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 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 25V455000 (Fuel System Gasoline) and 26V165000 (Back Over Prevention, Electrical System); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
Known ICCU issue by manufacturer. While driving get alert on screen the check electrical system. Had to pull over and call tow truck for safety reasons. Charging system is not working properly and 12v battery can die at anytime.
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
Car stopped running during turn. Then started creeping along ,then after a bit ,started working normally. Happened a few times after. Then later car wouldn’t start in garage, had to get jumpstart. Took to Lexus dealer and found out the 12 volt battery was shot.they replaced it. Very frightening experience. Could have had an accident.
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
OTA system keeps failing and needed to go to dealer every other week. The radio freezes and glitches. Yes I’ve been to dealer 3 times in the last 6 months about this issues.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
Vehicle accelerated on its own as if the throttle was depressed full throttle
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2009) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 6, 2026
Incident date: Oct 21, 2024
The vehicle experienced a complete loss of communication with the ABS control module, resulting in multiple warning lights and loss of ABS and related safety systems. The failure is consistent with Volkswagen Recall 45F2, which describes internal ground and solder failures in the ABS module. Prior to total failure, the vehicle exhibited intermittent warning lights and an ABS fault code (01130 –... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
Vehicle: Ford EcoSport Issue: Overheating / Unsafe to Drive After Recall Repairs Dealership: Bolton Ford Dates: Vehicle at dealership since December 31, 2025 Complaint Text: My Ford EcoSport has been at the dealership since December 31 for multiple recall repairs. After the recall work was completed, the dealership informed me that the vehicle now has an overheating issue and another non‑recal... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
Backup camera image intermittently goes out and just shows a mostly black image. It appears to match a previous recall that does not yet cover our model year (2023): 24V071000. The image can sometimes be restored by slamming the hatchback shut, but it is not a permanent fix.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
For the last three months, after the car sits for 12 hours or more, I get a "battery saver mode" on my phone and many of the online features won't work. Dealer measured the battery power on first visit - read 93 percent. Went to dealer a month later, battery read 59 percent. Dealer advised me to "drive the car more"! It takes 45 minutes to get to the dealer from our house, shouldn't have to dr... Read more
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 6, 2026
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My Cybertruck’s Power Conversion System failed at ~65,000 miles. I received a PCS alert, AC charging became unavailable, and the vehicle displayed charging faults. The repair required major disassembly of the tonneau, bed, and air suspension and cost $7000 because it occurred after warranty. Why This Is a Safety Defect: The PCS is a critical component that handles onboard AC charging, DC-DC con... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Horn began sounding unexpectedly and intermittently while driving and parked. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The uncontrollable horn startled surrounding motorists and pedestrians, causing confusion and defensive reactions. While removing the fuse temporarily stopped the n... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
Shift to Park issue: Known issue where the car fails to recognize it is in Park, preventing it from shutting off. Electronics: Potential blanked-out display screens, USB port issues, and malfunctioning cameras. Steering Assist: Restricted, temperature gauge goes to cold and radiator fan blows hard. I have to unplug negative cable to battery and reconnect and everything goes back to normal.
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
My brand new 2024 Kia K5 has been at Kia of temple hills since February 23, 2026. The dealership has stated they do not know how to diagnose or repair the issue and indicated they needed a special diagnostic tool from the manufacturer. The vehicle has now been out of service for an extended period with no repair timeline provided and no communication from them at all. I also have not been provided... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
I brought my 2019 Honda Accord to dealer for safety recall for something with the fuel system. Since then, I've been having car problems with acceleration, car jerking, and numerous dash lights coming on along with the check engine light. Had a few incidents where my vehicle was not functioning properly and would break down. Had my vehicle towed once since getting my vehicle back from dealer due ... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 5, 2026
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
Recall on the hydraulic control unit/anti-lock brake system A brake light incorrectly resulting other drivers not receiving proper indication to stop or slow down which can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. Call my local dealership and MOPAR and informed me that they still do not have the part to fix this recall. It has been more an an year and half without resolution. They have not i... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
My 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe is subject to Recall 78C (NHTSA #25V-766) regarding sand contamination in the engine. The manufacturer officially warns that this defect can cause 'catastrophic engine failure' resulting in a 'vehicle fire' or an 'unrecoverable loss of propulsion'. As of April 2026, the manufacturer has no available fix for this safety hazard. Simultaneously, the vehicle suffers from per... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
While driving at low speeds twice now my ram 1500 has stalled and engaged the parking break. Once coming to a stop and another time making a turn onto a road. Once I turn the truck back on there is a battery light on the dash and I’m allowed to drive to a safe place and restart the truck and the battery light goes away. Very concerned for my safety due to living next to a busy road.
