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 31, 2026

While out of state for thanksgiving in 2025. after stopped for break, car started up with all of the warning lights and check engine lights on. Like front radar out, hybrid system fault and etc. took to Honda dealership near by immediate. Diagnosed (their words) customer states check engine light is on and flashing pulled codes had code p0562 and pOED. traction motor control module system voltage ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2026

So while I was driving my car going 60 on the highway it seemed to be having electrical issues all the lights on my dash popped on then popped off and only a few lights actually stayed on I can't remember exactly but the check engine and my abs stayed on and then on my screen it read to me warning power steering fault my headlights were dimming on and off like my car was going to die, so I had to... Read more

Incident date: Nov 26, 2025

While driving this vehicle in route to Philadelphia airport JFK, i experienced a total malfunction of the instrument cluster. All of the warning lights continued to go on and off and were illuminating on the cluster non stop along with a audible chiming, all of wich lasted the 3 hour trip. The car is available anytime. Warning lights/alarms were not only distracting but affected the spedometer ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

My 2017 Audi Q7 with the 3.0T engine has experienced repeated engine/ignition system failures. The vehicle displays a "System Malfunction" warning light accompanied by shaking and stalling. This same malfunction has occurred at least 3 separate times over the past few years. Each time, a repair shop diagnosed and replaced faulty ignition coils, and the vehicle ran normally for a period of time bef... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

Was driving on highway when all of the lights on my dash illuminated. Eventually I got a warning for oil at temp alarm. Was giving code P2757 and P0700. Looks like this a common issue in Subarus but doesn’t look like it covers anything after 2020.

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

2023 Cadillac Escalade, 6.2L V8 (RPO L87). Subject of Recall 25V-274 and NHTSA investigation RQ26-001. Over the past year, this vehicle has been out of the shop only about 90 days total. The rest of the year it has been in dealer service at GM/Cadillac dealerships for a recurring, undiagnosed loss-of-power defect. It is currently in dealer service. FAILURE: The vehicle has suddenly lost all moti... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

I went out to start my car after work and the 12V battery was dead again. This is the 3rd time. I feel unsafe with this happening.

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

Volvo is aware of a major safety issue that has to do with the drain hose of AC. They have issued a recall on models 2016 and 2017 and produced replacement parts.My car was purchased in 2017, but is a 2018. I have had the AC hose leak into my passenger compartment and cause my filter behind my glove box to be soaking wet. This has also damaged my speaker in my passenger door. I have paid over two ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

My ABS module is confirmed faulty resulting in an unsafe car to drive. The ABS module is extremely hard to come by, on an indefinite backorder, and I cannot get the part anywhere. Maybe people waiting over a year for the part. This is resulting in aftermarket or refurbished parts, which are risky and unsafe. I am out of a vehicle because I cannot get the part and no one wants to buy a faulty car.

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

On 7/29/2026, 2:45 PM PST, I tapped the in-car myQ interface to send an "Open" command. Due to network latency/ connection drops in the Tesla infotainment system, there was a significant delay before the open command executed. After it finally opened, I proceeded to back out in Reverse. However, due to buffering/retry logic during the network reconnect, the system unexpectedly transmitted a follo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

The van is experiencing the auto stop-start defect causing major safety issues for my family. The car stalls randomly at stop signs and stoplights and is unable to be restarted quickly, creating a major traffic and safety hazard. The car often will not turn on at start up. The dealer stated that it needed a new starter. Then said that Honda would not replace the starter until a tech looked a... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

GM performed a vehicle wide Over the Air reprogramming of the modules incorporated in the VIP/Global B electronics platform in April, 2026. Following that my vehicle became totally dead. Key fob would not unlock the vehicle. Had to use the metal key, open the drivers door. Opened the door, nothing moved. No lights, no movement from anything on the vehicle. Opened the hood, charged the battery ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

My 2021 Subaru Outback suffered a failure of the Oil Control Valve (OCV), a sealed Subaru component with no maintenance interval, no inspection procedure, and no preventative service. This failure allowed engine oil to migrate into multiple wiring harnesses and modules, causing extensive electrical contamination. This is not normal wear and tear. It is a latent defect in a Subaru component. Due to... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Wagoneer. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently went into park(P) and turned off while merging into traffic with the message "Stop/Start Required" displayed. The vehicle also shut off unexpectedly while idling in park(P). The contact was forced to restart the vehicle to resume normal operation. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer, and the failure w... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was smoke coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and battery warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed; however, the diagnostic result was unknown. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the... Read more

Incident date: Jun 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Honda Odyssey. The contact stated that the engine auto start-stop system failed to restart the vehicle while at a complete stop, requiring the driver to manually restart the vehicle after several attempts. The message "Shift to Park to Start Vehicle" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a loose battery cable and the battery was rep... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

