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: May 20, 2026
The vehicle experiences a constant cooling system failure that appears to be related to the thermostat. Beginning at approximately 40,000 miles, the engine cooling fan started running continuously at high speed whenever the vehicle is operating. At the same time, the air conditioning stopped functioning properly and the vehicle began displaying a warning message indicating that steering assist is ... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 23, 2026
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Nissan Leaf. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V700000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); however, the local dealer stated that the part for the recall repair was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that while ope... Read more
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
2025 Ram 1500 Tungsten with High Output Hurricane 3.0L twin-turbo I6. The vehicle has experienced repeated battery failures resulting in a complete loss of electrical power. Both the main and auxiliary batteries have been replaced under warranty three separate times: 5/14/2025 at 839 miles 12/11/2025 at 4,557 miles 6/19/2026 at 7,851 miles Most recently, I drove the truck to work normally in th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
Windshield seal failure. Water intrusion into the electrical system. The horn does not work and intermittent starting problems. Water intrusion caused mold in numerous components. Truck was checked over at local Ford dealer. Waiting for parts to make repairs. Repair quote available if needed.
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Driving down the highway at 60mph, dash started blinking for trailer brake service needed. Was not trailering anything. Within 3 seconds I had smoke filling the cab, pulled over and got out. Within 3min truck was fully engulfed totally gone. God forbid I was alone but even at that I did not have time to get many things out and keep imagining what a different day I’d be looking at if there were k... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
My 2012 MINI Countryman (R60) experienced a complete electrical shutdown and engine failure while operating due to a severe manufacturing defect. Authorized dealership Jackie Cooper MINI of Edmond diagnosed the vehicle under RO# [XXX] and confirmed in writing that the "JBE electronic connectors are heavily corroded" and "The FRM has water/corrosion damage," providing a repair estimate of $4,700 (i... Read more
MINI
COOPER COUNTRYMAN
(2012) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 23, 2026
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
Complainant: [XXX] Vehicle: 2020 Ford Edge VIN: [XXX] Current Mileage: Approx. 152,000 miles Target of Complaint: Ford Motor Company / [Don Chalmers Ford] Subject: Request for Goodwill Financial Assistance Due to Documented, Inherent Transmission Manufacturing Defect I am filing this dispute to request financial assistance/cost-sharing from Ford Motor Company for a total transmission failure on ... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2020) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
On June 14, 2026, one day after purchase, while driving through the Mojave Desert on I-15 in temperatures exceeding 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the check engine light illuminated and remained on through Southern California. The vehicle required a jump start after being parked in a covered multi-level parking structure for 5 days in Long Beach California after which the check engine light cleared. On J... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
1. What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The vehicle experienced repeated electrical, ignition, and safety‑system malfunctions, including failure to start, intermittent power loss, stalling, battery failure, and irregular electronic behavior. Multiple components appeared affected, including the ignition system, battery/charging system... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
Repeated Failure and Rebooting of Mazda Connect Infotainment System I am the owner of a 2016 Mazda CX-5. The factory Mazda Connect infotainment system has developed a recurring defect in which the system repeatedly reboots to the Mazda logo while driving. Prior to complete failure, the navigation system became intermittent and Bluetooth connectivity frequently disconnected, requiring repeated att... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
2026 Subaru Trailseeker, purchased new May 19, 2026. The 12V auxiliary battery failed completely after 3 days parked on June 17, 2026. Traction battery was at 65% charge at time of failure. All vehicle systems were unresponsive. Couldn't open doors, do anything. When the 12V drains fully on this platform, the wheels lock and the vehicle cannot be moved by a standard tow truck, creating a stranding... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2026
While waiting at a stoplight, the car was in Auto Idle Stop System mode. When the light turned green, I stepped on gas pedal and the vehicle shut off. The brake was hard and I could not turn off the vehicle for a minute. I opened the drivers side and passenger front door and closed, then was able to turn off vehicle. After a few seconds, I was able to start vehicle with push start button. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
Driving in the rain on the interstate and during acceleration, engine just lost all power. Recovered within 2-4 minutes. After 1 hour of driving, it repeated again. Hard rain conditions. Engine lost all power and wanted to die. I had my family with me and the first incident was merging onto [XXX] with a semi truck quickly closing onto me. Fortunately, he saw I was having issues and slowed do... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Jeep started on fire and is still at a tow yard in Belchertown, MA How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The Jeep started on fire while I was driving. I pulled over as the engine was smoking and then it burst into flames while I was still inside. Has the problem been reproduced or ... Read more
Fire
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER SPORT
(2019) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
