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: Jul 6, 2026
I have been having issues with my vehicle for the last 1,000 miles or so where it appears to be losing power while accelerating normally, i'm not sure if the issue lies with the engine or powertrain/transmission. I took to dealer last week and they were unable to reproduce. The issues have been getting more frequent and intially were only occuring after the vehicle warmed up, now it has started... Read more
Incident date: Jul 7, 2024
Steering wiring harness supposedly catches fire. They do not have a remedy available. Over a million owners on hold. It's been over thirty days since they relased that information. Mailed out notices on the 9th they say. Have yet to receive it. I live in a towhome, and parking it outside but still near neighbors and the adjacent units. Not safe when driving to work, not safe ever. It's a li... Read more
Incident date: Jul 9, 2026
COMPONENT/SYSTEM: The 12-volt auxiliary battery system, the interior fuse box (Total Integrated Power Module) containing an auto-cutoff relay, and the high voltage battery system. All components are available for inspection. SAFETY RISK: The vehicle has lost power and died while being driven, and has left occupants stranded on multiple occasions. A sudden loss of motive power in traffic creates a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The vehicle experienced intermittent transmission-related drivability issues before the recall remedy was available. The vehicle had delayed/hard shifting, an intermittent wrench warning light, and a reduced power/limp mode condition where the transmission would not shift normally. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Ford dealer on multiple occasions, including diagnostic visits on 10/09/20... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2024
On XXX and XXX, while driving on the highway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, complete loss of motive power. Flashing warning lights appeared on the instrument cluster, accompanied by a safety warning message instructing the driver to pull over and "Check Hybrid System" immediately. This sudden, uncommanded drop in propulsion on active, high-speed roadways created an immediate safety hazard, for... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
While driving, the vehicle displayed a "Service Shifter" warning with no prior warning lamps or symptoms. The transmission then dropped out of Drive into Neutral on its own while the vehicle was moving, causing it to roll before the vehicle automatically shifted itself into Park and applied the parking brake. The vehicle could be shifted back into Drive but repeatedly slipped out of gear into Neut... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
This vehicle had a recall, 201, for the smart junction box. This was due to the blinkers not working properly. The software update was performed, however, the problem still exists. This was due to the smart junction box. Now, aside from the blinker issue, the ac stays on when the engine is turned off, lights come on by themselves, the media screen goes randomly into night mode, daylight run... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that at all times during the use of the vehicle, the infotainment display system goes blank. The contact also noticed a popping and crackling noise coming from the audio speakers. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V431000 (Back Over Prevention) to have already been performed on the vehicle, but the issue has since recurred. The ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2018) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
I OWN A 2024 HONDA RIDGELINE TRAILSPORT. THE AUTOMATIC IDLE IS CONTINUOUSLY DRAINING THE BATTERY, MAKING IT HARD FOR THE TRUCK TO START. I HAVE PURCHASED 2 BATTERIES SINCE MAY 2024, WHEN I PURCHASED THE TRUCK. IT APPEARS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE AUTOMATIC IDLE ON THE TRUCK, BUT HONDA TELLS ME THERE IS NOTHING WRONG. WHEN ACTIVATED, THE AUTOMATIC IDLE WILL SHUT DOWN THE VEHICLE IN TRA... Read more
TOYOTA
RAV4 HYBRID
(2026) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jun 27, 2026
VEHICLE SAFETY COMPLAINT - RECALL REPAIR FAILURE AND CMBS MALFUNCTION I am filing a formal vehicle safety complaint regarding two critical defects on my vehicle (VIN: [XXX]) and the refusal of American Honda Motor Co. to address them under Corporate Case #XXX. 1. CRITICAL SAFETY HAZARD (PHANTOM BRAKING): The vehicle's Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) / Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB)... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
This vin waa not included in a recall however had recall issues it obtained water in the footwell which mini has a recall issue for this and the car was caught on fire it is at the dealership in [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The vehicle is a 2020 Honda Odyssey. A recurring and dangerous safety failure occurs involving the Auto Idle-Stop system. With the system enabled and the vehicle at a complete stop, the engine shuts off as designed. However, upon depressing the brake pedal to resume driving, the engine severely struggles to restart and completely fails. Simultaneously, the vehicle immediately and automatically shi... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The car started having the ACC, LKAS, Collisions Mitigation, Auto High Bam, Road Departure mitigation system warnings. Took it to the dealer for another repair and was told that these lights were due to the front facing camera and was quoted over $1k for repair. I’m convinced it’s electrical and not necessarily what the Honda narrative is. This model has had several issues around electrical co... Read more
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
I am filing this complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Sorento, which has suffered a serious transmission failure. The vehicle is displaying diagnostic code P0741, indicating a torque converter clutch malfunction. The transmission slips, shifts harshly, hesitates during acceleration, loses power unexpectedly, and has become unsafe to drive. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.This defec... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The vehicle show code B0020-13. This is a fault in the wiring system for the airbags. Caused by Jeep engineering being bad. This has nothing to do with how is driven or used and is a massive safety issue and shuts the entire airbag system down. It requires fix 10-001-20. This issue is so common they have issued a bulletin. The fix is $1100. The fact that this isn't covered by Chrysler is an ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
The defect involves the outside side mirrors and the reverse-tilt function. When the vehicle is shifted into Reverse, a mirror normally tilts downward as designed. However, after shifting back into Drive or Park, the mirror intermittently fails to return to its previously stored driving position. Sometimes it returns correctly, sometimes it returns only partway, and sometimes it does not return at... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Mar 16, 2025
