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 48,526 complaints — component: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Incident date: Dec 10, 2010
TRANSMISSION ON 2004 NISSAN MAXIMA JERKS INTO GEAR FROM 1ST TO 2ND AND VICE VERSA. ONLY DOES THIS WHEN ENGINE IS WARM. CAR SLAMS INTO GEAR GOING FROM REVERSE BACK INTO DRIVE. *TR
Incident date: Apr 17, 2011
2011 FORD FUSION SEL ,. WHILE DRIVING ON A COLD START, PULLING OUT OF NEIGHBORHOOD (LESS THAN 1 BLOCK), CAR JERKED FORWARD, TRANSMISSION WOULD NOT SHIFT, THEN SHIFTED LIKE YOU WERE ON A WASHBOARD AND JERKED FORWARD HARSHLY WHILE TRYING TO SHIFT INTO GEAR. THIS HAPPENED WITH LESS THAN 300 MILES ON VEHICLE. NUMEROUS TIMES THEREAFTER, WHILE CAR WAS DRIVEN FOR MILES AT HIGH RATE OF SPEED, WHEN DRIV... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2003 CHEVROLET VENTURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE KEY WAS IN THE IGNITION IN POSITION C WHEN A PASSENGER STRUCK THE GEAR SHIFT OUT OF PARK AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN ROLLING INDEPENDENTLY. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO A TREE AND THERE WAS A SMALL DENT ON THE VEHICLE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND THE POLICE WERE NOT DISPATCHED. THE VEHICLE WAS NEITHER INSPECTED NOR REPAIRED AND THE M... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 6, 2008
TRANSMISSION FAILURE. *TR
Incident date: Jan 20, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO JERK VIOLENTLY. THE CONTACT STATED THE FAILURE RECURRED AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS INTERMITTENTLY BUT WOULD JERK VIOLENTLY WHILE DECELERATING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE THE TRANSMISSION WAS FLUSHED. THE MECHANIC INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2011
MY 2006 NISSAN XTERRA STARTED SHAKING VIOLENTLY WHILE DRIVING AT 40MPH ALL OF A SUDDEN, TO THE POINT I THOUGHT I HIT SOMETHING OR WAS DRAGGING A BRANCH, I STOP TO FIND NOTHING AND KEPT ON DRIVING, AND THE CART DID IT AGAIN, SO SCARED OF GOING ANY FASTER AND LOOSING CONTROL. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND THEY INFORMED ME THAT DUE TO A DESIGN FLAW CRACKED RADIATORS ARE CAUSING COOLANT TO LEAK INT... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 HONDA ACCORD. THE CONTACT WAS DRIVING 25 MPH WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN SLIPPING IN SECOND GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A LOCAL MECHANIC FOR A DIAGNOSTIC TESTING AND THAT LOCATED THE FAILURE IN THE TRANSMISSION AND THE TRANSMISSION WAS REBUILT. THE CONTACT CALLED MANUFACTURER REGARDING NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
WITHOUT NOTICE, THE TRANSMISSION FAILED TO RESPOND IN ANY GEAR AND THE ENGINE JUST REVVED. I WAS ON A ROAD THAT WAS NOT BUSY AND ABLE TO COAST OFF OF THE ROAD TO A SAFE LOCATION. HAD THIS HAPPENED ON MY WAY HOME ON THE INTERSTATE DURING RUSH HOUR INSTEAD, I MAY HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN AN ACCIDENT SINCE THE CAR JUST SLOWED DOWN WITHOUT ANY WARNING OR INDICATION THAT IT WAS ABOUT TO QUIT. ... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2010) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 20, 2011
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
MY 2010 CHRYSLER T&C MY CAR ENGINE SHUT OFF WHILE DRIVING. KEY MOVED ITSELF TO ACC POSITION. LOST POWER STEERING. *TR
Incident date: Apr 20, 2011
I WAS ON THE HIGHWAY WHEN MY CAR DECELERATED. I ALMOST GOT HIT BY A CAR BEHIND ME AND AVERTED AN ACCIDENT. THE ENGINE REVVED WAY UP, BUT CAR'S SPEED WENT DOWN. LATER, WHEN I WAS DRIVING ON THE STREET, THE CAR SLOWED TO A STOP AND WOULD NOT SHIFT GEARS EITHER FORWARD OR BACKWARD. I AM READING ONLINE THAT MY 2003 HONDA ACCORD IS HAVING TORQUE CONVERTER PROBLEMS. IT SEEMS THAT THIS A COMMON PROBLE... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2011
