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 13, 2023
UPON RECENT DISCOVERY TUESDAY EVENING 11.11.2025; I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN REVERSE AND PROCEEDED TO BACK UP AND THEN PUT INTO DRIVE, UPON TAKING OFF MY VEHICLE JERKED AND MADE A LOUD GRINDING/STRUGGLING NOISE. I COULD HEAR THE MACHINERY. DURING MY COMMUTE, THIS WOULD HAPPEN INTERMITTENTLY UNTIL REACHING MY DESTINATION. MY CAR FELT AS IF IT WAS GOING TO STALL AND CUT OFF. THE NOISE IS LOUD AND VERY ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2023
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Dart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V674000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The check engine and the oil warning lights were illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The “Check 4WD” warning light was illuminated, and the Auto START/STOP system failed to restart the vehicle. The... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted into drive, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to move forward. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred more than five times within a mo... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle and reversing, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the vehicle. While attempting to reverse, the vehicle failed to move, but the vehicle was restarted and operated as designed. While driving, there was an abnormally loud clanking sound coming from the vehicle with the “WRENCH SYMBOL” ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 13, 2025
While driving my 2019 Jeep Cherokee, the vehicle's start/stop system malfunctioned and caused the engine to completely shut off at a traffic light. I had my hazard lights on, and while stopped safely another driver rear ended my vehicle. The Jeep has had repeated issues with stalling and engine shut-off since I purchased it. This is a serious safety concern and could have caused greater injury. I ... Read more
Crash
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLS 450 4MATIC
(2025) — POWER TRAIN
Nov 13, 2025
Incident date: Nov 13, 2025
A catastrophic failure occurred in the continuously variable transmission (CVT) of a 2022 model year vehicle at approximately 81,000 miles. While driving on the highway, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power; the engine revved rapidly without transferring any power to the wheels. The failure was diagnosed by an authorized dealership service center (documented on Repair Order #349133). The diagno... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2025
Fitzgerald Countryside Hyundai - address is 27419 US Hwy 19 N, Clearwater, FL 33761 refuses to fix a recall on my unsafe car. Check engine light flashing due to code P1326 which is an issue detected by KSDS that monitors unusual engine vibrations and is designed to prevent engine damage
Incident date: Oct 25, 2025
I was driving and the skid, brake, ABS and steering light came on. I was with my kids so I immediately slowed down and contacted my mechanic. We initially thought it would be a sensor. After hooking it up, it was detected to be the ABS Brake module. After further research this is a “normal” issue. A new module is expensive $2500 with the dealer and is on back order for 3 months. We have shippe... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
Transmission CVT failure of the 2019 Toyota CHR at 107,000 miles, was not inspected until there was an undeniable sound coming from the transmission and specific request was made for the source of the sound. There were no dashboard lights or warnings prior or even now that I’ve been told the transmission needs replaced and is in failure. Transmission failure has been inspected and confirmed by... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
XXX XXX XXX XXX XXX 11/13/2025 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. 19001 South Western Avenue Torrance, CA 90501 Subject: Complaint Regarding Torque Converter Shudder – 2018 Toyota RAV4 AWD To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint regarding... Read more
Incident date: Feb 11, 2025
I’ve had 2 readings one from Honda and one from a different mechanic shop. One reads bad fuel injectors from the mechanic shop and the other from the Honda dealership reads bad turbo. All lights on my dash board. I didn’t have any lights on before my fuel pump was replaced due to that recall and now my dash board looks like Christmas lights.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The Wagoneer with 20,000 miles very suddenly started to overheat, then quickly redlined on the dash board. Car shut down at dark night intersection. Needed to be towed to dealer. Dealer diagnosed that the ENGINE needs to be replaced. WTF. Waiting for Jeep Claims rep to contact me. Case # 94698805. No word on ETA of replacement engine. Expecting a long term rental car. NOT HAPPY I'm financing at $8... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2025
The transmission shift cable detached from the transmission, causing the gear shifter to move freely without actually changing gears. When this happened, the vehicle could not be shifted into Park or Drive and became unsafe to operate. This created a serious safety risk because the car could roll or move unexpectedly even when the shifter was in Park. The vehicle is affected by Recall A0C / NHTSA... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2025
After the vehicle misfiring , kept changing spark plugs and coil , as well the vehicle shutting over while driving on the highway , having to get it towed and then finally able to get to dealership , Honda said the head gasket failed , so after the head gasket replacement and getting it fixed for $5K, it started to make a noise rattling , took it back to dealership and they said it was the Turbo ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
I have been hearing a roaring sound for quite some time now. Finally figured it out and it’s the rear differential on my explorer. There’s metal shaving all in it. The plug is covered with it. The fluid is at the right amount. Does not have a hitch and I do not take it off road. It’s all highway miles.
