... Read more

Incident date: Jan 22, 2026

We were picking up my wife’s 2022 BMW 228xi after having tinting applied to windows. As I was in the office paying for the work, my wife put her purse in the car and sat in the driver’s seat. She noticed the seat was too low and that her booster pad had been moved to the passenger seat. She had not touched any of the car's controls and was starting to turn to exit the car so she could place... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

Vehicle experienced immediate loss of motive power while in motion at 45 mph after "Stop Safely Now" alert. This is a repeat power failure. The vehicle was in service for 75+ days (Dec-Feb) for this exact defect. The Ford service center said they replaced the “battery controller” yet the issue recurred. The car previously flagged this alert while in motion 2 times prior (one on the highway go... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

AC charging has failed for second time. OBC (on board charger) replaced at 2000 miles. Need another one again at 3500 miles.

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

Technical Incident Report: Electrical Component Failure Reference: Technical Service Bulletin NTB19-004 Part Number: 873D6-5AA6A (Control Unit/Actuator) Incident Overview On 2/16/26, the vehicle was being operated by the primary driver when a suspected electrical failure occurred. Upon subsequent inspection, the 873D6-5AA6A control unit and its associated wiring harness were found to be severely ... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Feb 5, 2026

The vehicle previously received a manufacturer dash wiring recall repair. After the recall repair was completed, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent and cascading electrical and communication failures across multiple integrated systems. Affected systems include Apple CarPlay, the DVD system, in-vehicle camera systems, CabinWatch, and repeated “MOST network unavailable” error messages.... Read more

Incident date: Jan 8, 2026

My car along with multiple other cars like mine are having issues with the back up camera not working. I have to take it into a Chevrolet dealer to get it replaced. It is a huge safety concern and a recall needs to be issued.

Incident date: Jan 2, 2026

Driver side front window auto rolled back up after pressing the button to once to roll it down. This happened while driving while the right hand was on the steering wheel. The left hand got caught inbetween the window glass and the window frame as it auto rolled back up on its own. It caused bleeding and pain to the left hand.

1 injured

Incident date: Feb 5, 2026

The Electric Coolant Heater (ECH) failed (Error Code P0E15), which is a critical component of the High Voltage Battery Thermal Management System. This failure disabled the vehicle's hybrid propulsion system and prevented the vehicle from operating in electric mode. This is a documented systemic issue (Ref: TSB S2208000203) that affects the driveability and safety of the vehicle's hybrid powertrain... Read more

Incident date: Sep 1, 2025

From the beginning of ownership, this vehicle has experienced repeated infotainment and system failures that directly impact driver safety, including: The infotainment screen pixelating, freezing, and restarting while the vehicle is in motion A documented incident where the system emitted a loud noise for over 30 seconds before restarting Screen restarts while backing up, preventing the rearview c... Read more

Incident date: Nov 20, 2025

The CAN BUS connector (found in the glove box area) fails periodically and without warning. It affects everything on the vehicle; it stops the car from shifting, car won't start up, windows stop working, all of the warning lights turn on, etc. The issue seems to be a manufacturing defect; the soldering cracks after a while, so the low voltage applications malfunction. Many people have noticed the ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 5, 2026

The screen for mapping other controls is delaminating, creating a safety and distraction hazard

Incident date: Jan 24, 2026

My vehicle suddenly developed electrical problems and would not start. Before it completely failed, I began seeing warning lights on the dashboard, including a PARK warning and an engine oil light. The vehicle had been operating normally earlier that day, but later became totally unresponsive. The doors would not unlock electronically and the car would not start. This happened after a period of h... Read more

Incident date: Feb 9, 2026

The vehicle has twice displayed a “Service High Voltage System” warning followed by “Reduced Acceleration – Drive With Care.” When this occurs, the vehicle enters a reduced-power (turtle) mode that severely limits acceleration. Cabin heat also stopped working, and the vehicle would not charge beyond approximately 25%, restricting driving range. OnStar diagnostics reported a critical erro... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2025

The vehicle was driven to a job site in Gowanda NY. The computer indicated it neede to clean the exhaust filter. The truck was parked in an open area on a blacktop parking area. The truck finished a Regen approximately 30 minutes later. The vehicle was shut down and left unattended. Approx 30 minutes later, the driver, heard noises, came around a structure and saw the vehicle was on fire. The dr... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

