Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 187,860 complaints — component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle or while the vehicle was parked, the instrument panel intermittently flickered and then turned blank. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V652000 (Electrical System). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
My vehicle has experience repeated electrical system failures resulting in no-start condition and a loss of reliability. The first incident was in Nov 2025. The vehicle would not start after being parked at work from 0630-1530. The batteries had been drained due to what the dealer identified as a radio frequency module issue. The technician explained it to having gotten "stuck" in update mode. Th... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 3500
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
Water entered tailgate through drainage hole in tailgate cap. The water then dripped on the tailgate switch causing it to short out. This short circuit caused my tailgate to open and close randomly without pressing any switches or buttons or key fobs. May tailgate has a small ding it it now from where it kept hitting the wall while parked in the garage. I took the truck to the dealership to get re... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
While driving at highway speeds on the interstate, the B-pillar exterior trim suddenly detached from the vehicle. The trim remained tethered only by the keypad wiring, causing it to flail in the wind and create an immediate road hazard. Simultaneously, the vehicle’s instrument cluster triggered a "Liftgate Open" warning, despite the liftgate being secure. I was forced to make an emergency pull-o... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Service traction control and stabil has repeatedly came on it messes with the car by slowing it down
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Motorcycle died without warning and would not restart. Turned out to be a faulty Right Hand Control Module which is a known issue with the 2021-2023 model and the part has been updated to a newer part.
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
I tried to start car and it started but would not go into drive. A message saying "12v battery voltage low. Stop safely." Was on the screen. I turned the car off and back on and was able to drive home. Once home I tried to charge the car but it would not charge. However I left it plugged in and came back several hours later and the car had charged some. I started the car and the messages did not a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Chevrolet Blazer. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH with 100 miles of charge, the vehicle stalled and shut off. The screen was black, unresponsive, and failed to start. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a power module failure. The part was on back order. The electric module was previously replaced. The vehicle was not repaired... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
Vehicle would not go into gear when turned on. Vehicle would not turn off when attempted to turn off. Could not even open doors when attempting to get back in vehicle. I received notices to service the following: blind spot alert, electronic stability control, transmission, autopark, electric vehicle system. I received a notification that the vehicle was going 317 miles per hour. It is now in the ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
I am reporting a safety-related defect involving my 2025 Audi vehicle. Shortly after leasing the vehicle in 09/2025, I experienced electrical and system malfunctions while driving, including warning lights, intermittent adaptive cruise control malfunctions, erratic acceleration, sputtering, and sudden braking without warning. These issues occurred during normal driving and raised safety concerns. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle stalled. During the failure, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle was jump-started. The Auto START/STOP function was disabled for the vehicle to operate properly. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic; however, the failure could not be duplic... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
Along with problems from the current recalls (that still don't have remedies), our 2019 Ford Flex also has a faulty gas gauge. Not sure what component it would be considered, but even when we fill the tank up with gas, it doesn't register properly how much gas we have in the tank. It shouldn't be a guessing game as to how much gas is in the vehicle. I used to love Fords, but the combination of s... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2020) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Mar 12, 2026
Tail light has water intrusion and water shorted out the LED brake light on the driver's side rear of vehicles and has to be replaced as the ED'S are not serviceable.
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The car is available upon inspection, the car caught on fire after being driven for about 45 mins. Smoke started to come from under the car hood, fire starting dropping from underneath the vehicle and then fire started coming from under the hood of the car. The car started smoking while being inside vehicle and the fire could've spread. The fire was put out by the fire department, the vehicle has ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
Faulty PCS system can cause car to stop charging, potentially causing vehicle to shut down on the highway, leaving it stranded and a hazard on the road.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
The temperature gauge on my 2020 Chevrolet Blazer stopped working and remains stuck on “cold” at all times. At the same time, the air conditioning stopped functioning properly and only blows hot air. The vehicle was taken to a repair shop where diagnostics indicated a faulty thermostat sensor. The thermostat sensor was replaced and the issue appeared fixed. However, less than two weeks later, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2025
My 2023 Ram 1500 TRX has recurring safety-related failures of the infotainment system affecting both Uconnect 5 (12” screen) and earlier Uconnect 4 units. These issues are widespread in 2021–2024 Ram TRX and Ram 1500 models and began or worsened after forced over-the-air updates. The primary defect is black-screen failures while driving. When the screen goes black or freezes, the truck loses ... Read more
DODGE
CHALLENGER
(2014) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
: The vehicle’s steering wheel intermittently hardens or "locks" while in motion, making it extremely difficult to maneuver and creating a severe safety hazard. This issue remains unresolved despite two separate professional repair attempts. The first attempt cost $600.00, and the second attempt at a different facility cost $1,500.00. Despite a total expenditure of $2,100.00, the steering failur... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
In October 2025, while the vehicle was still under Hyundai’s 5-year warranty, an authorized Hyundai dealership diagnosed a significant electrical failure affecting the ABS/ESC system on my 2021 Hyundai Tucson. The vehicle was experiencing multiple dashboard warning lights, intermittent key fob malfunction, alarm system failure, and progressive electrical instability affecting safe operation. De... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
Where the Hyundai place tell that I don't need drive that because recall on the light shower! on my car and how electric part in the car. I still a note the balance 14,700. The paying balance need be 9,900. Because the wiring and light show balance I would owe. 6,000.