I'm not sure what's going on. It's telling me to start stop the car when it's running and then it will turn off and go into accessory mode even when I'm driving that's dangerous. I took it to Kia a month ago for the same thing but they said they couldn't find anything, but it has to be something if I'm not the only one saying this is happening to their car. my car doesn't even have 8000 miles on m... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The vehicle's Connectivity Master Unit (CMU) suffers from a severe, persistent electronic hardware malfunction that causes the central information display and dashboard telemetry to blink, cycle, and drop signals erratically. This specific hardware architecture failure threatens to corrupt data transmission lines directly connected to the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS), creating an immin... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
this recall has been in effect for nearly 1 year & puts my car @ risk but also doesn't allow me to charge beyond 80%, greatly effecting fuel efficiency. Ford has failed to address the issue in a timely manner or offered any compensation for my additional fuel consumption or offered a realistic deadline for repair
MERCEDES-BENZ
C220
(2015) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Forest River Salem RV. The contact stated that shortly after purchasing the vehicle, the power cord connecting the RV to the shore power outlet only powered a selected number of items, including the microwave. The contact stated that the battery system was unable to maintain power to the refrigerator or the freezer. Additionally, while attempting to disconnect or turn off t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the vehicle failed to start. The contact inspected the vehicle and became aware that the battery was drained. The battery was recharged. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the battery was replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with an a... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
VEHICLE SAFETY HAZARD: ACTIVE HIGH-VOLTAGE ISOLATION FAULT (DTC P0AA6) WITH DECEPTIVE DEALER/MANUFACTURER BYPASS & CONCEALMENT. On April 15, 2026, the dealer scanned my 2021 Ioniq EV and uncovered DTC P0AA6 (Hybrid/EV Battery Voltage System Isolation Fault), which denotes a catastrophic high-voltage leak into the chassis. This is a severe safety hazard posing immediate risks of fatal electrocutio... Read more
FORD
ESCAPE PHEV
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Camry. The contact stated that the vehicle software had been hacked. While driving with the adaptive cruise control activated, the vehicle erroneously accelerated. Additionally, while operating the vehicle, the infotainment center erroneously connected to the Apple CarPlay and Amazon Music services, and the message "Roads may be Icy - Drive with Care" was displayed, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2026
My 2021 Volkswagen ID.4 Pro S has unexpectedly lost propulsion and come to a complete stop while being driven on at least three separate occasions. When this occurs, the vehicle jolts, stops moving, and cannot be placed into Drive or Reverse. I am only able to shift it into Neutral. After the first incident, I took the vehicle to a Volkswagen dealership the following morning. The dealership state... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2024
"I am the owner of a 2023 Chevrolet Blazer RS. The digital odometer and speedometer screen intermittently crashes and goes completely black for 15 to 20 seconds while the vehicle is in motion on public roads. This creates an immediate safety hazard as I am left with zero knowledge of my current speed. General Motors has acknowledged this specific software stability bug under Technical Service Bull... Read more
Incident date: Jul 6, 2026
I wrote Audi to request escalation of an unresolved issue involving my 2018 Audi Q5, related to Safety Recall 90S9 (NHTSA Campaign 21V947000) for the gateway control module. Summary of the issue: My vehicle recently experienced a complete gateway control module failure due to water intrusion. I lost steering and brake assist warnings while driving, and the vehicle would not restart after being pu... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE PHEV
(2025) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jun 24, 2026
It just stop shifting and won't come out of park and won't go into reverse or drive
Incident date: Jul 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while starting vehicle, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. The contact received notification of NTHSA Campaign Number: 26V400000 (Electrical System); and associated the failure with the recall; however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the deale... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?Multiple components across four separate manufacturer safety recalls: (1) the high-voltage battery (Recall 68C), currently being replaced by the dealer; (2) the Hybrid Control Processor / drive system (Recall A7C); (3) the electric hydraulic power steering pump (Recall 21D); and (4) the 2.0L engine (R... Read more
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
While operating my vehicle at road speed the electric steering rack failed. This rendered the steering inoperative. It was impossible to steer the vehicle. Not only is this situation extremely dangerous and deadly, there was no advanced warning. I received no prompts or warning lights before the incident happened. I researched and found that certain 2021 Dodge Challengers were involved in a warnin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure). While driving approximately 60 MPH, the driver's side B-pillar trim detached and flew off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the residence, inspected, and confirmed that the driver’s side B-pillar trim was missing. The contact stated that the electrical system on the tailg... Read more
Incident date: Jun 30, 2024
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Mustang Mach-E. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became inoperable and the vehicle stalled, and the gear shifter was inoperable. The contact exited the vehicle and was unable to re-enter the vehicle because the doors were locked and failed to unlock. The messages "Service Now" and "Battery Management" were displayed on the inst... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Honda Passport. The contact stated that on several occasions, the Auto START/STOP intermittently failed to operate and the vehicle shut off while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that a battery warning light was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. Due to the failure, the contact was forced to manually turn off ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
"The integrated trailer brake system abruptly fails while towing heavy loads, completely disabling trailer break stopping power and creating an imminent threat of highway crash and serious bodily injury." The sound system inherently stops working and will not produce sound from any device in the truck weather that be Hazards, Blinkers, Radio including AM,FM, Sirus Radio, Bluetooth or Car play as ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
ABS failure. Dealers keep stating there are no replacement parts available. Also loss of cruise control. Ram is stalling for time. Time to force the issue. They can get the parts made!