While driving down the interstate I noticed that the speed in my Taos was not matching what google maps or apple maps was showing. It is very difficult to figure out. I noticed this more than once. Even If I am going below the speed limit that is only shows me not speeding. The interstate I was on was a speed of 70. Normally I am at 75 both map systems were showing 78-80. I would adjust to below 7... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

Car was parked at my house. After a heavy heavy rain, I saw 1/2" standing water on the passenger side floorboards. The cowl drainage had been blocked, and I was told water had found it's way into the cabin. It's an EV, so this is a serious issue. My climate control was inoperative, the tire pressure sensors also affected. And not sure what other systems may have been damaged. This had never... Read more

Incident date: Sep 29, 2025

The front passenger car door failed to lock. It is considered a safety issue as it can leave the vehicle vulnerable to theft and may also pose a risk while driving if the door opens unexpectedly. It's important to address this problem promptly to ensure safety and security. There were no warning messages indicating the failed lock. I just happened to pull the handle and that door opened when all o... Read more

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

Initially, the engine would intermittently fail to start and at times would not start at all. I took the vehicle to a certified Chevrolet service center, where the battery was tested and found to be functioning properly. They later concluded that a faulty front-view camera was disrupting the electrical system and ordered a replacement (my first visit was Friday, 9/26/25). I took the car home for t... Read more

Incident date: Feb 14, 2026

First, very hard time trying to file a complaint with Dodge, they make it hard to find info. To make it short, I have a Dodge Durango RT, only 83,000 miles. The vehicle would not start, and was smoking out the back. Was hoping it was something simple brought it to my mechanic. Turns out there was an oil leak, manifold leak and the starter died. I had to tow my car. Called the Dodge company, ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

The alternator on my vehicle (DC to DC convertor) went while driving home with only one sensor prompting me to turn back around and head home to be safe. The car essentially died and power steering was lost. There were no prior warnings or indicators of an issue. I had 15 minutes to make it back home. The car died in intersection, luckily at corner of my street and folks had to help push it into t... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 2025

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while seated in the vehicle, while the vehicle was parked, there was an abnormally strong plastic burning odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that a top light was plugged in the trunk, but the light was turned off. After opening the trunk, the contact became aware that the wiring in the trunk had overheated and burned the laundry... Read more

Incident date: Feb 10, 2026

initially filed XXX (1/2/2026) 2nd (additional info) filed XXX (2/10/2026 3rd (3 page service report) XXX (2/11/2026) Vehicle is registered to Christopher Rojik, however it is my car that I drive, etc. today I am filing this for you folks that since I filed the complaint with Kia Corp. and sent them the service report, etc. Today, 2/19/2026 I received a formal Settlement Agreement and General R... Read more

Incident date: Jan 9, 2025

The vehicle has less than 75k miles, and I am the second owner. I was driving, and the vehicle lost power. Creating a traumatic experience that could have been fatal. After Kia had inspected the vehicle, I was informed that I needed a new engine and it would cost 8k or more, and my extended warranty would not cover it. Kia has current recalls for similar issues.

Incident date: Aug 19, 2025

Vehicle started show MULTIPLE errors on dash from blind spot not working , lane assist not working, AEB need to be checked,rear brake light not working, turn signal not work, lane assist not working and other errors. Went to dealership for these errors where they repaired a faulty sensor on the front for the lane assist and from collision. Said it was fixed...It was not. Within a hour leaving the ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 15, 2025

3 times in the last two days, and dozens of times over the last six months, while driving or while idling, the "check hybrid system" warning has flashed. When it happens the car does into limp mode, where it will go no faster than 13mph. this has happened in the left lane of a highway where there is no where to pull over except the lane, since there is no time to get over before the vehicle shuts ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 25, 2021

The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the battery warning light remained illuminated, and the vehicle failed to exceed 45 MPH while driving. The messages "Onboard Charger - Stop Vehicle" and "Power Supply" were displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the ICCU Module had failed and needed to be replaced. T... Read more

Incident date: Oct 1, 2025

I am filing a complaint regarding a premature failure of a critical safety-related lighting component on my 2022 Volkswagen Atlas. The driver-side headlight daytime running light (DRL) has failed. After inspection by an authorized Volkswagen dealership (Momentum Volkswagen), I was informed that the DRL is not a serviceable component and that the entire headlight assembly must be replaced. This i... Read more

Incident date: Jan 12, 2026

All systems warning lights came on

Incident date: Feb 8, 2026

While driving down the road all of a sudden vehicle slams then shifts down indicator lights for gear selection starts flashing. It has happened 4 times so far this week February 17, February 19 of 2026.

