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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 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 2,215,138 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

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 133,534 complaints — component: POWER TRAIN

Incident date: May 11, 2026

The vehicle was making a vibration in the center of the car. I took it to the dealership and they said it was the ptu but that it's not part of the recall.

Incident date: May 13, 2026

Between 35 -45 mph transmission seems confused on shifting, sounds like sensor or fluid control issue, also mild periodic vibrations 1-2 sec at random times Also 12v to 120 v transformer constantly faults even when low amp device is connected. Both have been previously reported this to service dept but issue seems to be ignored...

Incident date: May 3, 2026

"On 04/09/26, I took my vehicle for regular maintenance and an oil change; no potential issues were reported. I operated the vehicle in good faith, trusting its safety. However, on Sunday, 05/03/2026, while driving at highway speeds, the clutch pedal failed and [stuck to the floor / slipped severely]. This caused an immediate loss of power to the wheels in high-speed traffic, creating a life-threa... Read more

Incident date: Oct 15, 2025

My vehicle year and model are part of the PTU recall and is having the Service 4WD message, rolling when parked, and losing power. When I contacted FCA, they informed me that my VIN is not part of their recall, despite being the exact issue in the recall, and I would have to pay to replace my PTU myself. I just want it included so they will replace my PTU because the exact symptoms are what mine i... Read more

Incident date: Apr 10, 2026

COMPONENT: 2.5L T-GDI engine failed completely at 102,971 miles, requiring full replacement (~$8,000). Vehicle available for inspection at [XXX] Kia, [XXX] . SAFETY RISK: Engine lost power during normal operation. Sudden, uncontrolled loss of engine power creates a direct collision risk at highway speeds for the driver, passengers, and surrounding vehicles. CONFIRMED BY DEALER: Mark Kia perform... Read more

Incident date: Jun 23, 2024

I have had my car for almost two years. This problem has been on-going the whole time. It happens intermittently, I never know. I will be driving it and usually when I am making a turn or pulling onto a main road, you press the gas to go and the car hesitates and makes a loud brooooooooom sound like it is trying to go or figure out what to do and if you are pulling out onto a main road with on com... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

The vehicle exhibits multiple, unresolved safety-critical defects across software and mechanical systems that create an unpredictable and dangerous driving environment. Despite multiple repair attempts, the manufacturer has failed to certify the vehicle as safe for operation. 1. Critical ADAS Failures (Forward Collision/Lane Keeping): Automatic Emergency Braking (Pre-Sense): The vehicle suffers f... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

While driving on the highway at 60 mph, warning on dash came on saying “engine power reduced” and drop down speed to around 25 mph and I could not accelerate more than 25 mph on the highway which could have caused an accident because of the traffic flow behind me. I put a code scanner under the dash and it read code P2138, Throttle pedal position sensor switch.

Incident date: May 13, 2026

Transmission control module light comes on and the light states safely pull car over and put in park. It’s tried to been fixed multiple times, they are waiting on a software update. I’ll drive the car and have to pull over because the TCM light comes on and can’t drive/ accelerate. The dealership told me to drive the car and deal with it until it gets fixed. The issue first appeared in Nov o... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Truck does not automatically shift into park when the door is opened. Getting out of my truck, I forgot to shift into park and opened the door, and the truck moved forward with automatically shifting into park, or applying the parking brake. I have a 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee that did the same thing. There was a safety recall set forth by the NHTSA to have the car go into park when the door opened ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2025

The vehicle experienced repeated catastrophic engine failures, including failure of a replacement engine. Approximately six months after purchase and at around 80,000 miles, the engine failed and required a complete engine replacement through Volkswagen and the MaxCare service contract. Approximately one to one and a half years later, at around 120,000 miles, the replacement engine also failed. T... Read more

Incident date: May 11, 2026

1.unexpected downshift into second gear while driving - like the engine is falling - causes severe jerk and sometimes truck revs/ goes into neutral - just revs. 2. frozen tailgate latches and door latch defects 3. additionally the transmission harsh shifting when cold (safety/drivability defect): When the vehicle is cold, the 10‑speed transmission shifts harshly, hesitates, clunks, and delay... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Nov 21, 2025

on the freeway after around 10 miles a vibration starts at 70mph and up to 80mph, it gets worse, its from the rear, you can feel it in the steering, through the floor, and seat, over 80 the whole car is one constant resonating vibration, tires have been replaced and conformed ok. Toyota are not doing anything to resolve the issue, and will not drive it as I request, and will not invite me to dr... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