I PURCHASED MY 2006 NISSAN MAXIMA SL ON 4/12/11 AND TWO DAYS LATER STARTED HAVING TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS AT 113000 MILES. ACCORDING TO A LOCAL TRANSMISSION REPAIR SHOP AND AAMCO, I WILL NEED A NEWLY DESIGNED TRANSMISSION VALVE BODY (APPROX $1500), NEW, OR REBUILT TRANSMISSION ($3000-$4000). CAR JERKS INTO 1ST GEAR AT LOW SPEED. WHEN LOOKING ONLINE I SAW NUMEROUS OTHER COMPLAINTS EXACTLY LIKE MINE, ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2010
MY 2010 FORD F-150 TRANSMISSION "SLAMS" BETWEEN GEARS. FORD IS AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM BUT ALLEGES THAT IT CANNOT DO ANYTHING UNTIL THE SOFTWARE ISSUE IS REPAIRED. THE TRANSMISSION SLAMS BETWEEN GEARS, AT TIMES THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE SEEMS TO ENGAGE WHEN GOING AROUND A CORNER. THIS ISSUE CONCERNS ME AS IF THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE LOCKS UP I COULD EITHER LOSE STEERING CONTROL OR STOP DEAD IN THE MIDDLE OF TH... Read more
Incident date: Oct 6, 2010
IN OCTOBER OF 2010, I WAS DRIVING MY 9 MONTH OLD 2011 KIA SORENTO. I WAS STOPPED AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT AND HEARD A VERY LOUD BOOM SOUND. I PUT THE CAR IN PARK. I TRIED TO SHIFT THE GEAR INTO DRIVE AND IT MADE A VERY LOUD GRINDING NOISE AND THE CAR WOULD NOT MOVE. I HAD THE CAR TOWED INTO KIA AND THE TRANSMISSION HAD COMPLETELY GONE INCLUDING THE DRIVE SHAFT. THEY HAD TO TOTALLY REPLACE THE TRANSMISS... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2011
VEHICLE WAS OPERATING IN NORMAL MANNER IN TRAFFIC. SUDDENLY ALL DRIVE POWER TO THE WHEELS WAS LOST. THERE WAS NO WARNING AT ALL FROM A SOUND TO ANY SHUDDER FROM THE VEHICLE. SUDDEN LOSS OF PROPULSION VERY DANGEROUS IN TRAFFIC MOVING 50 MPH. ENGINE NEVER STALLED OR DIED. DRIVER WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER VEHICLE FROM FAST LANE TO A PARKING LOT ENTRANCE AND STOP VEHICLE. ENGINE RUNS FINE, BRAKES NO ISSUE;... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 VOLVO V70. THE CONTACT STATED WHEN THE VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO DRIVE THERE WAS A DELAY BEFORE IT WOULD ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER FOR A SOFTWARE UPGRADE BUT THAT DID NOT REMEDY PROBLEM. A TRANSMISSION MECHANIC CONFIRMED THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THIS WAS A KNOWN FAILURE AND WAS CONCERNED SINCE THE MANU... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2011
I OWN A 2005 FORD FREESTAR WITH 55,000 MILES ON IT THAT I BOUGHT NEW . BUT ON APRIL 15 2011 AS I DROVE DOWN THE ROAD AT ABOUT 30PMH I SUDDENLY HAD NO POWER OF FORWARD MOTION. I WAS HEADING TO A HILL . NOT KNOWING WHAT WAS HAPPENING A HIT THE BRAKES TO STOP AND PULL OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE CAR BEHIND ME WAS FORCED TO GO AROUND ME IN THE OTHER LANE. THANKFULLY NOBODY WAS COMING UP THE HI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2011
I HAVE A 2002 HONDA ODYSSEY THAT HAS EXPERIENCED A TRANSMISSION FAILURE. I HAVE ALMOST BEEN REARENDED A COUPLE OF TIMES BECAUSE THE CAR WOULD NOT ACCELERATE IN TRAFFIC OR WHILE ENTERING ONTO THE HIGHWAY. I BOUGHT THE CAR AS A CERTIFIED PREOWNED VEHICLE AND HAVE MAINTAINED IT THROUGH THE DEALER OVER THE YEARS. AFTER ARGUING WITH AMERICAN HONDA CONSUMER AFFAIRS, THE MOST MY CASE MANAGER [XXX] WILL... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2011
MY TRANSMISSION ON MY 2002 FORD EXPLORER XLT WONT SHIFT INTO 3RD GEAR. *TR
