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: Dec 1, 2025
My car will not reverse when put into reverse. No symptoms prior or any warning signs. Car will roll backwards as if in neutral and the engine will rev to high rpm. Engine codes P0792 and P0736 are present after issue arised. I have found another safety recall that describes my issue exactly with regards to 2019-2021 Ram Promasters. My car 2014 Ram Promaster has the same power train as what is l... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
Complete loss of power and the transmission just going out, there was no warning or indication that something was wrong with the transmission prior to it going out on the highway. Car has 120K miles on it. It was diagnosed as needing a new transmission, and cooler. The pump may have needed to be replaced as well. But the transmission was pushing fluid out into the engine. If the car was fixed, I w... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 24, 2025
Incident date: Dec 24, 2025
I was driving on the interstate at approximately 70 mph when I attempted to accelerate to pass another vehicle. There was no response. At first, I thought I might have hit a patch of ice, but I quickly confirmed that wasn’t the case. I tried to accelerate again, and once more nothing happened—other than the engine revving. No warning lights appeared to indicate a problem. I coasted to the nex... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
July 2025 RO (mileage ~5,500): Propulsion reduced power; AC loss/no cooling; charging failure; loose weather stripping; shark fin antenna loose; brake pedal clicking on stops; OnStar connectivity loss. July 13-22 2025 (mileage ~6,000): Electrical impairments; reduced acceleration/speed; vehicle not charging; weather stripping missing/loose; shark fin coming loose; brake clicking during stopping; ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
The transmission failed at 108k miles. Honda is charging 10000USD for repair. They want to replace the 9 speed transmission. This transmission is notorious for failure and Honda hasn’t issued a recall yet.
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
There is a lag in my 2025 platinum. I'm able to reproduce it and it's generally when I'm coming to a slow/stop (say a yield or a stop sign) and at the last minute I decide to go for it and hit the gas pretty hard. The delay is incredibly obvious.. like 2-3 seconds where NOTHING happens. Trying to roll through a yield and the machine decided it was just not going to respond to throttle for 2-3 seco... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2025
This vehicle has had numerous problems since I leased it. To summarize, at times the vehicle randomly shifts out of the ECO mode, usually into the SNOW mode. The engine has also raced, hesitated, bucked, rattled and vibrated when trying to change gears. Sometimes, these actions are subtle and sometimes they are borderline violent. This happens more frequently when the engine is cold. Addition... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2025
Three times now I have a service transmission and it won’t shift but then when taken to dealer they state no codes pop up but I show them a video of what happens each time the dealership says bring it back. First time no codes- no fix, The second time they exchanged the transmission brain and 3 months later the third time and still nothing fixed due to no codes and nothing happened when they dr... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2025
- I have experienced a sudden loss of engine power and speed on 5 occasions. Very scary and dangerous to completely lose power on the highway with cars behind you. Had to pull off onto the shoulder(s) in dangerous conditions, with two young kids in the backseat. Hazards, turn off the car, restart the car, etc. - When the power loss happens, the vehicle's dashboard lights turn on, including the... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
Continually get a power loss error while driving and accelerating. Took to BMW dealership and not able to clear error after having the car for a over month.
Incident date: Feb 25, 2025
Safety issue: The vehicle experiences intermittent loss of acceleration and transmission “slip/rev” events, especially when cold, from a stop, or at low speed. At times, the vehicle revs as if in neutral, then re-engages. The driver sometimes must press the accelerator fully to gain speed. In one instance, the vehicle was driven slowly for several miles, pulled over, shut off, restarted, and t... Read more
Incident date: Dec 7, 2025
While accelerating there's a delay when pressing the gas pedal and then a surge in power with understeer causing dangerous lurching forward. Dangerous to merge into traffic and very unpredictable.