I am writing to report an incident involving the rear window of my2019 Acura RDX that shattered unexpectedly. The incident occurred while the vehicle was parked at my workplace. I was notified by a co-worker that the rear window had shattered. Upon inspection, there was no obvious sign of a collision, vandalism, or other event that would explain the damage. A glass replacement company was called... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: May 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Honda Accord. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a static sound coming from the radio while the radio was on or off. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted about the failure, and the vehicle was waiting to be diagnosed. The failure was a recurring failure. The manufacturer was not made... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Escape. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V789000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the unrepaired recall repair was an inconvenience because the battery could only be charged to 80-percent. The dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contac... Read more
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
I’ve owned this vehicle since new, and I’ve asked the dealership twice as well as contacted GM/OnStar customer relations. At speeds above roughly 65 mph, the interior turn signal indicator sound can’t be heard. I end up driving until the “turn signal left on” alert goes off, which is loud enough to notice. Since the sound comes from the audio system, I don’t see any way to change it th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
2026 Mercedes-Benz GLE 580 | ~2,800 miles | Mercedes-Benz of McKinney, McKinney, TX | No warning lamps preceded any failure. ISSUE 1 — Instrument cluster blacks out while driving The speedometer and tachometer display goes completely black without warning at normal road speeds. The only remedy is stopping, shutting off the engine, waiting 10 minutes, and rebooting. Loss of speed and warning ind... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
I am filing this complaint to formally report two separate incidents of DCDC converter failure in my Land Rover Range Rover Sport — the identical defect described in NHTSA Safety Recall 26V248 — and to request that NHTSA investigate why my vehicle has been excluded from that recall despite exhibiting the same failure mode. INCIDENT 1 – [XXX] While driving, my vehicle displayed a red “Stop ... Read more
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER SPORT
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 30, 2025
this is in regards to NHTSA TSB #ATI-1907. i had this issue repaired by porsche san antonio for over 1k. the problem came back and porsche is trying to charge me again saying there is a design flaw they are aware of but cannot perform work under warranty. This is very unfair and makes me think that everytime it rains i cant drive my car because ill have to spend another 1k for a rear camera and pa... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2025) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
Recall for FAST CHARGE LEVEL 3 CHADEMO has been issued for over 6 months. I am advised not to fast charge due to risk of devastating fire. Very dangerous to continue to use this car in an urban setting. Buyback was denied and told to wait for a fix. No fix yet! I can't get out of Philadelphia in this car. Tesla wouldn't let this happen!
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
EVAP warning light sporadically displays and the odor of fuel emits from vehicle - both inside and outside. Occured approximately seven times since purchase. Driver door is not operational, sporadically. Will not respond to key fob, windows will not roll down or up, cannot lock or unlock, and displaying a flashing red light with a loud noise emitting every three seconds. Occured approximately fi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
The rear camera view is skewed resulting in inaccurate reference angles of the vehicle. When used to assist in reversing results in improper placement of vehicle and can cause collision of vehicle with objects.
Incident date: Jun 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4XE. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH in Electric Mode and attempting to merge onto the highway, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving uphill in Electric Mode at 35-37 MPH. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road on both occasions. The vehicle was restarted and pulled into a ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
My 2013 Ford F-150 (VIN: [XXX]) suffered a catastrophic rear-wheel lockup while traveling at highway speeds, mimicking a sudden, unprompted hard braking event. The vehicle's speedometer dropped to zero and the dashboard went blank. A certified Ford dealership has just scanned the vehicle and pulled Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0722, confirming an Output Shaft Speed sensor/molded leadframe failur... Read more
JEEP
WRANGLER 4XE
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
Frequently and randomly I get errors on my dash for the front collision sensor and slippery roads warning. This seems to occur for no reason as all while I am driving. When this happens my RPM's drop and my car will stall at red lights or stop signs. In a few instances, my car has refused to accelerate because it believes the car is obstructed. This has put me at risk of getting rear ended on nume... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
Vehicle: 2012 Kia Forte Recall: NHTSA 23V-652 (Kia SC284) – HECU/ABS fuse recall My vehicle underwent this safety recall in 2025. The dealership replaced the HECU fuse. Immediately upon leaving the dealership after the recall repair, the same warning lights returned. I contacted the dealership immediately before fully leaving the area to report the issue. I also contacted Kia Corporate after... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2025
3/31/2025: New Vehicle leased. 11/24/2025: 12V battery failure. Battery replaced by dealership. 4/22/2026: 12v battery failure. Battery replaced by dealership. 6/7/2026: ICCU failure. Car cannot charge 12v battery. Car in “limp” mode - cannot drive faster than 40 mph while on highway. Fortunately was able get car to safe location to be towed. All three instances appear to be due to t... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
Had to replace starter at 29,000 miles due to auto stop/start prematurely wearing out component.
