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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 137,132 complaints - component: POWER TRAIN

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 55-65 MPH, a rattling sound was heard coming from the front passenger-side of the vehicle. No warning light illuminated; however, the contact noticed that the voltage levels were between 9 and 11 volts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed re... Read more

Incident date: Aug 24, 2026

Leaking oil...burns exceptionally fast even with dealership services. Pistons not sealed, melts new spark plugs, misfire on cylinder 3

Incident date: Jun 3, 2026

2027 Kia Telluride gasoline model. On multiple occasions, while accelerating from a complete stop, the engine RPM increases but the vehicle does not accelerate normally. The condition is intermittent. During the delay, the transmission appears to engage or shift at least twice before the vehicle begins accelerating normally. This creates an unpredictable delay when attempting to accelerate from a ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2026

On August 13, 2026, the vehicle was taken to an authorized Dodge dealership for an electrical-system problem at approximately 105,111 miles. The vehicle required a jump start and the battery failed a load test. The dealer replaced the battery, calibrated the electronic steering sensor, cleared all diagnostic trouble codes, and documented that the repairs were verified. Approximately two days afte... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

I had a Purge valve put in about a year ago and was told that that was the problem for my gas gauge going completely to empty while driving and losing power while driving

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

Hennessey Lincoln in Atlanta repaired my car in June 2026. My Torque converter needed to be replaced. My car was there over 20 days. Two weeks after getting it back from shop it started jerking and smoking. It needed another torque converter replacement. Two weeks after getting this car back it did the same thing again. I contacted Ford Warranty they did not help. Lincoln iin Michigan did ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2026

Massive loss of coolant in closed loop cooling system Heat soak. Fail safe mode

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

On August 26, 2026, my 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, with approximately 32,000 miles, experienced a sudden loss of power while my family and I were driving. The vehicle lost power in an intersection, creating a serious safety hazard with surrounding traffic. We were stranded until help arrived, and the vehicle had to be towed because it would not restart. Before the loss of power, the A/C stopped blowin... Read more

Incident date: Aug 21, 2026

For the past month I have started noticing my ford expedition changing abruptly between certain gears. The problem progressively got more noticeable until last week while driving my Ford Expedition on the highway it lost power unexpectedly, feeling like it was about to stall while driving 65 mph and on the third lane while the car randomly downshifted from the 10th speed to the 6th. The person beh... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

While driving 45mph along a straight, open highway my vehicle suddenly shifted itself to park and stopped itself abruptly. I was then unable to shift the car out of park or move the brake or gas pedal or turn off the vehicle. This lasted for approximately 15 minutes and the car would not let me open the doors. All the dashboard lights were illuminated and my driver display screen stated if I took... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

Car is stalling out while driving it.

Incident date: May 9, 2026

My escape would not change gears and the escape would not reverse it was also pulling back and accelerating in speed to the point I could not control it in traffic. My safety and the safety of my mother were greatly affected as the escape was malfunctioning in traffic and I could not control the gears. The alert on the escape came up and it stated: The powertrain control system has detected one o... Read more

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

Unresolved/unrepairable safety recall Engine RPM's revving abnormally high without corresponding acceleration; extremely slow and delayed acceleration. Sudden and unexpected jolts or surge of power following periods of inadequate acceleration. Significant difficulty safely accelerating and merging onto a freeway. Loss or lack of expected power when accelerating. Rattling and vibrating at the front... Read more

Incident date: Aug 21, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission attempted to shift into park but downshifted from third gear into first gear instead. No warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the parts to complete the recall repair were not available. The con... Read more

Incident date: Aug 30, 2021

This truck was bought brand new by my father. Around 38,000 miles it begin having issues with shifting which eventually got worse. When I searched google for issues many others on different pages have had the same issues. The shifting would be so rough it feels like you're being hit by another vehicle. This could cause accidents for anyone who cannot afford to fix these known issues by GMC. I was ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

Head gasket leaking and may cause engine to lock up while driving

Incident date: Mar 17, 2025

I have had the vehcile in traffic when it can cause banging sounds, have transmission slippage, and not allow the transmission to shift into higher gears, other occurences include transmission shudder. I was told the reset would be to change the transmission fluid with a 3 flush process at the dealership with a cost in excess of $750. Unfortunately that did not work. I have multiple error code lig... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

I bought my Edge new in 2020. 3 years into owning the car had the transmission replaced on 8/23 due to mechanical/component failures. This was replaced under the original warranty of the car. The new transmission carried a 2 year unlimited warranty. I started having trouble again with the transmission August 1, 2026. 3 years after the new transmission. Took it to the Ford dealer to have them diagn... Read more