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
While driving, the car all of a sudden lost power - forcing me to pull over. If this were to happen while on the freeway, a crash would have been imminent. This is a known issue with kia/Hyundai EV's where the ICCU fails and causes the vehicle to lose power suddenly.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
I have taken this vehicle into the Honda dealership on five separate occasions to report a power transfer problem. I first visited the Honda dealership to report this problem on 9/2024. It hasn't been until my most recent visit on 12/18/25, that a customer service representative told me that my vehicle needed a new torque converter. It is available for inspection upon request. The first occas... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2024
Description of Incident: The vehicle exhibits a severe and unpredictable transmission "shudder," "stutter," and hesitation during gear synchronization, specifically during 1st–3rd and 8th–10th gear transitions. This manifest as a violent "shaking" sensation and a loss of momentary acceleration while merging into high-speed traffic. This issue was first reported to an authorized Ford dealershi... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
2020 SantaFe Limited AWD with ~81200 miles. This is the 3rd or 4th time the P07410 code pops up with the Engine Check light. Hyundai said they found no issues and cleared the code, again. There was once when the code came up and it cleared itself after 50 miles. Not sure exactly what the cause is and Hyundai is saying "there is nothing wrong". Most recent occurrence Sept.4.2025.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
On 12/18/2025 at approximately 5:00 pm, during rush hour traffic, while driving 60 mph on the expressway, my car automatically downshifted to drive1, the engine revved up significantly and the car reduced power and had sluggish acceleration. It did not come out of Drive 1 until I was able to get off the expressway and put the car in park. The car is available for inspection upon request. I was ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2025
My 2021 Toyota Camry Se at 79,000 miles threw a PO705 code, neutral safety switch. I replaced it with a new part and it worked for about 10 minutes and then proceeded to throw code again and slip in the transmission
Incident date: Dec 21, 2025
The vehicle suddenly and without warning experienced a complete loss of steering control, rendering it undrivable and forcing it to stop on the side of a public roadway. This created a significant risk to my personal safety and to public safety. On the same day, the vehicle was towed to an authorized RAM dealership for inspection. The dealership confirmed that the serpentine belt had broken, ther... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 23, 2025
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
Four times in the previous two weeks, while driving between 20 and 50MPH, the transmission has downshifted from 6th to 1st gear, locking the rear tires. Speedometer reads zero, airbag warning light illuminates, and odometer/MPG shows dashes instead of numbers. Ignition must be turned off and on to recover. Trusted private mechanic performed diagnostic: removed transmission pan, changed filter, che... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2002
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Yukon. The contact stated after the vehicle was serviced, while driving 30 MPH and depressing accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond. The contact stated that the vehicle hesitated, and the contact shifted to a lower gear to drive to the residence safely. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
My transmission started jumping gears and slipping at 65k miles. I had it checked out then and the mechanic said that these transmissions shifted rough, but they were not really sure why and that they reprogrammed the computer and that should fix it. It went on intermittently for the next 6 months to a year and I took it in again and was told they couldn't get the transmission to shift rough or sk... Read more
Incident date: Sep 24, 2025
Engine ticking noise, poorly made bolts on exhaust manifold were used. Bolts loosen or Break off and manifold warps or cracks. Cause exhaust leak into cabin. Truck can be inspected if needed
Incident date: Dec 5, 2025
While accelerating from low speeds and turning, the car exhibits a rotational clicking noise from one or both front drive shaft assemblies. Seems to be the identical issue noted in the 2024 Grand Highlander that was presumably fixed during later production lots (T-SB-0082-24). That issue was seemingly solved with driveshaft replacement. The dealer said they “could not duplicate” the issue; how... Read more
TOYOTA
SIENNA HYBRID
(2025) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 23, 2025
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
Hello, The car has 55000 miles right now, It has shifting problem from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd gear. I dropped it at the Ford Dealership (Koons Ford Woodbridge, Woodbridge, VA 22193). The Dealership informed me that the vehicle is not covered Under and warranty or Customer Satisfaction Program. The symptoms on my vehicle are same as of Bulletin 22N12, the manufacturing plant is also the same as... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
My 2012 Subaru Legacy experiences involuntary engine stalling when coming to a quick stop, such as in stop-and-go traffic or during sudden braking at intersections. When the engine shuts off without warning, power steering and braking assist are lost, creating a serious risk of collision. This is a known issue documented by Subaru of America in Technical Service Bulletin 16-90-13R, applicable to 2... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLA 250
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 23, 2025
Incident date: Dec 17, 2025
The Situation: My vehicle has an open safety recall, NHTSA #15V-574 (Honda Recall JU2). This recall specifically warns that a software error causes high stress on the CVT drive pulley shaft, which can result in the shaft breaking during operation. Because this recall was never performed on my vehicle, the drive pulley shaft has now failed exactly as described, rendering the transmission useless. L... Read more
Incident date: Jan 8, 2025
I am reporting a failed recall remedy. Honda was unable to provide parts for Recall 23V-858 for over a year. Operating the vehicle during this delay resulted in engine starvation, overheating, and a catastrophic cylinder head gasket failure. The dealer and manufacturer are now refusing to cover the consequential damage caused by their own delay.
Incident date: Oct 2, 2025
The contact's friend owns a 2017 Ford Edge. The contact stated that the vehicle failed the Emissions test in Georgia. The contact stated while driving approximately 35-70 MPH, the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle was shaking and jerking abnormally. The vehicle was difficult to drive. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard, but the vehicle failed to respon... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
While driving, heard a pop and a check electric vehicle system error popped up on the dash. Car was not drivable except for very low speeds shortly after (impacted safety of the drive) until it eventually stopped being able to turn on at all.
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle experienced a loss of motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The contact managed to push the vehicle over to the shoulder of the road, and the vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 23, 2025
Incident date: Nov 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Buick Enclave. The contact stated while stopped at a gas station; after refueling the vehicle, the vehicle was restarted but was unable to shift to drive(D). The contact attempted to shift to reverse(R) and the shift lever failed to respond. The contact stated an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
I am suggesting an investigation into the 2020 model Ford expedition relating to the 10 speed automatic transmission in this vehicle and others in previous and newer models. The problem is known and has been well documented that the transmission often fails and pops out of gear especially when accelerating and is extremely dangerous for obvious reasons while passing or climbing hills. There is not... Read more
Incident date: Sep 23, 2025
The car sporadically does not shift from 1st 2 second and then abruptly shuts cause a loud jerk of engine and car. It is startling and scary when it happens. I’m afraid the car will break down while in the road. Every time we take the car to dealership they “cannot replicate” issue therefore there is nothing to fix on an issue that is all over the internet with Honda vans and suvs.
