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 133,534 complaints — component: POWER TRAIN
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
Truck would randomly go into limp mode while driving. Highways, country roads, middle of town, making it difficult to pull off the road with no ability to accelerate to safely merge off the roadway. The cause was from the lead frame in the transmission which was under an “expired” recall 19N01. Dealership charged me $1,500 to fix this. How is this not a safety issue that should have been taken... Read more
FOREST RIVER
XLR TOYHAULER
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jan 16, 2026
Incident date: Oct 17, 2025
Throttle Lag: when stopped at a stop light/stop sign, there is significant delay from when the gas is depressed and the vehicle moves. This sometimes causes the vehicle to jolt forward and has almost caused accidents.
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
This has happened to me at least 6-7 times since owning as Jan 2024. Occasionally when stopped at stopped sign or red light, upon releasing brake and pressing gas pedal the engine will stall or stutter causing the vehicle to either hesitate to go and then launch or hesitate and not do anything. This is an issue as it has happened to me when trying to cross a divided highway and it stalling as I'... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
After I received a software update for my 2018 Honda Odyssey Elite the car has been stalling when idle. It is very dangerous because I will be at a stop light in drive, and the vehicle will shut off with no power. Cars will be behind me or no cars, and I have almost been rear ended. I did not have this problem until I received the new software update. It keeps occurring more and more often.
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
When at a complete stop, going to pull out, or continue driving, there is a noticable lag to the acceleration. It sometimes does nothing for a few seconds before acceleration. If backing up, then switching to drive,.there is a delay and or a small jerk motion before the vehicle accelerates. This has caused issues when pulling out and vehicles are coming at normal speeds with plenty of time to p... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
My 2016 Ford Escape 1.6L AWD had a total transmission failure rendering my car unmovable in the road while driving, putting both mine and other drivers safety at risk. The issue has been diagnosed and confirmed by a local shop. The transmission oil has been changed and vehicle serviced without any issues for the whole of the vehicles lifespan. Slow gear shifts and acceleration started only days pr... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
When accelerating from a standstill, the car hesitates for 1 to 2 seconds after I press the accelerator pedal. This is a safety concern, especially when merging onto the highway (we have stoplight-controlled merge lanes where I live), where accelerating the vehicle is essential to a safe merge into traffic going 65+ mph. There have been no warning lamps.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I am reporting a safety-related defect involving the 10R80 transmission in my 2019 Ford F-150. The vehicle experiences erratic shifting and loss of power that appears to be caused by a known defect in the transmission’s CDF clutch drum assembly. Ford has issued TSBs for this problem (including TSB 25-2126), which describe axial movement of the CDF drum sleeve leading to hydraulic pressure loss. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
Throttle hesitation. Seems to be a widely experienced issue with many third gen tundra owners. Press the gas, expecting the truck to drive, but it just lags a few seconds, then will finally engage and begin driving. Has put me in some close calls in traffic.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Throttle lag When I accelerate from a stop, such as at a red light or stop sign, after I gently press down on the gas pedal, there is consistently a 1-2 second delay before the truck accelerates. This can cause potential delays in getting through an intersection, in turning in front of oncoming traffic, and getting going in traffic. This happens consistently since I’ve owned the vehicle sin... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Ive been noticing a significant lag sometimes when I press the gas pedal. It last just a couple seconds. This could possibly become something bigger. Will update of it gets worse. Also the cruise control doesn't hold the set speed it stays 1 or 2 miles under.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
I have had an issue several times which nearly resulted in a traffic accident. The truck has a sudden loss of acceleration where the gas pedal is completely dead. It last a few seconds and then goes back to normal. This has nearly caused several accidents where I could not properly accelerate while traffic was heading in my direction. After talking with other Tundra owners, I am not the only one w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
Have severe throttle lag and/or hesitation when giving gas from a stop. It causes a unsafe condition when you give it gas to go and it hesitates so bad I have almost gotten into accidents. This has been happening since new. Currently 30k miles on the truck.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Engine hesitation from a stop. Engine takes 1-2 seconds to respond to throttle pedal input. Creates timing safety hazard when attempting to cross oncoming lane to enter roadway. Puts vehicle at risk of not clearing the oncoming lane in time to avoid collision. Intermittent and haven’t been able to reproduce with dealer.
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Limp mode, knocking , engine light. Only has 62,768 miles on it. I can't fill out campaign 966 or 982 on the official web site for extended coverage.
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
Pickup has regular but not every time throttle delay. For 1-3ish seconds and then it CHARGES forward. Making pulling onto a busy road a bit of a gamble. Seems very very unsafe. I’ve had the new engine put in and still the same issue.