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

My 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, LT Trail Boss, did not include a printed version of the Owner's Manuals and Guides. I have experienced issues with using automatic Car Washes with the truck lurching while inside the Car wash, the online version of the manual is difficult to use at times when internet access is unavailable. My VIN is not listed in the recall N252532020. Another issue is with the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2026

While highway driving, the transmission drops into neutral when accelerating and then jumps back to gear. This poses a huge safety risk when attempting to pass a vehicle because the car completely loses power. Dealership has looked at the transmission and acknowledges it is a “known issue”, but because it only happens sporadically, not a fix.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

Our 2022 Telluride is binding when turning at low speed or accelerating on the highway we took it to our trusted mechanic, he believes it to be the all-wheel-drive coupling unit and that is a common failure point with these vehicles. I called our local Kia dealership and stated that the mechanic told me they need to check the firmware for the ECU to see if that may fix the issue. The dealership st... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

transfer case leaking fluids at 73,000 miles

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The control valve body failed. There are so many, that there was a shortage of parts. Had to take it in as it went into limp mode. 34,000 miles. There were dozens of trucks, same year, waiting for the same repair. Shop says probably every truck will need it. It is a known issue.

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

Transmission fail while driving and stationary at traffic light. Main DTC: P179F00 - Drive sensor position: malfunction Additional DTC: P179E00 - Drive sensor position: electrical malfunction ABS: 00473 Parking brake: U111300 TCM: 01315 This situation occurred 3 times in the past 3 weeks while driving or being stationary at a traffic light. Event triggers loud warning sounds, red flashing light... Read more

Incident date: May 24, 2026

NHTSA COMPLAINT: VIN [XXX]: Transmission cooler (Part 7869) ruptured, mixing fluid/coolant into corrosive glycol-acid in violation of SSM 52917. Contamination dissolved wiring insulation and delaminated clutch plates, causing systemic short circuits and CAN-bus load-shedding. Boiling fluid released toxic glycol/hydrocarbon vapors through HVAC ducts into the cabin without notice, creating an inhala... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Ford has a recall out for the Parking Prawl. I have experienced my car rolling forward after shifting into park. The vehicle proceeded to move about 5 feet before I hit the brake and the vehicle shut down. I restarted the vehicle, reversed back into my parking space, kept my foot on the brake until the vehicle was shut down. I have been using the Parking Brake ever since. Before this incident occu... Read more

Incident date: Oct 18, 2025

Vehicle is shuddering during acceleration and while changing gear during driving affected by either the transmission or power train

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

Vehicle transmission downshift to a lower gear while traveling at city and highway speeds without any prior warning or driver input. Diagnostic showed codes P0715 and P0717. The following day we received notification from Ford of the recall "Transmission molded leadframe replacement" (Campaign 26N04)" - which was investigated by NHTSA as part of Part 573 Safety Recall Report 26V237. When we spoke ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 18, 2026

I own a 2018 Ford F-150 4WD with approximately 24,600 miles. While traveling approximately 70 MPH on the highway in 2H with cruise control operating, I suddenly heard an extremely loud metal-on-metal grinding/ratcheting noise from the driver's-side front wheel area. The noise caused immediate concern about a possible front wheel or drivetrain failure. I disengaged cruise control and the grinding ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated and stalled. The vehicle was able to restart but failed to move. The message "Transmission Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was towed to the residence and was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

Catastrophic loss of throttle response and severe acceleration lag from a standstill under high ambient temperatures, presenting an immediate collision hazard. On more than ten (10) separate occasions, the acceleration on this vehicle from a complete standstill has unexpectedly dropped to a dangerous level, performing at or below the speed and power of an un-indicated "limp mode."This hazardous co... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

My 2016 Expedition has the same 6R80 transmission as the Ford F150, for which there is a recall for the Lead Frame. My wife was driving the vehicle on the highway and the check engine light came on and the vehicle went into "limp mode" causing the vehicle to decelerate to approximately 35 mph. Needless to say, she almost caused several accidents as she tried to move to the shoulder at a very reduc... Read more

Incident date: Aug 26, 2026

When accelerating, if you push on the gas hard the car will shift into neutral/park and then shift back into gear. It doesn't matter if this happens at 20 mph or 75 mph. It is extremely unsafe. This shift fault code P07E6 is the code that populates. It is directly correlated with the recall 26S48/26V402. Ford won't even glance at it to consider it a part of the recall because " there is no fix for... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