This issue involves a documented and recurring safety-related defect that was reported multiple times while my vehicle was still covered under Nissan’s factory warranty related to the airbag system. My 2020 Nissan Altima currently has approximately 53,900 miles and has experienced repeated airbag/SRS failures associated with diagnostic code B1436-13, indicating an open circuit within the passen... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, on the highway. the contact notice an abnormal noise coming from the transmission. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified on the failure and they informed him this will n... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

Blown head gasket, coolant leak into engine tsb222229

Incident date: May 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving check engine light had suddenly illuminated and the message "unspecified service unavailable" had displayed along with the 4 wheel drive warning light had illuminated. During the failure the vehicle did not properly accelerate. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed the PTU had malfunctioned. The vehic... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

My 2017 Chevrolet Tahoe LT 4WD with a 5.3L engine experienced sudden drivability issues related to confirmed AFM lifter failure, including severe engine misfires (P0300), rough idle, shaking at stoplights, and significant loss of power while driving uphill and under load. The vehicle has approximately 140,000 miles and has been consistently maintained through Chevrolet dealerships. The condition ... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

Jeep has loud clicking and grinding noise to back end and associated vibration. Two independent service mechanics have diagnosed it to be related to faulty power transfer unit.

Incident date: May 13, 2026

While driving at highway speed in 6th gear, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted into what appeared to be 1st gear without warning. Immediately afterward, the vehicle falsely indicated that it was in Reverse while still moving forward, and the backup camera activated during travel. The sudden downshift caused abrupt deceleration and created a significant safety concern due to the risk of loss of v... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and also while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle would unexpectedly shift out of gear with no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle would unexpectedly shift into neutral. The contact also stated that while the vehicle was parked on multiple occasions, the v... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2013 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly locked up. The engine was previously replaced in March at an undisclosed location. The engine light was illuminated. While using the code reader, he received the P0711 code related to the temperature sensor in the transmission. The contact indicated the failure was due to the temperature w... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2025

While driving, the CVT stalls. The vehicle becomes sluggish and slows to a crawl. During this time, the driver is forced to turn on the hazard lights, place the car in park and restart the engine. Once restarted, the car can be placed into drive mode. This can occur several times while driving. This problems occurs more frequently when traveling in traffic requiring speed changes.

Incident date: Jan 16, 2026

Subsequent to the 68C recall software update, my vehicle is suffering from intermittent loss of acceleration. Even with a full charge of battery, when driving the 2025 jeep wrangler 4xe in EV mode, occasionally the car will shut of EV mode and transition to gas/hybrid mode. The problem is the vehicle changes from EV mode to gas/hybrid it can take 10 seconds. In the meantime there is no abilit... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

Wheel bearing failure resulting in replacement of the bearing and the integral hub at a cost of ~$750 (independent service center diagnosed and replaced the failed unit). Vehicle had only 42,000 miles and had developed a "rumble" which was thought to be related to seasonal temperature changes/tire tread. Sudden/catastrophic seizing of a failed wheel bearing can cause a loss of control and accide... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Sudden transmission issues, no warnings. Ford Explorer 2020 XLT, had sporadic issues while driving on the highway, decided not to take it to pick up my children a few hours away after sudden jerking and revving high RPM's on the highway, proceeded to take backroads home. Following day, only issue in slowing down to under 35mph with a hard jerk into first gear and delayed reaction. Transmission nee... Read more

Incident date: Dec 31, 1969

Car makes a whining noise Toyota Pinellas park said it was normal but the transmission is jolting/slipping not accelerating vs the first test drive. Both cv axles were bad tires were bald when sold to me tps sensors were bad. Had to get a new set of tires and paid the Toyota for work on the vehicle

Incident date: Apr 28, 2026

Incident date: Feb 3, 2026

Whining noise on a cold start and at acceleration. Transmission fluid was replaced less than 1000 miles ago and noise has gotten louder.

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Issue regarding Service 4wd light coming on. This is a known issue and is there is a Technical Service Bulletin but no recall. This is a safety hazard and needs to be addressed as a recall. This is a manufacturer issue. It causes the 4wd system to not work properly and driving in rain snow is a safety hazard.