This is what I wrote to Stellantis. Dear Stellantis Customer Care, My vehicle has now stalled five separate times while I was making a left turn through an intersection. When this happens, the engine shuts off unexpectedly, the vehicle shifts into park and I must attempt to restart it while sitting in the roadway. During the most recent incident, the vehicle would not restart on the first a... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

The Vehicle had a the BECM fail at 64,000 miles. This is a known issue that GM still refuses to recall, and is refusing to warranty

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

vehicle was put into gear and lost propulsion . Then all adas warning lights illuminated. This is the second time this has happened

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

I am submitting this report regarding my 2021 Chevrolet Trailblazer because it has been experiencing the "Shift to Park" issue described in the GM bulletin 19-NA-206. Even when the vehicle is shifted into Park, it intermittently displays a "Shift to Park" message and does not recognize that the transmission is in Park. This issue has been ongoing and has not resolved despite normal use of the veh... Read more

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

My truck is intermittently having the camera display a warning code. While in reverse or while towing and trying to use the surrounding cameras. It happens randomly and almost caused accidents in parking lots. While towing I use it for lane changes and with non towing mirrors it’s a very dangerous issue that could cause an accident especially on the highway

Incident date: Jun 10, 2026

4/30/26 I came home, parked in my driveway, got out of the car and opened the left back door to get my handicapped son out of the car. He wanted his talker from his backpack(he is nonverbal), so I sat next to him on the back seat and gave him the talker. Then I got out of the car and helped him to get out, closed the left rear door and turned towards my house holding his hand. At that point my mot... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Jaguar I-Pace. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V067000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed the status of the recall but was unable to provide a date when parts would be available. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Incident date: Oct 15, 2025

I was backing up the vechial accelerated the steering wheel was turning rapid & a grinding noise causing me too hit another vechial about a month before my husband was driving & the vechial accelerated going toward also we had had some issues with back camera not doing a warning signal with a object behind vechial when the accident happened my vechial has braking system that stops you if something... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

My car was in Clarksburg Crown, Mitsubishi, and a lot that had no monitoring, and it was a sticker saying the car was not ready to be sold, and I still went with it trusting the crown Mitsubishi Car associate however there are fuses added to my car weather from them or from car auto tunes in Morgantown I’m not sure but my car has the ability to run without my foot on the gas or things happening ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

I bought this vehicle in August 202 from Bayway Chevrolet in Pearland, Texas. The vehicle is now at 101,703 miles. The vehicle is a 2019 Chevy Suburban LT with the 8L43 transmission. Approximately 1 year ago, we started to have issues with the electronic screens - both the dashboard and the radio screen. The screens freeze, change channels and displays without any buttons being pressed or the s... Read more

Incident date: Oct 24, 2025

I am reporting a severe safety hazard involving my 2019 Chevrolet Camaro. The vehicle has suffered a total failure of its audio amplifier, resulting in a complete loss of all interior audio. This is not a convenience or entertainment issue. Because the amplifier controls all vehicle audio output, the car no longer produces any audible safety warning alerts or chimes. This includes the complete lo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

The power steering has fully stopped working , the car cannot be steered, this started to happen on the road, I had to steer the entire weight of the car myself, at fast speed it was difficult but not impossible, at slow speed and zero speed or while the vehicle is stationary it was impossible or unmovable to steer. there were no warning lamps about this, the Ford dealer has not detect this in my ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while seated inside the vehicle with three other occupants and the engine turned off, there was black smoke quickly coming from underneath the hood. The contact and the passengers exited the vehicle. The contact stated that a fire had started in the engine bay on the passenger’s side of the vehicle and another vehicle was damaged in th... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Volvo XC90. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the safety alert audible sounds failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the alerts failed to provide an audible alert. The contact turned off the vehicle and started and the system independently reset. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and an unknown software update was performed. ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

Power door locks stopped working. Took to local dealer. Left car with them for a week and a 1/2 the first time. Dlr replaced BCM module stating this would fix issue. Picked up car and fix lasted 20 seconds. Took back to dlr they could not resolve issue. So I have been without power door locks for more than a year. No way to manually lock the door. Homeless people have opened the door at a stop lig... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2025

Vehicle steering wheel would eventually seize up, then snap out while driving on all types of roads, causing the whole car to jerk left or right. Happens at all speeds on any road type Upon inspection from Schofield Honda in Wichita KS, they determined that it was the electronic power steering module that failed and needed to be replaced. A $4,949.31 bill for parts and labor. This vehicle just hi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2025

The AIS system does not start back up at a light. Sometimes throws itself into park. Last week it started up, but everything shut down about 75 after the traffic light. The entire car loss all power. In the middle of traffic. Needed a policeman to wave cars around e in the middle of the street. Took to the dealership; they kept it for two days and could not recreate the situation. The car had the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Land Rover Defender. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(N), with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power. The contact swerved to the shoulder, and an object struck the windshield, causing the windshield to crack. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and the failu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 BMW 430I. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V438000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the unrepaired recall repair was a safety hazard. The contact had not experienced a fa... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

The rearview camera reverses and inverts the image and the guiding lines disappear. I am unable to use the camera when reversing. There is a recall on other Ford Explorers (2020-2024) just not my year (2013). It is not right that I drive a car that has the same issue becuse this is a known issue for the company.