Bought this as a used vehicle with around 77k miles. The SUV was running fine for a little while until I drove onto the highway. It eventually began to bog down and there was hesitation and jumping instead of acceleration. This continued my entire trip home with the check engine light on. The car was only driven for about 300-400 miles in the time I had it. When I brought it to have an oil chang... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

The high-voltage propulsion system and Battery Pack Control Module (BPCM) failed. The vehicle suffered an abrupt drop in power, overriding driver input and forcing it into "turtle mode." The vehicle is currently un-diagnosed and available for inspection at the Jeep dealership. My safety and the safety of others were put at immediate risk. The vehicle suffered a sudden loss of acceleration in live... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

Transmission Slipping

Incident date: May 18, 2026

While driving, the ABS, traction control and power steering lights came on. I was coming off the highway and I lost power steering!!! I almost wrecked into the guard rail coming off the exit!!! I got to the light at the bottom of the exit and I had no power steering. I pulled over immediately and called for a tow. I took it to my mechanic and he said the rack and pinion is bad. We looked it up ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter was sticking. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted into park; however, the shifter gear independently shifted into reverse. The vehicle crashed into the garage at the residence. The contact s... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Engine failed while driving down the highway at speed. Just shut off. Very dangerous. No power had to pull over. Vehicle would not start agin. Said low oil pressure. Had it towed to the dealership. Complete engine failure and had to have the motor replaced. After replacement engine still does not feel right and transmission acts up as well. Complete piece of junk for how expensive these vehicles a... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

At 66,000 miles the transmission on my 2021 toyota highlander is failing. This is a known issue with these transmissions and toyota is actively working against people to help get the parts replaced at their cost.

Incident date: Aug 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that there was a green fluid leaking underneath the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that there were two hoses leaking from the transmission and the radiator. After further inspection, it was determined the radiator had failed. The vehicle was not re... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

Noticed that while going slow and turning heard popping from the rear end. Had 3 different certified shops give me different answers to the cause. Had to attempt to find my wife a way to work. As stated previous We started at Becks for estimate and diagnosis. Then Daver Taylor transmission. Then I called Jeep Customer Care. Also dropped off our Jeep at Dealership. The day we picked it up from Dave... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

High pressure fuel pump went at 80k and now on my 2nd transmission under 100k miles this is absolutely absurd

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

The transmission failed for the fourth time. The transmission (Power Train) is the component that failed and is available for inspection at the dealership. The vehicle became unsafe and unreliable to drive due to the repeated transmission failures, creating a risk of sudden loss of power or control. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer on multiple occasions, most recently on August 24, 202... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

the vehicle suffered a sudden and catastrophic engine failure while being driven on the freeway at about 60mph. The engine seized and the vehicle lost propulsion creating a serious safety concern

Incident date: Jun 29, 2026

Vehicle suffered complete failure of the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) / drivetrain system, resulting in vehicle lockup, failure to engage drive gears, and automatic parking brake lockout when placed in PARK. The vehicle experienced its first documented PTU failure and replacement (Part #68333285AE) under warranty at 47,577 miles in November 2022. The PTU failed while we were driving 70 mph plus g... Read more

Incident date: Aug 18, 2026

I continuously have issues accelerating from stop in my max hybrid. the issue is particularly worse when it is warm out. I press the gas and the RPMs drop really low and I barely move through the intersection for a few seconds. Once it finally registers after a number of seconds, the RPMs rev up over 4000. It is very dangerous trying to proceed through an intersection and the car basically stalls ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

I had my car in drive in a parking spot. I was ready to go, put the car in drive, DID NOT MOVE but needed to put it in park fast to assist to a child in the back seat. I put it in park pretty fast. Took my seatbelt off and assisted child. It must have not engaged. Car rolled into my office metal mailbox. I 100% put it in park. I took my seatbelt off after so I seen it. It was fast with the gear sh... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 11, 2026

Driving my 2021 Escalade on interstate and engine began emitting sudden, loud metallic tapping. Oil pressure dropped off and a reduced power warning came on HUD. Acceleration dropped off, forcing him to coast dangerously across three lanes of traffic to the shoulder. Coasted to dealership—-somehow the VIN didn’t fall within the 2021-2024 recall despite exhibiting the exact same failure. Ca... Read more

Incident date: Aug 25, 2026

All relevant recalls on the vehicle have been previously performed. On 8/25/2026, after starting the vehicle it displayed a warning message to "Stop Safely - Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon." That message was able to be cleared after four cycles of turning the engine off and re-starting. After driving the vehicle for approximately 5 miles, while the car was in motion, the message returned to "Stop S... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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