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
Severe throttle lag and hard shifting when accelerating from a stop. This has caused several near misses when the vehicle will “stall” in the line of traffic causing lack of acceleration. Often happens when stopping at a four way stop or other stop sign followed by immediate acceleration. Was able to replicate it several times and happens on its own once a week. A widely known issue for the ne... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
26’ GMC Sierra 1500 AT4 3.0l Duramax experiencing Harsh shifting occurring sporadically while accelerating and deceleration. More frequent and severe during quick deceleration. Severe clunking/rear wheel lock up while reversing. Very repeatable. Truck was a dealer demo and had 2400 miles on it when I bought it last week. Took it in to the dealer today and they said I need a complete new transmis... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
Transmission failure resulted in sudden loss of power while driving, creating a safety risk in traffic. Vehicle was unable to accelerate and required immediate repair. Put myself and my children at risk, as the car suddenly died while I was driving it. Prior to this, there were not issues. Has been routinely maintained and only has approx 83k miles. Toyota agreed that the transmission is the onl... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
While driving my 2016 BMW i3 with Range Extender, the vehicle experiences sudden and complete loss of propulsion at very low state of charge (0–1%). The car abruptly loses motive power, forcing me to pull over, sometimes while in traffic. After sitting for several minutes, limited power may return, but the vehicle often shuts down again, and in some cases the Range Extender engine does not engag... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
After the 68C / NHTSA 25V-741 Recall was completed, the Jeep can be difficult to drive and will dangerously lose power or accelerate unexpectedly. When driving in Electric Mode it will suddenly lose power and often start the engine abruptly. I've nearly been rear ended when it lost power, but also almost crashed into the car in front of me when the engine started abruptly and gave full power unexp... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2015) — POWER TRAIN
Jan 15, 2026
Incident date: Nov 30, 2016
Vehicle Information •Make / Model / Year: 2015 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T SE •VIN: [XXX] Recall Information (if known) •Camshaft recall: 23R1 (2016) •ECM software update: 24DR (2020) Description of Problem: My 2015 Volkswagen Jetta 1.8T SE experiences loss of power while driving, where the engine RPM increases but the vehicle does not accelerate properly, especially when driving uphill. Thi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2025
The HRV is available for inspection upon request. It was taken to local Honda dealer for inspection based on the below: December 2025 - Highway driving slightly over speed limit posting 70mph when a majority of the lights on the dashboard came on (transmission, abs brake, awd, engine light, almost all lights) and the car immediately lost speed power and had to emergently pull over into safe lane o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 2, 2025
Clutch slave cylinder started leaking leading to a sticking clutch pedal, making it difficult to engage the transmission with the engine, and a lower brake/clutch fluid level which could have caused braking issues if the fluid got too low.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was shaking abnormally. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed, and it was determined that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the torque converter had failed. The ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
Kia equips their 2020 Tellurides with a plastic oil filter housing unit. Over time, the heat from metal and pressure causes the plastic component to crack, become warped and this leads to oil leaks.
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The concern involves the automatic transmission torque converter, specifically torque-converter lock-up behavior. The issue presents as a vibration/shudder during steady-speed driving. The vehicle remains in my possession and is available for inspection upon request. The vibration/shudder occurs during steady cruising at moderate speeds, which affects vehicle smoothness and driver confidence. Whi... Read more
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
My 2026 Toyota Camry Hybrid XSE (VIN 4T1DAACKXTU213841) purchased on September 26/2025 is subject to Safety Recall 25TA15 / NHTSA ID 25V869 for a loose inverter bolt that can cause loss of motive power or fire. Toyota says no remedy is available until at least Q1 2026. I transport my minor child in this vehicle and do not feel safe operating it with a known and unresolved fire/crash risk. I am rep... Read more
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
Incident Date: [XXX] Vehicle: 2023 Kia Sportage Component(s): Power Train (Automatic Transmission Shifter), Electrical System (Instrument Cluster/Display), Back Over Prevention (Rearview Camera) Description of Incident: On [XXX], while performing a low-speed maneuver in Pittsburgh, PA, the vehicle experienced a catastrophic Shift-by-Wire (SBW) logic failure resulting in a collision. After shiftin... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the contact was informed that the manufacturer had sent two left-sided parts instead of a left-side and right-side part. In addition, the contact was informed that the parts were on back order. The vehicle had been at the dealer for ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted, especially between second and third gears. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the engine felt as though the engine mounts were inoperable. The contact pulled over to the side of the road a... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2025
On November 12, 2025 the transmission, power train, and/or other components on my Porsche Macan S failed. My Macan was parked (gear selector in "Park") on a level surface, the ignition turned off and the key removed from the ignition when it was tapped from behind by another vehicle that was exiting a residential garage. The Macan proceeded to roll over two hundred feet from the impact, jumped tw... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the 4-WD warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. Upon further investigation, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign: 25V011000 (Power Train); ho... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
I noticed a humming sound coming from my car about a month ago. After getting it looked at it is a transmission issue. The same issue many people are having with this model of car. It is drivable for now but for how long I don’t know.