Incident date: Jul 7, 2023
I purchased my Hyundai Ioniq 5 on [XXX]. Since then, I have experienced repeated and dangerous failures of the air-conditioning system, which Hyundai and the selling dealership have failed to properly diagnose or repair. On [XXX], while driving, I heard a very loud banging noise coming from the front passenger side of the vehicle. Immediately afterward, the air-conditioning system completely shut ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
My current 2024 Honda Prologue has been in twice in one year's time for complete replacements of front axles. The second repair also included replacing the half shaft. The vehicle has under 8500 miles. Both incidents started with a clicking sound when turning. The first replacement took weeks of waiting as the parts were backordered. The second took two weeks.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2024
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the engine experienced difficulty cranking. Additionally, the contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The contact stated that the engine revved up, but the transmission failed to properly shift gear. The Auto START/STOP light was orange.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2025
I was driving South on interstate 55 near Arnold Missouri in adaptive cruise control mode at approximately 65 mph when the car braked suddenly and came to a complete stop on the interstate. Car would not go forward after stopping. Turned the car off and restarted and the car now would drive normally. Have not used ACC since and car has behaved normally. Took the car to dealership in Farmington... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 23, 2025
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
Transmission and transfer cases. The car sputters when taking off from a stop.
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
I purchased this vehicle from Ford about 2 months ago and brought it in for service over 4 weeks ago. The service department inspected the hub bolts and declared the vehicle unsafe to drive until the recall is completed due to sheered bolts. Although the recall says the parts are available, that is apparently not accurate. This is a huge safety issue and Ford put my family at risk when they decide... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2025
The charging system light came on. My wife went to charge at public charging station due to being close to one. After plugging in the van, it said charging failed. She unplugged the charged went to back up and the van died. Had to have it towed to dealer. Dealer states even though the van is in the warranty period, the IDCM which is up under the van is scuffed and therefore isn’t warrantied. The... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2025
Electrical control unit car just shuts off in drive completely goes black no matter what within seconds even on freeway going 70 mph car tune off loss of control then starts back up very dangerous
Incident date: Dec 19, 2025
This is clarification and additional information to a previous complaint filed: 11706675. The vehicle was experiencing grinding during hard turns shortly after i purchased it off the dealership lot in 2017. I didn’t know why, I thought I should practiced not making hard turns and thats what I did. Years later, around 2021 or 2022, I needed the first service on my vehicle, outside of regular mai... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2025
While in 6th gear driving on the highway at 70 mph the truck downshifted to 3rd and drastically decelerated. When this happened the instrument display went from having all 6 gear numbers viable to only 1 - 3. It had to be put into Manual Mode and shifted into 6th manually. This happens twice in the same trip.
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Dec 22, 2025
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
I was driving and all of a sudden I lost acceleration in the middle of an intersection. My truck had no gears and gave me zero indication there was an issue. I then was told Ford has a newly designed part that fixes the issue and I would have to pay $7500. How does a manufacturer knowingly sell such a dangerous product, and not have a recall for that product after updating a faulty design?
Incident date: Dec 8, 2025
The vehicle is experiencing a malfunction of the Power Transfer Unit (PTU), which is part of the drivetrain / power train system. The vehicle is currently available for inspection upon request. The vehicle loses power during driving and produces grinding noises when making hard turns, which creates a risk of loss of propulsion while in motion, increasing the risk of a crash. The vehicle has stop... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2025
The front clicks and pops when turning left and right, both on throttle and off. Does not have to be a tight turn. Simply turning into a side street, no bumps or anything abnormal makes a racket and kind of scary due to how loud it is. Started when the car had less than 5,000 miles and I think it's worse when it's cold outside. Speeds that cause this are anywhere from 0 to 35 miles an hour. D... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2025
To the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I am submitting this letter as a **formal safety complaint** regarding repeated transmission failure in my **2019 Chevrolet Traverse**, which poses a potential risk to vehicle safety. In **December 2024**, while the vehicle was still covered under General Motors’ factory powertrain warranty, an authorized GM dealership diagnosed a serious ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 18, 2025
Transmission valvebody failure, causing rapid, repeated rear wheel lock ups. Videos can be provided. These happen almost daily at highway speeds. This will cause a very bad accident
Incident date: Dec 17, 2025
While driving down the highway at ~70 mph, the truck's powertrain suddenly shut off. The electronics still worked, but the RPMs dropped to zero. I was forced to pull off to the side of the road, where I tried to turn off and turn back on. The truck kept on turning off and on by itself electronically, but the engine and transmission wouldn't engage for roughly 10 minutes. I was eventually able to s... Read more