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
My 2018 Honda CR-V (1.5L Turbo) has a confirmed fuel leak dripping directly onto the starter motor, creating an immediate fire hazard. A Honda dealer (Inv #XXX) diagnosed codes P219C and P219D, which are explicitly covered under Honda Service Bulletin 20-038 for a 150,000-mile warranty extension. Despite the vehicle having 131,528 miles, Honda Corporate is refusing to honor the warranty extension,... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
In summer 2025, the ICCU (Integrated Charging Control Unit) failed and was replaced under a Hyundai recall at no cost. On December 4, 2025, warning lights reappeared. College Park Hyundai diagnosed a faulty battery related to the prior ICCU failure. I paid out of pocket for a 12-volt battery replacement and additional maintenance, as the dealership claimed the battery was not covered. A “Check E... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 5, 2026
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
I am reporting an unresolved safety recall (NHTSA 26V030, Volkswagen recall 93EA) involving a high-voltage battery defect with potential risk of fire. My vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) was purchased in the United States but is currently located in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. The authorized Volkswagen distributor in the Dominican Republic has confirmed they are unable to perform the recall repair, ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
Took dealer 3/26 for Sam issue Engine Power reduced after already cause me hit curb. Got it out 4/1/26 Now 4/5/26 it happened again same codes after they claimed they fixed it. Also keep having Emergency services come on a caused my dashboard out. My issues is car keeps stalling losing power. Same codes as week ago after dealer fix. Also 4 time took for noises in my car from passenger side. They k... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failed after just 7400 miles on 2-6-2026. The vehicle would not drive faster than 25 miles per hour and had to be towed to the dealership for repair, where it took approximately one month to be returned to me. There was a "Check electric vehicle system" message on the dashboard.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2021
I purchased my car with 7 miles in it. Within 3 months of having it the key fog stopped locking the doors. Went to the dealership and they did nothing but told me it would be $174 a door to fix. With a car on the show room floor you shouldn't be having issues that soon
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2023) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 5, 2026
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
I am submitting this complaint as a follow-up to three prior NHTSA complaints regarding this same vehicle: Complaint #11714848 (submitted 2/1/2026) Complaint #11714852 (submitted 2/1/2026) Complaint #11716040 (submitted 2/5/2026) These prior complaints document a progression of serious electrical, charging, and vehicle control issues that have worsened over time. Initially, the vehicle experien... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
On and off system notification of "Passenger Restraint System Malfunction" with and without a passenger in the seat. Also, the Airbag off/disabled light on the instrument cluster illuminated. Can't seem to declare if it is an electrical shortage, seatbelt buckle related or passenger pressure sensor sensor in the seat. Find this to be a major safety concern should there be an accident, and unsure w... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
This complaint is a follow-up to NHTSA complaint number 11729095. Since submitting the original complaint, the issue has continued and is now occurring while the vehicle is in motion. The vehicle is experiencing intermittent electrical and communication failures affecting multiple systems. The issue began approximately three weeks ago after completing a normal drive and has persisted since that ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
While driving the vehicle, the ICCU failed. The vehicle shut down in the middle of traffic without any warnings.
TOYOTA
SIENNA HYBRID
(2022) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 5, 2026
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I am reporting a recurring safety-related defect involving driver-assistance and steering-wheel controls on my 2022 Toyota Sienna Limited, VIN [XXX] ry 8, 2026, I brought the vehicle to Parkway Toyota in [XXX] bec [XXX] tion” warning appeared and cruise control stopped working. The dealer diagnosed the issue as related to the 12V battery, replaced the battery, and advised that the condition was... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
Instrument screen went black. Was unable to power screen back on. Noted screen was hot to touch. After about 5 min screen powered back on by itself.
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2025) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 5, 2026
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
For the second time, the car began burning and smoking from the windshield, melting parts of the car near the windshield wipers and the glass itself, and filling the car's cabin with smoke. The burning and smoking went on for 15 minutes after we safely escaped. Myself and my family, including a young child, inhaled a lot of smoke before we were able to exit the car. The car was towed to the dealer... Read more
Fire
3 injured
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Two components have failed: the infotainment/Apple CarPlay system, including the USB-C connectivity port, and the front collision detection/crash sensor system. The entire A/V unit was replaced on August 1, 2025, yet the infotainment defect persisted. Both systems are currently installed in my vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Apr 5, 2026
While driving on the highway, the vehicle unexpectedly entered “limp mode”. Approximately 10 seconds before the vehicle reduced power, a warning message appeared indicating the vehicle was about to shut down. This created a dangerous situation because we were traveling in the middle lane of a highway with vehicles moving at significantly higher speeds on both sides. We were able to carefully ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2025
Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), I am submitting a formal safety complaint regarding my 2022 Nissan Leaf due to repeated and sudden battery failure that has created unsafe driving conditions. Over the past several months, my vehicle has experienced severe and unpredictable battery drain. Even after a full charge (approximately 100 miles indicated), the battery rapidly... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
Shortly after my second time getting the battery looked at for the 4XE recall my vehicle was very sluggish from a stopped position with the pedal fully pressed. After 5-10 seconds the vehicle lunges forward aggressively as it goes from electric to gas mode
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
Vehicle charging. When charging at home or public charging stations. It sometimes automatically shuts off before it gets to limit set.