Incident date: May 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train). The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, jumped to different gears inadvertently and did not accelerate past 50 MPH. The contact stated that on one occasion during the failure the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The man... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

The transmission went on my 2018 Toyota Highlander. The other day as I was driving on highway, lost power as I was driving in neutral. I went from 70mph to 10 or less mph, would not accelerate. All of a sudden all warning lights. Check AWD, check engine light came on, many messages at once. There were no warning lights displayed prior to this. I was able to get off an exit. Could not move the car ... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2026

The transmission downshifted at about 65-70 mph and after it stopped it wouldn't start or move. towed to Beach Ford and was quote $1700+ to fix.. Was told pan was pulled and they said "large chunks of metal were found". {Not surprising after downshifting at 65+mph...} Than I was quoted $7500+ for an Jasper aftermarket rebuild transition and i would suppose it still has the potential for lockup, e... Read more

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

At approximately 1,700 miles, my brand-new 2026 Ford Explorer ST (3.0L EcoBoost) suffered a sudden, catastrophic engine failure while driving, causing an immediate and dangerous loss of motive power. Prior to the failure, the engine experienced severe misfires. Following manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) guidance regarding EcoBoost engine misfires, a step-colder spark plug heat range (... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Camry. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the vehicle's speed slowly reached 20 MHP. In addition, the contact stated that while driving, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle lost motive power and seized. The vehicle... Read more

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 GMC Terrain. The contact stated that while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle began to shake independently. No warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the front drive axel needed to be replaced. The contact was relating the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 20-NA-227 (wobble or vibration during hard acceleration); however, th... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

I purchased a brand new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit in April 2026. At approximately 1,205 miles, while traveling with my wife and [XXX] child in [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly developed a flashing check engine light and severe engine misfire condition. The engine began shaking violently, idling rough, and lost smooth drivability during operation. I scanned the vehicle using an OBD-II scanner... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

17 Ford F150 10 R 80 transmission has been a problem since the day I purchased the vehicle in 2022. Ford dealerships across the country have known this has been an issue and our neglecting to recall the transmission. Ford continues to deny any problems with the transmission after a revised CDF drum in 2025 and 2026, but the problem still occurs.

Incident date: Apr 16, 2026

Premature clutch failure around 20,000 miles. It happened the first time the 4WD was engaged. Vehicle is in limp mode and cannot drive. There were no warnings prior to the issue. Previous year models have had NHTSA recalls issued for clutch failures.

Incident date: May 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150 The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted with multiple lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

The transmission vehicle just stopped in the road. Causing road blockage and stranded passengers in the with out cell service. Vehicle has been looked at and this same problem that is listed for the recall but this vin isn't listed in the recall.

Incident date: Apr 18, 2026

Slams in reverse and when shifting in some gears with the 10-speed transmission. The CDF drum is a major issue with the 2018 Ford F150 due to the design defect in the drum. Ford recalled some trucks for the drum issue, but my vin # shows no recall. This is a major expense issue due to Ford's design, and I feel should be a recall issue.

Incident date: May 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted with the power train warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the transmission had failed and needed to be rebuilt. The vehicle was repaired. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2026

My 2021 Toyota Highlander equipped with the UA80 transmission developed a whining/grinding noise under acceleration around 73,000 miles. Toyota diagnosed internal transmission failure and recommended full replacement costing approximately $9,000. Toyota issued TSB T-SB-0008-21 acknowledging defects involving the front carrier assembly pinion shafts in these transmissions. This defect creates a pot... Read more

Incident date: Apr 28, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while reversing out the driveway at 5 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact indicated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train). The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who determined the failure was due to the rear differential. The local deale... Read more

Incident date: Apr 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 GMC Yukon XL. The contact stated that on several occasions while stopped and attempting to accelerate, the vehicle reversed inadvertently and then jerked forward to accelerate. The contact added that the battery was drained but the failure was not the most important to report at this time. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the starter needed to b... Read more

Incident date: Apr 11, 2025

While driving the car the start loosing power and attempts to shut down, other time the steering wheel locks up up and im unable to turn steering wheel. The check engine light comes on and turns off. The dealer/ Car repair shop has been unable to reproduce issue and unable tell me what this issue is. No accident has resulted from this as of yet. But car has some kind of malfuctioning issue.

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at 15-30 MPH and shifting gears, the vehicle failed to accelerate. The vehicle began to shudder at 50-60 MPH. The yellow engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who determined the gear system needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was ... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

Hello: I own a 2018 Nissan Rogue. While on the internet I found an NHTSA announcement that said there were problems with the Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT). The vehicle has 80,800 miles on it. The recall states that the warranty covers 7 years/ 84,000 miles. I looked on your website and found there’s no recall for that transmission. Is that correct? I have included the link below. ... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

after starting my car and putting it in reverse the gear stopped shifting. after lifting up the cover for the knob i found that the shifter cable snapped. i called the dealership and was told about the recall. they told me to take it in and they would be able to fix it. after manually shifting my car back into drive i was able to make my way to the dealership. but not before my transmission slippe... 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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