JEEP
COMMANDER 4X4
(2007) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 19, 2011
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
I OWN A 2007 JEEP COMMANDER 4 X 4 3.7L. AFTER HAVING SOME ISSUES WITH, WHAT I THOUGHT WAS THE TRANSMISSION SLIPPING, I CHECKED AND ADDED TRANS. FLUID AND HAD BOTH TRANS LINES REPLACED DUE TO LEAKING. EVERYTHING SEEMED TO BE OK FOR A COUPLE WEEKS, UNTIL I WAS DRIVING TO WORK AND NOT ONLY WAS THERE A DELAY WHEN I WOULD TRY TO ACCELERATE, THE SERVICE PARKING ASSIST SYSTEM MESSAGE APPEARED A COUPLE TI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
MY 2008 FORD ESCAPE TRANSMISSION COOLER (PART 19712) WENT BAD AT 36,451 MILES. FORD WOULD NOT COVER THE COST AS I WAS 451 MILES OVER MY WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NO RECALL ISSUED. I'VE READ OVER 50 COMPLAINTS FROM MULTIPLE WEBSITES THAT DEAL WITH THE SAME ISSUE. IT IS A SAFETY HAZARD TO HAVE PARTS IN A CAR THAT DO NOT HOLD UP AND BEGIN LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. WHY IS NOTHING BEING DONE FOR THI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 FORD FREESTAR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 65 MPH, THE VEHICLE SUDDENLY STALLED AND SHE COULDN'T ACCELERATE. THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENTAL PANEL PRIOR OR AFTER THE FAILURE. THE DRIVER THEN COASTED TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO ADVISED HER THAT IT MIGHT BE THE TRANSMISSION. THE V... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2008
IN NOVEMBER 2008 MY PONTIAC VIBE (AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION) STARTED TO SHIFT HARSHLY (LITERALLY SLAMMING INTO GEAR), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY MECHANIC PULLED THE CODE P2716 INDICATING A SOLENOID/TRANSMISSION PROBLEM. THE CAR WAS OFF WARRANTY, BUT BEFORE I HAD ANY WORK DONE I CALLED BOTH THE LOCAL PONTIAC DEALER AND GM (11/4/2008-DOCUMENTED). EACH SAID THE SAME THING. THERE WAS NO KNOWN... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2011
WITHOUT WARNING MY AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP OUT OF GEAR. DOESN'T SEEM TO BE RELATED TO SPEED OR LENGTH OF TIME DRIVEN. JUST RANDOM. IT COULD HAPPEN 20 TIMES A DAY OR NOT HAPPEN FOR WEEKS. I HAVE CONTACTED HONDA AND THEY SAID IT IS NOT A RECALL ISSUE, ALTHOUGH I HAVE FOUND LITERALLY HUNDREDS OF THE SAME COMPLAINT ONLINE. WAS TOLD THAT THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO OFFER ME SOME ASSISTANCE ON R... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
POWER STEERING FAILURE WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE WITH CHILDREN. *TR
Incident date: Apr 2, 2011
2005 HONDA ODYSSEY, TRANSMISSION FAILURE AT 111,930 MILES. THE TRANSMISSIONS SHOPS SAID THE TORQUE CONVERTERS ARE BAD AND FAIL REGULARLY IN THE HONDA VANS. *TR
Incident date: Sep 27, 2010
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 CHEVROLET HHR. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER BEGAN TO FLUCTUATE ABNORMALLY AS THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO JUMP WHILE SHIFTING GEARS. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR THE SPORADIC FAILURE FOUR TIMES WHERE THE BODY CONTROL MODULE, LUBRICATED THE HIGH SPEED LAND MODULAR CONNECTORS AND REPLACED THE POWER STEERING CONTROL MODULE... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
2003 HONDA ACCORD DOWN SHIFTS AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS MAKING IT NEARLY IMPOSSIBLE TO CONTROL. HAVE NOT TAKEN IT IN ACCOUNT NO WAY TO GET THERE OR CAR TO DRIVE. TRANSMISSION PROBLEM WORKING ON HAVING IT FIXED. *TR
Incident date: Apr 15, 2011