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

Starting problem. The vehicle sometimes (randomly) refuses to start after shutting off. For example, after filling gas, or turning off (idle off) at a stop light. It just refuses to start. Terrifying. Researched on the Internet and found thousands of complaints about this going back years. This needs a recall.

Incident date: Jun 16, 2026

On XXX at approximately 5:00 PM, my 2025 Audi Q5 (VIN: [XXX]) initiated an unprovoked forward collision warning and emergency braking intervention while I was traveling at approximately 57–58 mph on [XXX]. Road conditions were clear and dry. Weather was sunny. Adaptive Cruise Control was not activated. I was the sole occupant of the vehicle. A vehicle was making a lawful turn onto the roadway ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

I am reporting a severe, unresolved safety hazard involving my 2023 Lexus IS350]. The vehicle is continuously flashing 'Braking System Malfunction,' 'Crash Light,' and 'Engine Light' alerts on the dashboard. This is the second major acceleration and braking system failure since purchasing the vehicle brand new.The authorized dealership, Meade Lexus, has repeatedly failed to properly diagnose or re... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2026

My 2021 Tesla Model Y (VIN: [XXX]) experienced a serious safety malfunction during a 12V low‑voltage failure. When the vehicle displayed the 12V alert, it became non‑functional. Upon entering, no systems were operating. When I pressed the brake pedal, the interior lights flashed and both front windows began moving up and down automatically without any input. This uncommanded movement caused bo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

On XXX, at approximately 12:19 PM, I was in the drive-through lane at a Chick-fil-A in [XXX], with my child as a passenger. I was using one-pedal driving mode and had come to a complete stop with my foot off the accelerator. I turned briefly to hand my child an ice cream cup, and when I looked back at the road, the vehicle was accelerating at full power with no contact from either pedal. To avoid ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

Summary of safety defect and failed recall repair: Vehicle: 2020 Honda Pilot EX (Clean California Title) Core Issue: Persistent, catastrophic failure of the MOST Bus fiber-optic communication network, resulting in complete blackout of the federally mandated rear backup camera (FMVSS No. 111 violation), total infotainment reboot loops, loud audio cracking/popping, and instrument panel system failu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

The electrical component is failing. I have brought in this vehicle 2 times for failed electrical issues over several years (around 2 years), and it only has 52,000 miles currently. The back up sensors no longer work, as well as warning lights for the following began to appear a year ago: collision mitigation, adaptive cruise control, lane keeping assist, road departure mitigation. Sometimes, our ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

COMPONENT/SYSTEM: Air Conditioning (HVAC) / Climate Control System and closed-loop refrigerant lines. The vehicle and all climate control components are available for immediate inspection. SAFETY RISK: Total loss of cooling in peak summer heat (90°F-95°F+) causes cabin temperatures to rapidly exceed 110°F. This sudden heat trapped in the vehicle caused me (the driver) acute heat exhaustion, cu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

The contact owned a 2014 BMW 328I. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle stalled after overheating the previous day. The contact stated that an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed that the valvetronic system needed to be replaced; while the vehicle remained at the dealer awaiting repairs, the contact was notified t... Read more

Fire

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

My tesla model Y was driving on FSD (full self driving) and just did hard full stop brake at a traffic light and brought the car to a complete stop even when the light was green. Both of toddler kids in the back got pulled jolted forward where the seat belt hurt them. This stopping was random was unnecessary as no threat of other cars or the light was present. Luckily no one was behind us or they ... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

I have been trying to complete these 2 recall in order to bring this car back from salvage title status: campaign 75804 - involves the fuel injector wire harness repair campaign 88004 - addresses the hard-to-refuel concern Mazda claims that both of these recalls are no longer able to be fixed (see email below) ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Mazda Customer Experience <[XXX]> Date: ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 3, 2026

Display of RAV4 Hybrid is malfunctioning as it randomly turns on and off at frequent intervals, the screen turns on an off in a similar manner, the display controls are not operative even if displayed. This occurred right after the Dealer (355 Toyota of Rockville, [XXX] ) conducted a recall procedure on a wire harness. Immediately after these repairs, it was noticed that the display started to mal... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

Shows service stability track

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda CX-5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the electric parking brake module warning light was illuminated and the "Brake failure. Vehicle unsafe to drive," message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The contact expressed concern that the brakes c... 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

Read more from our blog