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
This error code (PCS2_a103_IsoTempSensorIrrational) is from a Tesla Cybertruck. It relates to the Power Conversion System (PCS2), which handles AC charging, PowerShare (vehicle-to-load/home), and other power conversion functions. My Cybertruck will likely be affected in the future by charging issues related to PCS. I understand this is a common issue with Cybertruck within my VIN range. I reques... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
There was a failure of the ICCU (Integrated Charging Control Unit) on my Ioniq 5 that forced me to pull off the highway after my car was no longer able to accelerate past 40 or so MPH. After I pulled off the highway I was then only able to accelerate to around 15 MPH which made it difficult to find a place to safely pull off the road until the vehicle made a complete stop and I had to wait for a t... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2020) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
The Power Conversion System (PCS) in the Tesla Cybertruck is experiencing a high rate of hardware-level failure (specifically the PCS2 module) that poses three distinct safety risks beyond the loss of AC charging. Loss of Steer-by-Wire Integrity: The Cybertruck utilizes a full steer-by-wire system and a 48V low-voltage architecture. The PCS is responsible for managing the 48V bus and charging the... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
Jeep ABS system failed. Known widespread issue. Replacement module is on back order after multiple revisions. Failed module disables the traction control with a warning on dash. Warnings also include Brake light and ABS light. With traction control disabled I have had the vehicle spin out of control in wet situation. Once it has caused me to lose control and end up off the road. Vehicle was at d... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
My car just stopped and turned off. On the screen it says service electronic stability control. And power steering unavailable and service immediately. I serviced the car on April 24th. I received the car April 29th and they said they had to flash the computers and it would take 1.5 hours. I paid 330 dollars. I drove the car off and 15-20 min later the car cut off. I called the dealership and told... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
Rear back up camera. One day it started to glitch when put in reverse. I placed the car in park, gave it a moment and put it in reverse again. This was repeated in the attempt to get the back up camera to work. Next- turned the vehicle off for a moment, restarted it, put in reverse and this did not help. Also, I attempted to check for update/update and reset the infotainment system. This did not h... Read more
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
1) What component or system failed? The issue appears to involve the vehicle’s electrical system and hybrid system, as well as brake-related electronic systems. The vehicle displayed multiple warnings including “Hybrid System Malfunction” and “Critical Vehicle Malfunction.” The electronic parking brake system was also affected during the incident, including a situation where the brake co... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
I am driving the vehicle and suddenly the information center and entertainment center will suddenly go black without warning. This will stay black for approximately 10 seconds. Followed by 2 chimes. A series of 4 lights on the drivers side front dash will come on. I believe this is related to the forward collision system(the lights that come on). The entertainment and information center then come ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
I am filing a formal safety complaint regarding a repeated dangerous defect in my 2018 Buick Encore. The vehicle intermittently locks up while driving without warning. When this happens: brakes become unresponsive or lock steering becomes difficult or locks gas pedal does not respond dashboard warning lights activate vehicle systems malfunction vehicle may not shut off normally This defect has ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
Our 2019 traverse transmission around 130,000 miles started shuddering when slowly accelerating or driving. Not sure what causes this but I do know that it should be doing this as well as getting the Shift to Park message. I looked online and found that it's supposed to be the torque converter. I then contacted a transmission repair specialist and he stated that changing the fluid may make it wors... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2025
The vehicle will randomly shut off while driving. A message will appear stating "Check the Starting System" Attempts to restart the engine are unsuccessful. The engine will start, stall after about 2 seconds and the message "Check Starting System" will display. The first time it happened, I was turning a corner at a rather dangerous intersection and the vehicle stalled. It took about three attempt... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The vehicle's auto idle stop system is malfunctioning, resulting in the engine failing to restart from a complete stop. This total failure has occurred on five separate occasions, including while stopped in active traffic intersections. Prior to these total restart failures, the vehicle showed the following symptoms: 1) Initially, the vehicle experienced rough engine idling, abnormal vibrations, ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
While the vehicle was parked in a garage and charging overnight, I briefly went to the vehicle to retrieve an item from the back seat. I was barefoot at the time. I opened the driver‑side rear door and reached inside with my right hand while my left hand was near the upper door area where the door seal is located. When my left hand grazed the door frame, it felt unusually sharp. When I touched t... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
Vehicle headlights constantly dimming in and out, replaced alternator and battery, problem still persisted if not worse than before. Vehicle constantly struggles to accelerate once at running temperature, high revs and doesn't accelerate at all, vehicle experienced complete power loss after approaching red light, vehicle restarted but showed severe signs of power deficiency
MERCEDES-BENZ
S 560 4MATIC
(2018) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly shut off. The vehicle failed to immediately restart. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle operated normally for a short while before erroneously shutting off a second time. The contact stated that during the failure, another vehicle almost crashed into the rear of ... Read more
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
The vehicle (2018 Chevrolet Volt) is experiencing an intermittent failure of the Battery Energy Control Module (BECM). Diagnostic trouble code P1E5B was stored in the system. This is a well-documented defect in this vehicle population that frequently results in a sudden, unexpected loss of propulsion power while driving ("Propulsion Power Reduced" mode), posing a significant safety risk in high-sp... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
While traveling at highway speed on I-75 northbound, the vehicle experienced a complete and total loss of electrical power. and propulsion. The following conditions were present simultaneously: - Complete loss of propulsion - Inability to shift transmission to neutral — vehicle could not be moved out of the active traffic lane - Complete loss of hazard lights — no ability to warn approaching... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
The micro switch that tells the truck that it is in park is not working. So when the truck is put in park the display says vehicle not in park and dings. This started at only 48,000 miles intermittently but is doing so constantly now at 53,500 miles and I’m having to buy a part to replace it.