DRIVING AT 25 MILES PER HOUR AND I TURNED THE CORNER AND LOST ALL MOTIVE POWER. THE MOTOR RAN FINE BUT THE VAN HAD NO GEARS FORWARD OR REVERSE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF A PROBLEM, I DIDN'T SEE OR HEAR ANYTHING AND NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IT HAS HAPPENED. A MECHANIC TOLD ME THE TORQUE CONVERTER OUTPUT SHAFT WOULD NEED TO BE REPLACED AND THE TRANSMISSION REBUILT. ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2011
I WAS DRIVING MY 2004 VOLVO S60. THERE WERE NO ADVERSE DRIVING CONDITIONS, AND I WAS DRIVING NORMALLY. I WENT TO PUT MY S60 IN PARK, AND IT WOULD NOT GO PAST NEUTRAL INTO EITHER REVERSE OR PARK. MY S60 HAS A GEARTRONIC TRANSMISSION (GEARTRONIC IS ESSENTIALLY THE BRAND NAME OF THE VOLVO MANUMATIC TRANSMISSION. SOURCE: HTTP://WWW.EHOW.COM/INFO_7784643_GEARTRONIC-TRANSMISSION.HTML#IXZZ1K1HJ4JPR) TH... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2011
BRAND NEW 2011 ACCORD V-6 COUPE HAS SO MANY ISUES.THIS IS THE ONLY CAR I EVER OWNED THAT YOU HEAR GASOLINE SPLASHING AROUND THE TANK,WHEN TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT THE REAR SUSPENSION SQUEAKS,THE TRANSMISSION BUCKS LIKE CRAZY WHEN ACCELERATING AND DECELERATING!CLUNKING NOISE FROM THE FRONT END. I AM GETTING RID OF IT. PIECE OF JUNK. DO NOT BUY ONE!BEEN HORRIBLE AND ONLY HAD IT SINCE 1/1/11. *TR
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2002) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 18, 2011
Incident date: Apr 17, 2011
VEHICLE LOST POWER AT HIGHWAY SPEED. FURTHER APPLICATION OF THE THROTTLE CAUSED THE TRANSMISSION TO SECOND FROM FOURTH, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO RAPIDLY DECELERATE FROM 70 TO 40 MPH, AT WHICH POINT THE ENGINE RESUMED NORMAL OPERATION. THIS HAPPENED SEVERAL TIMES IN THE SPAN OF AN HOUR, AND IS ENTIRELY INTERMITTENT. THREE VW DEALERS ARE AT A COMPLETE LOSS FOR AN EXPLANATION. THE ECU DOES NOT RETUR... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 FORD FREESTAR. WHILE DRIVING 25 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER WHO PERFORMED A DIAGNOSTIC AND DETERMINED THAT THE TRANSMISSION FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE FAILURE WAS NOT RECALL RELATED AND THEY WOULD NOT ASSIST WITH THE REPAIR. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 26,... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 KIA SEDONA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT AFTER PLACING HER VEHICLE IN PARK, SHE WOULD HAD TO TAKE A SCREW DRIVER IN ORDER TO MOVE THE GEAR SHIFTER. IN ADDITION, HER BRAKE LIGHTS WOULD NOT APPEAR WHEN DEPRESSING THE BRAKES AND THE OPPOSITE OCCURS WHEN SHE DOES NOT DEPRESS THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO ADVISED HER THE SHIFT CONTROLLER WAS FRACTURED. T... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2010
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2010 HYUNDAI SANTA FE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 25 MPH THE CONTACT TOOK HER FOOT OFF OF THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL AND WAS COASTING. WHEN THE CONTACT APPLIED PRESSURE TO THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL THE RPMS INCREASED AND THERE WAS A HARD BUMP AND A SHUTTER FELT INSIDE THE VEHICLE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED INTERMITTENTLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER THREE TIMES. THE TRANSMISSION A... Read more