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Buick Encore GX. The contact stated that while driving at 5 MPH and attempting to stop the vehicle, the instrument panel displayed a blank screen. An independent mechanic was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electrical system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure wi... Read more
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2015) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4 Prime. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated the vehicle was shaking with an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. The instrument cluster displayed a black screen. The TPMS system malfunction warning light was illuminated. The contact inspecte... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
I pushed the brake and swerved and the car kept going and a greater speed and surged into a house.
Crash
1 injured
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jun 28, 2026
The instrument cluster and the information center screen unexpectedly go out while driving! It is totally unacceptable and fatal to occupants because None of the informations available while driving, such as speed, navigation, any warnings, alerts, lightings, etc.
Incident date: Jul 12, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Lexus NX 350. The contact stated that the instrument panel was extremely dim. The vehicle was equipped with a toggle for brightness. The contact stated that with the toggle set to max brightness, the instrument panel failed to provide adequate illumination. The contact stated that the failure was a hazard while driving. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
Intermittent stalling in various conditions including idling, highway driving and city driving.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
The infotainment screen that includes the rear backup camera stopped working intermittently and then completely. The dealer's service department identified that the APIM, a module involved in operating the screen had failed. The backup camera is a significant and necessary safety feature for such a large vehicle. The dealer ordered the new part and replaced it at significant expense. There was no ... Read more
Crash
ALFA ROMEO
GIULIA
(2017) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 14, 2026
I'm curious how many other Mazda owners are dealing with the same battery drain issue. I'm now on my third battery since 2024: Factory battery replaced under warranty in 2025. Second replacement purchased in March 2026. Within a month, the "Battery Low - Drive Vehicle to Recharge" warning was back. The dealer kept my vehicle for four days to monitor it, but they couldn't find anything abnormal. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 BMW 328I. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the vehicle caught on fire. The fire originated in the engine compartment. There were no warning lights illuminated. The driver was able to extinguish the fire. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was then towed to an independent mechanic, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was towed t... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The previous recall to fix the screen issue did not work. Both screens, the infotainment and instrument cluster, continue to randomly go blank and reboot. This removes the backup camera and speedometer for a period of time while driving.
Incident date: May 10, 2026
The Body Control Module of my 2018 Accord has failed. At 70,000 miles on my vehicle the door locks began to be unresponsive. At 100,000 Miles all door locks were unresponsive to the door control and fob control. The only way to secure my vehicle is to manually lock all doors and use the key within my fob to unlock the drivers door and then manually unlock all other doors. Ed Martin Honda in Indian... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
This is the second high-voltage traction battery failure on this vehicle. The original HV battery failed and was replaced by Nissan under warranty at an authorized dealer on XXX, at approximately 59,000 miles. The Nissan-manufactured replacement pack has now failed after approximately 16 months in service. On XXX, at ~74000 miles, the vehicle was diagnosed at Johnson City Nissan ([XXX]) with an i... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
GOLF R
(2026) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jul 16, 2026
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
Car stalls turns off by itself could be at red lights or even while driving twice already!! Needs to be recalled as well and repaired pls repairs cost thousands!!! Not safe!! I have owned it for 4-5 years and it has happened maybe 7-8 times but most recently this week twice!!
Incident date: Jul 16, 2026
ABS module has failed and causes traction control and cruise control not to work. Ram says the part is unavailable. The vehicle is unsafe to operate like this.