Incident date: May 15, 2026
Significant electrical issues. Screens randomly turn off and flicker which prevents driver from being able to see vehicle status including speed. Vehicle also has built in charge pad which over heats and concerned could lead to wires melting and fire. Vehicle has spent multiple weeks at dealership for electrical issues but no solution has thus far been found. Viddeo shows flickering but shut off h... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Fusion. The contact stated that after receiving notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V440000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM); that the parts were available, the local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that parts were still not available and were on back order. The manufacturer was notified of the issue and confirmed that parts were still on back order. The co... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER RESET, FLASHES AND THE TURN SIGNALS WILL STOP WORKING WHILE THE SYSTEM IS CYCLING OR RESTTING, WHILW CHANGING LANES OR IN A MIDDLE OF A TURN
Incident date: Dec 4, 2025
I was driving in 4 lane town traffic going under 10 MPH and the hazard lights came on by themselves, and the car died. Propulsion stopped. Fortunately I was able to pull onto a striped median, and once I was over shock, 3-5 ish minutes, I started the car and drove to the dealership. I don’t remember any warning message, and it seems like the steering and brakes were hard once it was dieing, bu... Read more
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
Infotainment system has been rebooting and disabling the cars ADAS momentarily. Most recently, this resulted in the car turning itself off while making a turn. Happened a second time while pulling into the dealership on the same day.
Incident date: May 28, 2026
Vehicle infotainment system on 2023 Chevrolet Bolt completely stopped functioning in May of May of 2026. Screen/radio/bluetooth and associated components had no functionality, including backup camera, safety warning features, etc. Dealership confirmed that the system needed replacement entirely and was non-functional. Vehicle was not inspected by any other parties but it was confirmed by the deale... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
Due to go to dealership to inspect steering wheel
Incident date: Jun 22, 2025
Category: Water intrusion / structural defect VIN: [XXX] Date of incident: [XXX] Description: Water leaking into passenger footwell from under dashboard during rain on a brand new vehicle with 779 miles INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Out 2026 Tiguan Se line the first day when we drove the veh home it had a bad vibration and brake problems hvac system locking up unable to control the fan speed was raining out and the fan speed was inoperative had to pull over due to fogged up windows . The brake system when stopped at a light in traffic it will not hold the veh moves forward while the brake pedal is depressed firmly and in sto... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2026
Software problems causing the backup camera to become disabled and the driver to lose their rear visibility. The screen is completely blackened. This occurred without warning. One day it just went dark. On other note - I do not have access to any information appearing on the screen at all. Very inconvenient and frustrating.
Incident date: Jun 28, 2023
I received a letter in March that there is a problem with The Tow Hitch Harness Accessory which could lead to a fire etc. They said they will come out with a repair. I contacted the Victory Hyundai dealership in Jefferson Ohio where I got the car in April and they said they have a repair but the trailer electrical/ lights will not work. I got a second letter saying they have a solution for repair... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
A warning ⚠️ keep coming up. The only thing I can see according to manual is to take it to a dealership. My blind spot detection is flashing on when nothing is there. When it stops then it's no longer working at all. Every time I go to take it in the dealership is works correctly. My power windows are no longer working as they should either. There is a recall that looks like this same issue o... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2026
while driving i noticed that there was some malfunctions with the car electronics and down by the drivers footwell there was a burning smell coming from it (fcm) which had me to stop the vehicle and get it towed home and stopped me from driving the car because of a risk of fire
WAYMO
5TH GENERATION ADS
(9999) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 19, 2026
Below is a partial email to a BMW Dealer that replaced an airbag 2 1/2 years ago per a recall. The airbag light, convertible top light were both illuminated when I left the dealer. I have sent emails and contacted BMW USA. A friend scanned the car with a Snap-On scanner that showed that the light has been illuminated because of the air bag that they replaced. They continue to avoid the issue and t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Lincoln Corsair. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V091000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing an abnormally high voltage battery rapid discharge after an 80 percent charge. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
Drive Train suffered a life threatening loss of propulsion on a main highway . My safety was at risk due to the losing propulsion leaving me in the middle of the highway in an unsafe vehicle. Multiple communication-module fault codes. Dealer has acknowledged these issues. there were warning lights and multiple messages after .
Incident date: May 11, 2026
1. What component failed, and is it available for inspection? The Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failed. The vehicle is currently at the dealer's service center, so the failed component is available for inspection upon request. 2. How was your safety or others' safety put at risk? After parking and re-entering the vehicle following a grocery stop, the vehicle displayed "Check Vehicle E... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2026
The contact's husband owns a 2025 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that after exiting a car wash tunnel and parking the vehicle on the side of the car wash building, the vehicle continued to roll forward at a high speed without warning. The contact used both feet and excessive force on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle; however, the vehicle continued to roll forward. The vehicle ran over t... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 18, 2026
I purchased this vehicle pre-owned approximately two years ago and have since developed concerns about its reliability, particularly related to the electrical and hybrid systems. In hindsight, I suspect these issues may be part of the reason the original owner traded it in to a CarMax dealer. Shortly after purchasing the vehicle, I began experiencing recurring problems with the 12V battery, inclu... Read more
HYUNDAI
SONATA HYBRID
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Jun 22, 2026
Incident date: Jun 21, 2026
The backup camera on the Ford Transit Connect 2014 has failed, making the vehicle unsafe, particularly for backing over pedestrians or small children difficult to see in mirrors. We see that recalls on the backup camera have been issued for models 2015 and later, but it is apparent that this is an issue for earlier models as well. Please require that Ford address the problem with all models.