Incident date: May 30, 2025
The transmission had to be replaced before 100k miles. If I didn't notice it in time, I could have caused an accident if the transmission stopped working. The dealership I got it fixed at said there were other cars, same make and model, that had to have full transmission replacements. I saw online that a bunch of other people had the same problem as me. It has not been inspected by the manufacture... Read more
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
Transmission, hesitant, wouldn’t shift, whining noise, jerking from stop to go
Incident date: Oct 30, 2025
After 8 months of trips to the shop telling them the engine was bad, and spending thousands to do things it didn’t need trying to get warranty to cover engine, kia finally agreed it had issues. Tore it down and piston rings are bad. There was carbon build up despite regular maintenance and they are telling me warranty won’t replace
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
Driving down the road in 5 th gear and truck by its self shifted into 2 end gear it has done this 6 times now it is very unsafe to drive but it's my only vehicle I think it's the front lead frame assembly in the transmission this will b the 3 erd time to replace this part
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
I just left my house and i was getting on the highway and the service 4 wheel drive light came on then all a sudden the car slowed down then it accelerated really fast so i pulled over and put it in park then when i tried to continue driving i put it in drive and it would not move. The engine ran but it would not move so i had to get it towed to the dealership
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
The transmission has issues when temperatures drop below 5 Fahrenheit. Specifically if the outside temperature drops below 5 the transmission does not engage gears correctly and results in sluggish acceleration, erratic RPMs and poor fuel economy. To be clear this is NOT with cold starting the vehicle. This is documented instances of the vehicle after sufficient driving time to warm up. I have do... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Lincoln Navigator. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V598000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION) and 25E070000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair on the Power Train was not yet available. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, the steering wheel vibrated, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerat... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2025
My 2026 Tesla Model Y with under 3,000 miles experienced a sudden and total loss of power steering while driving. The car became extremely difficult to control. Tesla towed it to their service center, where they claimed it was a software-related issue that could not be replicated. The service center released the car back to me but refused to provide written assurance that the vehicle is safe to d... Read more
Incident date: Nov 8, 2025
The timing system was repaired in February 2025. After similar symptoms of vehicle stalling, the check engine light came on Found a software update that needed to be completed to determine if engine needed replaced. Dealership has refused for seven weeks to complete the entire job of the update which includes running a diagnostic of codes. Instead, they have been arguing that the timing system n... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
Vehicle would not go into reverse suddenly when leaving parking lot, when putting in drive it would jerk forward, yellow tool light came on. Took to dealership immediately and they claim transmission is gone. Ford extended warranty wants a full tear down to rebuild
Incident date: Oct 25, 2025
The PTU failed and needs a new transfer case, per the dealership in Blue Ridge, GA. According to them, there is no repair; however, I have inquired about acquiring a refund / replacement vehicle. I am in touch with my lender regarding this matter.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that while her daughter was dropping her off, the daughter shifted to park(P), and the vehicle made an abnormal static sound. The contact stated that the failure recurred upon shifting to drive(D). There was no warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. An independent a... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
Engine has a leak, the engine oil sensor was defected ,front axel leak and needs replacement
Incident date: Oct 22, 2025
My car has shut off three different times while driving, completely losing power in the middle of the road. It then turned back on by itself and suddenly accelerated on its own. The check engine light is on, and the SOS system keeps activating and won’t turn off. What’s worse is that after taking it to the dealership, they’re now trying to return the car to me even though there’s an open ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
Car is experiencing an issue with 4WD and the warning light indicates the system needs to be services. There is an open recall for the exact Model, and Year but does not include my VIN. There are no parts available and I have a vehicle that can not be driven.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light and traction control warning light were illuminated. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. The contact continued to drive the vehicle; however, the vehicle hesitated to ac... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that while driving approximately 3 MPH and reversing(R) out of a parking spot, the messages "Key Malfunction" and "Crash Detected" were displayed. The contact pulled over and attempted to turn off the vehicle; however the vehicle failed to turn off. Additionally, when the contact shifted to park(P) the gear shift indicator failed to indic... Read more
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER SPORT
(2015) — POWER TRAIN
Nov 12, 2025
Incident date: Sep 15, 2025
The transmission started slipping in 1st and 2nd gear.