Incident date: Apr 15, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2008 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING UP AN INCLINE, SMOKE WAS EMITTING FROM THE TRANSMISSION AREA. HE PULLED OVER AND SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF FOR 30 MINUTES. HE WAS ABLE TO CONTINUE DRIVING BUT HE STILL SMELLED SMOKE. A COUPLE DAYS LATER, HE NOTICED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WAS DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. THE VEHICLE HAD NOT BEEN INSPECTED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTU... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 1, 2011
TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE VEHICLE WOULD BECOME OVER HEATED AND WOULD IT JERK VIOLENTLY. THE TRANSMISSION WAS REPLACED PREVIOUSLY HOWEVER, THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE THE DATE OR MILEAGE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHO INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE TRANSMISSION NEEDED TO BE REPLACED AGAIN. THE CONTACT DID NO... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2011
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2005 NISSAN MAXIMA. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE WHILE DRIVING 30 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION WOULD SLIP OUT OF GEAR. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER AND THE DEALER COULD NOT DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE PROGRESSIVELY BECAME WORSE AND THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE HE WAS ADVISED THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION STICKS WHEN IN SLOW MOVING, STOP AND GO TRAFFIC ON THE HIGHWAY. IN SEVERAL CASES, I HAVE NEARLY BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND BECAUSE THE CAR DOES NOT ACCELERATE IMMEDIATELY AFTER PUTTING MY FOOT ON THE GAS PEDAL AND WHEN THE CAR FINALLY DOES ACCELERATE, THERE IS A STRONG THUMP AND IT FEELS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION IS GOING TO FALL OUT OR AS IF I HAD BEEN HIT FROM BEHIND. *TR
Incident date: Apr 18, 2011
WHILE ACCELERATING IN 2ND GEAR, THE TRANSMISSION SLIPS CAUSING THE ENGINE TO REV, BUT THE CAR REMAINS IN A NEUTRAL STATE. FEELS LIKE THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED INTO NEUTRAL WHILE DRIVING AND THEN SHIFTED BACK INTO DRIVE. ONCE THE TRANSMISSION CATCHES, THE VEHICLE SHIFTS EXTREMELY HARD. THERE IS A LOUD WHINING NOISE COMING FROM THE FRONT OF THE CAR WHILE ACCELERATING, THAT DIDN'T EXIST BEFORE. AFT... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2006) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 18, 2011
Incident date: Mar 4, 2011
STARTING AT AROUND 55,000 MILES WHILE I WOULD BE DRIVING MY JEEP, THE CAR WOULD STOP MOVING BUT THE ENGINE WOULD REV AS I PUSHED ON THE PEDAL. I WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GO IN DRIVE, NEUTRAL OR REVERSE. I WOULD HAVE TO PUT THE CAR IN PARK AND TURN OFF THE VEHICLE, WAIT A FEW SECONDS THEN RESTART THE CAR. I HAVE HAD MY CAR AT MY MECHANICS AS WELL AS A JEEP DEALERSHIP, A TOTAL OF 5 TIMES, NOW READY TO G... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2007) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 17, 2011
Incident date: Apr 16, 2011
WHEN PUTTING TRANSMISSION INTO DRIVE, THE VEHICLE WILL NOT ACCELERATE, THIS PROBLEM FIRST OCCURRED AT APPROX 31,000 MILES. THE DEALERSHIP REPLACED THE SHIFT CONTROL MODULE. THE PROBLEM WENT AWAY. THEN AGAIN AT 62,000 MILES, WHEN PULLING INTO TRAFFIC, THE VEHICLE STARTED TO ACCELERATE, THEN LOST POWER. ANOTHER VEHICLE HAD TO SWERVE TO MISS ME, I WOULD HAVE BEEN HIT IN THE DRIVERS DOOR HAD HE NOT ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2010