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2025) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
I just had a recall repair for my ABS system which was electrical done to my 2019 jeep grand Cherokee. I drove off the lot with it but the next day it wouldn't start, I called the dealership back for an inspection but they stated I would have to pay for a diagnostic. I stated the code that came up when I hooked my OBD scanner up the code for my park, neutral, switch input circuit popped up. I told... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
In march 2036 my car just completely stopped in 5pm traffic and I was almost hit over a dozen times car wouldn’t albe to be moved because it completed died out. When I took it to JLR had to have it towed twice . They said it was the battery and that it needed to be calibrated, sent me home and same day car stalled again in a busy traffic, this time they said it was my alternator and that my own... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Car steering veered to left. Car died would not start again. Info center and 12v battery died and stopped working. Was unable to restart unsafe vehicle.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The instrument cluster display malfunctioned. The odometer and MPG (fuel economy) display are affected. The component is available for inspection upon request. If the fuel gauge becomes affected by this malfunction, the driver would be unable to monitor fuel levels, risking unexpected engine stalling on highways without warning. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or service center.... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2025
Car keeps throwing cylinder 2 misfire, replaced all spark plugs, fuel indicators and still having issues. Think it’s the ecm/pcm is bad or there’s a bad connection.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
I took delivery of a brand new Tesla Model Y today in Austin, Texas. Within less than two hours of delivery, the vehicle experienced two separate and serious failures while driving. During the first incident, the vehicle suddenly stopped in the middle of the road without any warning while I was driving. The vehicle became completely unresponsive and came to a stop in active traffic. I immediately ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
My 2013 Ford F-150 5.0 pulled any evil on me. On 4-23-2026 driving home from work at approximately 3:55 pm with speed of approximately 40 to 45 mph a very hard hit of something as if I had been struck from the rear and immediately at the same time both of the rear wheels locked up and where skidding on the roadway. This lasted for maybe just under 30 seconds. Fortunately, no one was behind me. The... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 2500
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 28, 2026
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
IOK Radio Module failure. Inhibits hands free calling, total loss of all audio including safety chimes, dropped emergency call capability, multiple software updates have failed to resolve it. Vehicle is still under warranty.
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
IOK Radio Module failing. Would happen 10 times in less than 5 miles. Vehicle has been seen 3 times before diagnosing as IOK Radio Module failure. Inhibits hands free calling, total loss of all audio including safety chimes, dropped emergency call capability, multiple software updates have failed to resolve it. Vehicle is still under warranty. Serviced at Garrett Motors in Coolidge, AZ
Incident date: Jun 26, 2019
Infotainment electrical issues, purge valve failure regardless of replacement, transmission failure regardless of replacement, exhaust bracket break regardless of replacement.
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
My OBD port cannot be read. It will not communicate, or I cannot communicate with the vehicle using any OBD reading software. Myself or my mechanic. This is a major safety concern due to several reasons. Most importantly, I'm being told that it can affect, or it's probably caused by, electrical problems that are well known on this particular model and year for this maker. Something's wrong with it... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
At about 50,000 started noticing a shift in transmission noise, and a new “burnt smell”. There was a delay in shifting to a lower gear. Took to a shop 2x different times for them to say it was “normal”. SRV 4x4 light came on after 2nd time in shop. Went in again for light diagnostics, to find that PTU actuator is faulty and is a KNOWN issue in this vehicle. Repair $5000.00 with a back orde... Read more