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Nov 12, 2025
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Colorado. The contact stated that while accelerating, the vehicle vibrated and shook abnormally, as if driven over ripples on the roadway. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the tires were balanced. The contact picked up the vehicle and stated that the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it w... Read more
Incident date: Oct 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Chrysler Town and Country. The contact stated that the vehicle was purchased, and while driving 60-70 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to Auto Zone and was diagnosed and determined that the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numb... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
Making turn at slow speed. Possibly Transmission slipping and rear tire locking up. engine light turned on
Incident date: Nov 10, 2025
The Power Transfer Unit (PTU) in my 2019 Jeep Cherokee failed, producing a “Service 4WD” warning and DTC C14A7-97 (“PTU motor obstructed/blocked”). An authorized dealer removed and inspected the PTU and documented internal damage (metal debris and worn components). The dealer charged over $1,400 for the teardown/diagnostic and then reassembled the failed unit because Stellantis could not s... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
Faulty CVT transmission
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The Engine Power Reduced Sensor came on and the gas pedal was hard to push so we took the car to a Chevy Dealership. We were told the code po299 was showing and that the turbo needs to be replaced ($4000). This is a VERY common problem and Chevy even acknowledges that but they are doing nothing about it.
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
Vehicle was put into reverse and did not stop, it hit a pole. Then the driver tried to put in drive to get it off of the pole and it accelerated quickly and the driver could not stop the vehicle. There was little time to react as it hit the side of a building and airbags deployed. Driver stated that the car accelerated on it's own once it was put into gear.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
My Jeep has been returned to the Dealership I purchased it from now for the 3rd time to have the Rear Differential completely replaced. The first time, because the Rear Differential axle seal was leaking. The 2nd time, the rear differential had another axle seal leak. This is now my 3rd time where I have dropped off my Jeep because of a noise coming out of the Read Differential, and the Dealer sta... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
For the past five months, the vehicle has stalled nearly every other day, including while backing out of driveways or parking spaces and when slowing to stop. Each time, the engine suddenly shuts off without warning, the transmission automatically shifts into Park, and the emergency brake engages. An engine warning light appears with a “battery fault” message. The repeated engine shutdowns an... Read more
Incident date: Apr 12, 2025
Vehicle was at a red light , when turned green vehicle would not drive forward even though was pressing on the gas ..was like it just shut down but was still running.. I was stuck and put my hazards on , then it suddenly started to move forward. Took car to dealer ..they changed me 400 for a diagnostic and said nothing was wrong with vehicle..They said maybe it needs a software update. But they... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at 45 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal whining sound that became louder during acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the bearings in the t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while slowing down and coming to a stop, the accelerator pedal was depressed while in drive; however, the vehicle started to roll backwards. The contact depressed the brake pedal to prevent the vehicle from rolling backwards, and the RPM became elevated to 5,000 RPM. The contact immediately turned off the vehicle to prevent ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2025
The shifter assembly failed. When shifting to Park, a "Shift to Park" message appears on the driver information center. Although the shift lever is in the Park position, it is not recognized, and the car cannot be turned off or locked. The selling dealership inspected and confirmed the failure, which first appeared at about 21,000 miles (2023 model). The solution was to replace the shifter ass... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2025
Subject: Formal Complaint – 2020 Ford Explorer Transmission Failures and Unfair Coverage Practices Dear Ford Customer Service, I am writing to formally express my concern and disappointment regarding repeated transmission failures in my 2020 Ford Explorer. The vehicle required its first transmission replacement at just 4,000 miles, and again recently at approximately 100,000 miles. It has com... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2023
drivetrain lights came on out of no where. i was coming to a red light and when car stopped the light on dash came on and message came on for drivetrain malfunction. Car was turned off and on and message went away. Car was brought to dealer and they were able to diagnose saying 3 injector problem and need to replace cylinder head. Was told this a problem with the new V8 engines. can be dangerous i... Read more