TRANSMISSION FAILURE AND ISSUE PERSISTS. OCCASIONALLY, WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP OR A LOW SPEED, THE TRANSMISSION WILL SLIP AND CATCH VIOLENTLY. THE WHOLE CAR SURGES AND JERKS FORWARD CAUSING THE TIRES TO CHIRP. IF THIS WERE TO HAPPEN ON A DAY WITH INCLEMENT WEATHER, THE CAR COULD LOSE CONTROL AND CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. FORD REBUILT THE TRANSMISSION IN SUMMER OF 2010 AFTER FINDING BURNT CLUTCH PLA... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2010
2004 MAXIMA AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION - BOUGHT NEW; CONTINUALLY JERKS WHEN SWITCHING BETWEEN GEARS WITH LESS THAN 100,000 MILES; NOW THE PARK LAMPS CONTINUALLY GO OUT ON THE VEHICLE. *TR
Incident date: Apr 9, 2011
TRANSMISSION UNEXPECTEDLY CHANGING GEARS OR SELECTING INCORRECT GEAR. SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER DUE TO TRANSMISSION REMAINING IN TOO HIGH A GEAR FOR ENGINE RPMS. LAPSE IN GEAR SELECTION CAUSES ERRATIC AND DANGEROUS ACCELERATION. DANGEROUS GEAR CHANGES CAUSE CAR TO BOTH SURGE AND STALL - DEPENDING UPON ENGINE RPMS NOT CORRESPONDING TO CORRECT TRANSMISSION GEAR. *TR
VOLKSWAGEN
GTI
(2010) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 17, 2011
Incident date: Mar 15, 2010
DSG AUTOMATIC TRANS HAS GIVEN ME SEVERAL MINOR BUT ONE SCARY PROBLEM SINCE HAVING VEHICLE LESS THAN ONE YEAR. ON ANY COLDER MORNING 50 DEGREES OR BELOW THE VEHICLE WILL DRAMATICALLY LEAP FORWARD UPON ACCELERATION. ITS AS IF IT DOESN'T SEEM TO SHIFT PROPERLY THEN STARTS WORKING BETTER AFTER IT WARMS UP. THIS MARCH I EXPERIENCED A MUCH SCARIER SITUATION. I WAS DRIVING CLOSE TO HOME WHEN SOM... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2011
2001 BMW 530I WITH 74,000 MILES- WELL MAINTAINED, BUT SUDDENLY THE CAR WON'T GO IN REVERSE. I'M TOLD THAT THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION HAS FAILED, AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I'VE FOUND HUNDREDS OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS ON THE WEB- NHTSA SHOULD INVESTIGATE AND FORCE BMW TO ISSUE A RECALL. *TR
HYUNDAI
GENESIS COUPE
(2010) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 17, 2011
Incident date: Dec 30, 2010
HYUNDAI GENESIS 4-DOOR. PURCHASED 10/2010--HAVE HAD FOURTEEN INCIDENTS WHERE WHEN I PRESS ON ACCELERATOR, THERE IS NO REACTION OR ACCELERATION. HAS HAPPENED LOTS WHEN I PULL INTO INTERSECTION, PRESS ON ACCELERATOR, NOTHING HAPPENS, AND I PRAY I DON'T GET KILLED BY ONCOMING TRAFFIC. FINALLY, THE CAR BEGINS TO MOVE, BUT NEXT TIME WILL I BE KILLED??? DEALERSHIP HAD CAR FOR ONE WEEK AND COULDN'T F... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2011
STARTED SLIPPING ON A MAJOR STREET....LEAVING ME IN A DANGEROUS POSITION. OCCURRED AT 159.00 MILES AFTER BEING SERVICED AT THE ORIGINAL DEALER I PURCHASED FROM. WAS FIRST TOLD 4300.00 FOR REBUILT. GOT HONDA INVOLVED, AND IT WAS REDUCED TO 1900.00 AFTER VOICING MY COMPLAINT. *TR
Incident date: Mar 1, 2011
I HAVE EXPERIENCED THE FAILURE TO SHIFT FROM THE PARK POSITION INTO DRIVE ON A FEW OCCASIONS. HAD TO SHUT THE CAR OFF, RESTART AND THEN PRESS THE BRAKE PEDAL DOWN FIRMLY AND HOLD. SHIFT MECHANISM OPERATED NORMALLY AFTER THAT EVENT. *TR NOT SURE IF THIS IS A MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL ISSUE? I WOULD SUSPECT ELECTRICAL.
NISSAN
PATHFINDER
(2005) — POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Apr 17, 2011
Incident date: Apr 17, 2011
DUE TO A KNOWN MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE 2005 NISSAN PATHFINDER TRANSMISSION COOLING SYSTEM, MY DAUGHTER WAS STRANDED BY A VEHICLE THAT WOULDN'T MOVE. AFTER RESEARCHING THE PROBLEM I HAVE FOUND THAT THIS IS A FAIRLY COMMON PROBLEM IN THE 2005 YEAR MODEL. THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE COOLING SYSTEM AND THE TRANSMISSION MIXING FLUIDS, THEREBY CAUSING CATASTROPHIC DAMAGE TO THE TRANSMISSION. ... Read more