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
Ongoing Electrical Failures (2024 Lincoln Nautilus) This vehicle has experienced repeated and unresolved electrical system failures despite being brought in for service at least seven times. The issues remain ongoing and impact both safety and reliability: 1. Rear driver-side window defect – window reverses and will not remain closed, creating a safety and security concern. Multiple repair atte... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
The infotainment system does not operate correctly. The screen where the backup camera and all other information is you can not view since the screen is black most of the time. That is also where the light switch is for headlights and such.
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
The power liftgate will not operate and the tailgate will not latch closed. The van was parked outside during a heavy rain, and when the vehicle was started afterward, a warning was displayed on the dash. The van has not been checked by the manufacturer. An inspection is available on request.
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
Had an engine replacement in dec of 2025 and had to pay for it since wasn’t under warranty or recall. And now my replacement engine which has a warranty now. Just failed in March 2026 which about 3 months later. Had metal shavings in engine and multiple cylinders misfiring. And now I don’t have a family vehicle to drive my family around again. There should’ve been a recall on my engine, but ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
I purchased my 2025 GMC Acadia on March 26, 2025. // My vehicle began to have electrical/communication/system issues in August 2025. // I took my vehicle to the dealer to address these issues at this time. When I got to the dealership, a representative performed diagnostics, and said "I can't even get a read on this. There is no signal coming from your module. You need to contact OnStar about this... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Instrument cluster completely failed and went black while driving, causing loss of speedometer, fuel gauge, and warning indicators. •Started intermittent, now permanently failed •Mileage (~65,000) •No warning before failure •Occurs every time vehicle is driven •Safety issue: cannot monitor speed or fuel There currently is not a recall for my vin but other vins are covered and get fixed... Read more
Incident date: Oct 14, 2025
When attempting to engage the Left turn signal, the lever has to be pushed down several times to "catch or engage" and stay engaged. Frequently it won't stay engaged and turns off before the turn is completed. (The Right turn signal works properly). This happens 8 out of 10 times on a consistent basis. The dealer shop supervisor and tech test drove it as well as another brand new lot vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
Incident 1 (Loss of Propulsion in Traffic) - 12/16/25 The vehicle failed to restart immediately after the auto start-stop system attempted to re-engage the engine. Upon attempting to accelerate, the engine did not restart, resulting in a complete loss of propulsion while in active traffic. The vehicle became temporarily inoperable and unresponsive, creating a hazardous condition with elevated risk... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
The 12V battery in my 2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 failed under normal use, causing repeated loss of vehicle function. Voltage measured ~12.3V at rest, dropping to ~12.0V when opening the door, and collapsing to ~11V then ~9V under light load (headlights), resulting in system shutdown. After a failed start attempt, the vehicle experienced a brownout followed by a complete loss of 12V power for approximat... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
I recently bought a 2019 Nissan Altima SR and when I got it home I noticed the door locks weren't locking or unlocking on 3 doors! The salesman didn't mention any problems with the car and I inspected it and didn't notice this until I got it home. This is a safety issue and everything should work on a vehicle when one buys it. There were no warnings and I have a family with two teen kids and one ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
I was driving northbound on US 31 near Peru, IN. I stopped at a red light and my car auto shut off initiated. However when the light turned green, I beganto drive again and the car died/stalled on the highway. The emergency parking break engaged. Oncoming traffic, who saw a green light were not slowing down and I was afraid I would be rear ended while my car was stalled at a previously red, but no... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
EQB 300 4MATIC
(2023) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
I am reporting a safety concern regarding my 2023 Mercedes-Benz EQB 300 (VIN: [XXX] ), currently subject to NHTSA Recall 26V073 involving the high-voltage battery. According to NHTSA records and the manufacturer’s recall notice, this vehicle has an urgent safety recall due to a risk of fire caused by a potential internal short circuit in the high-voltage battery. The defect may result in a vehi... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The factory audio/head unit system produces extremely loud, random static/white noise (described as explosive TV snow or screeching) that blasts through all speakers even when the stereo is completely turned off, muted, or not in use. The volume controls and power button have no effect. The only ways to stop it are to pull the audio fuse or turn the entire vehicle off. This occurs intermittently a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2026
Driving down the freeway and it began raining. The wipers worked and then they just stopped working and it was pouring in the rain. I had to pull over because I couldn’t see. This has happened two other times. In having my vehicle inspected it showed no problem with the switch or wiper motor. The infotainment system also frequently locks up and restarts even after the recall was fixed.
JEEP
GRAND WAGONEER
(2024) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Apr 4, 2026
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
2024 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L Obsidian. Water intrudes into the left headlight assembly through a defective seal, destroying the LED driver module (OEM part #68590086AD) and burning the internal wiring harness connector. This has caused: (1) complete headlight failure while driving in winter conditions with passengers; (2) sudden loss of engine power while in operation; (3) battery failure with stand... Read more