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
We are located in Henderson, NV and we were driving on the freeway in a construction zone with no emergency lanes when the vehicle lost all power to the engine going the speed limit. The engine had seized up which is a known problem with the 6.2L GMC motors. We have done all the recalls recommended by the manufacturer. The engine seizing, locking up , put our family in danger . We were luckily eno... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet 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 had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
Yes, Toyota has extended the warranty for the Continuous Variable Transmission (CVT) on certain C-HR models (specifically 2018-2019) in Canada and potentially the US due to widespread reports of a defective bearing, covering failures up to 10 years or 193,000 km (around 120,000 miles) and offering refunds for past repairs, a move prompted by consumer advocacy, though US action often lags Canada's.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
Tacoma Dodge Chrysler Jeep Ram at address: 4101 S Tacoma Way, Tacoma WA 98409 The service provider (Andrew) has said his boss is telling him to have the vehicle moved and putting the responsibility on us at our own expense. We opened a case US Customer Care recall department case #[XXX] is pressuring us to move our 2017 Jeep at our own expense. It is inoperable and will not drive due to a safe... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jan 15, 2026
Incident date: Jan 9, 2026
I was at a red light waiting to go an when it was time to go my car would not go. It was on it would not go into gear. It will reverse. It just won't go forward in auto or manual. Im the 1st owner of this car. I bought it new. I need Hyundai to take care of this problem. Asap please. It happened the car only has 133,718 miles on it and been serviced regularly since I bought it.
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
Purchased my 2017 Highlander in June of 2017. At 4912 miles noticed the transmission was slipping. Contacted the dealership and was told from an employee that in his 20 plus years he had never had a transmission do that. Took it to the dealership and it was the transmission. It was replaced under warranty. In January of 2026 took it to the dealership after noticing a weird whinnying sound when run... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
Jumping into neutral while acceleration up on ramp
Incident date: Dec 3, 2025
While driving at roadway speeds, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of the instrument cluster and infotainment display, immediately followed by an engine shutdown. Steering and braking assistance were reduced during the event, requiring immediate driver intervention to safely maneuver the vehicle. The failure occurred without warning. No prior warning messages or indicators were visible before... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this email to document a vehicle safety issue involving my 2020 Ram 1500 (5.7L eTorque). In November 2025, the vehicle experienced a failure of the eTorque motorized alternator / belt starter generator system, resulting in a loss of the electrical and charging system. As a result, the vehicle became non-drivable. The vehicle was delivered to an authorized... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2025
2014 Honda pilot touring--ENGINE-is running through oil faster than it should. The spark plugs/coil packs have all been replaced now. Starting with 1 an 3.I was driving down the road and it started stalling out while I was in traffic about 8 mo.ago . The vehicle didn't want to go anywhere an when it would get some power to go it was slow an the engine was shaking so hard the whole time even at idl... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
To Whom It May Concern, I am writing to formally request reimbursement or goodwill assistance for the repair of the turbocharger on my Chevrolet Trax, which failed unexpectedly and caused my vehicle to stall in the middle of the freeway, creating a serious safety hazard. I had previously reported concerns related to the turbo, and after the failure occurred, I learned that General Motors issued ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
The main issue is the transmission... It shudders. Now I have to change the oil every 10K miles on it, or it will start shuddering again. It first started when the truck had 50K or a little more miles in it. The issue was resolved, I thought... Then it did it again at 69K (Just out of the warranty). I called the dealership and they stated I had to pay if I wanted an oil change, and they could no... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2026
(Current approx mileage of occurance 104,xxx -105,xxx)The transmission on my 2019 Ford F150 abruptly started to run really bad. The transmission started slamming gears, hard shifting, delayed shifting, delayed acceleration. The shifting was slamming to hard, that it felt like another vehicle hit me in the rear. I called a local Ford dealership on 1/7/2026 to make an appointment to get the software... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
Peterbilt has a recall 24V190 for the right hand shifter stalk. This VIN is not on the recall list however it does have the defective shift stalk and has been replaced 3 times prior to the recall. The most recent replacement was 8/20/24 replaced with the same defective part #. How do I get this truck on the recall list?
Incident date: Nov 22, 2025
I have a 2023 GMC Sierra HD3500 6.6 Duramax. February of 2025 the valve body failed after 23,000 miles. The failure happened when the transmission had an extremely hard shift at 55 mph and then went into 5 gear limp mode. Computer through code P0700 and P0747. The P0747 is the code that tells you the valve body failed. When I took the truck to the dealer, they would not let me take the truck home... Read more
Incident date: Jan 3, 2026
My car started having issues with the hybrid system, with fault alerts related to the drive motor control module, hybrid powertrain control module, and battery energy control module in the transmission, and the vehicle is available for inspection if needed. The engine light had been on for about a week, and I was waiting for availability at work to take it to a mechanic. While driving around 70 mp... Read more