Incident date: Jan 23, 2026

Car was driving, stopped at a stoplight, never moved again. 3 lights came on, Check Engine, Check Oil (Which had been serviced previously by a month and a half), and Check Battery. Bob Sight Kia has stated Engine issues associated with the rods failing and the starter not functioning due the the manifold, I am uncertain to the technical terms. It was late at night, the area only semi lit up and ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 23, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V741000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufact... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

On January 23, while driving, the vehicle suddenly shut down and stopped working without warning. I attempted to restart the vehicle several times, but it would not start. Smoke was coming from the engine area, and the vehicle was completely disabled on the road. I was stranded on the roadside until approximately 11:30 PM, waiting for a tow truck to arrive. The vehicle had to be towed and taken t... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact ha... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Supra. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V636000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

Driver display, dash, lights all shut off randomly! Bluetooth disconnects. Reconnects right away. Like if it has a short. Does this especially on long trips.

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to first gear, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was driven to an independent mechanic, where the contact purchased a new battery and had the battery replaced. After the battery replacement, the failure recur... Read more

Incident date: Feb 18, 2026

Engine starter safety recall came out in September 2025, with no remedy or parts existing for fixing it. 5 months later, and no timeframe is provided for a remedy. This is a major fire risk given the amount of rain now that could corrode the starter and lead to a fire.

Incident date: Jan 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 BMW X1. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V608000 (Engine and Engine Cooling, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that after shifting to park(P), there was white smoke coming from under the hood, with a burning plastic odor. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated th... Read more

Incident date: Feb 1, 2026

I was driving home from work in rush hour so traffic was pretty heavy and all of the sudden my gas pedal would not accelerate my car at all. I was cruising at 8-10 MPH as it was stop and go traffic. About 10 seconds later my break pedal stiffens and I am unable to break. Neither the gas or break pedal were functioning. It is a miracle that no accident was caused. I turned on my hazards lights but... Read more

Incident date: Oct 3, 2025

The turbocharger gave code P0299 then more extensive look when you try to increase speed the turbo will not boost to allow you to go. 40-45 miles is the highest you can go . Dealership said there we complaints and recalls. The recalls are for 2017 and 2018 chevy trax. 2019 having the same issue..

Incident date: Jan 18, 2026

My ABS module failed, which is a very well know issue with the 2014 to 2018 models. When the ABS module failed I was driving the vehicle and it went into fail safe mode while I was on the freeway service road. The speedometer stopped working and the vehicle would not go over about 20 mph. The vehicle was fine one minute and then I had no control of how fast I was going. I was with traffic that was... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2025

Water coming from top part of the front windshield. This was previously fixed but after few years problem persists and started causing electrical issues. I already had to replaced computer out of my pocket even it was under warranty cause did not wanted to fix it.

Incident date: Dec 12, 2024

Vehicle Information: 2024 Kia EV6 (VIN: [XXX] ) Mileage at time of failure: 14,005 Complaint Description: My 2024 Kia EV6 experienced a complete failure of the 12-volt battery system despite the high-voltage traction battery showing approximately 80% state of charge. The vehicle became completely inoperable without warning. The 12-volt battery was fully discharged and the vehicle would not ente... Read more

Incident date: Feb 19, 2026

Late last year I reported that while towing a trailer, the dash indicated that the trailer had disconnected from the trailer as looking back I noticed the lights were off when the vehicle lights were on. Before I could pull over to check the connection, the lights turned back on and the warning light extinguished. This happened 3 times when towing the trailer that day. The dealership "reprogramm... Read more

Incident date: Jan 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ram 2500. The contact was made aware that the VIN was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V059000 (Exterior Lighting, Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that several dealers were contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall... Read more

Incident date: Feb 6, 2026

This submission is an additional report related to NHTSA complaint #11714381. At approximately 55,000 miles, my 2021 Chevrolet Blazer experienced a sudden throttle body failure while driving. The vehicle entered reduced engine power/limp mode without warning and acceleration was significantly limited. This created a safety concern while driving in traffic, particularly when merging and crossing i... Read 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

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