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.
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
Showing 137,132 complaints - component: POWER TRAIN
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 14, 2026
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
For the past three years I have complained about the transmission dropping out of gear. It happens most often if I'm towing a trailer. I seems to occur in spurts, happening a couple of times in a few days then not for some time. Very dangerous if you pull around to pass and suddenly you lose power. Originally the dealership said they could find nothing wrong. I have read recently that Ford is hav... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2026
Transmission shifts from a higher gear to 1st when going over 60, also transmission has a hard time shifting skips 2nd, 4th, and sometimes 6th gear.
FORD
ESCAPE PHEV
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 14, 2026
Incident date: Nov 13, 2025
NOV 20, 2025 Manufacturer Recall Number25SC4 NHTSA Recall Number25V789 Recall StatusRecall Incomplete, remedy not yet available Summary this has been 9 months and still no remedy. this doesnt seem timely.
Incident date: Sep 27, 2025
While driving on the highway at approximately 80–90 mph, the vehicle experienced an unexpected RPM increase as I came off the accelerator, an engine-misfire warning, sudden loss of power, and engine shutdown. I immediately pulled over. Smoke came from the engine compartment, engine oil had been expelled throughout the engine bay, and oil was leaking underneath the vehicle. The vehicle became com... Read more
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with cruise control engaged, the vehicle hesitated, and the transmission momentarily shifted into neutral(N) before returning to normal functionality. T... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the failure occurred after the recall repair. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle hesitated to accelerate and then lunged forward. The transmission warning light was illuminated. Additi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V378000 (Power Train); however, the failure occurred after the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Toyota C-HR. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission belt needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Prius. The contact stated that 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 lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dea... Read more
Incident date: Aug 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ford Edge. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and accelerating, the vehicle unexpectedly stopped. The contact stated that shortly afterwards, the vehicle returned to normal operation. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufact... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while attempting to park the vehicle, the gear shifter failed to shift into park(P) as intended. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The gear shifter was manually shifted into reverse. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The gear shifter was later shifted into park(P). The dealer was made aware of the failure, and the con... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
vehicle: 2015 Ford F-150 XLT, 5.0L V8, approximately 148,000 miles. I previously had the related recall/software update performed on this vehicle. On two separate occasions the transmission performed a sudden, uncommanded downshift while driving at highway speeds. On one of those occasions the rear tires locked up / skidded. There was no warning, no driver input, and no diagnostic trouble codes (... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2025
As many have spoken about already, I have the hesitation or lag from stop or rolling at very slow speeds. I kind of learned to live with it but feel it's getting worse. My wife had to drive the truck, and she said it was very scary and did not feel safe. I know it is not the engine as I had it replaced and problem is still very much there! There have been so many issues with this truck. Brakes hav... Read more
Incident date: Aug 5, 2026
Premature lifter and cam failures on the 6.7 engines. Yes it can be inspected. Yes it was heard and confirmed by multiple dealers and sources. It can be an issue if the engine locks up when driving
Incident date: Aug 13, 2026
The vehicle has 178k miles on it currently. I had to have a transmission and transfer case replaced at 68k miles. Done by Subaru. At 168k miles I had to have a new front pump in the transmission case replaced. Repair done by Subaru. Now at 178k miles the second replacement transmission has completely failed and needs replaced.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
Vehicle started hard shifting while driving and noticed hard shifts when slowing down. Vehicle then began to lose power while driving. Display screen has issues at times screen will only display blue or stay in backup camera mode.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
I own a 2025 Kia EV6 Wind RWD. At approximately 14,655 miles, the vehicle experienced a confirmed Integrated Charging Control Unit (ICCU) failure that resulted in loss of 12-volt charging and reduced motive power. On August 1, 2026, while reversing the vehicle, I heard a loud pop from underneath the rear seating area. Immediately afterward, the red 12-volt battery warning light illuminated and th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2026
I’m gettin solenoid 6 stuck codes
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
While driving southbound on the [XXX] in a rented 2023 Kia EV6 from The Hertz Corporation, picked up in [XXX] on XXX, the vehicle entered "Power Limited" mode without warning. The vehicle lost normal propulsion and decelerated from highway speed to a crawl, forcing 4-5 emergency stops onto the highway shoulder over several miles while semi-trucks passed at 70+ mph in live traffic, with two minor c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
What happened is i bought a truck that Ford knows good & well has a defective CDF drum and outer shell but they refuse to issue a recall to fix the transmissions in those year models! Yet in late 2022 they acknowledged the problem and updated the 22+ year models with the correct parts while leaving those of us with the prior 4yrs of trucks out in the cold! My truck is currently undergoing getting ... Read more
Incident date: May 12, 2026
Went to speed up as I was approaching a ramp going uphill and almost towards the top the truck decided to down shift to first gear going about 45 mph. No accident occurred as no one was around me.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
My transmission completely went out at 130,000 miles. We had to buy a whole new transmission. It has had regular maintenance on it. Rpm would skyrocket the car wouldn’t move. Then it would finally go but not very fat or will. It also was making a terrible grinding noise
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
I am filing this complaint regarding a severe safety hazard and prolonged failure to resolve an official recall repair by the manufacturer and dealership. In April 2026, the vehicle was brought to the dealership for an official recall repair. The repair was delayed for 2 months. In June 2026, after the dealership confirmed completion, I retrieved the vehicle. While driving on the highway, the che... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2023
I am reporting a serious recurring safety concern involving a 2017 Ford Fusion SE with a 1.5L EcoBoost engine. The vehicle was purchased used in August 2022 with approximately 50,000 miles. Within months, significant coolant and engine problems began. In February 2023, at approximately 55,940 miles, the vehicle developed a coolant leak. A pressure test confirmed the water pump was leaking and it ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Dart. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V674000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The contact had not exper... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); the transmission abruptly downshifted to a lower gear soon after leaving the dealer. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that prior to the recall repair, the vehicle experienced the failure and discovered the recall upon in... Read more
Incident date: Jul 27, 2026
Manufacturer hidden issues on vehicle on: Air system including compressor, air tank capacity volume and consumption, or valves. Automatic transmission air consumption and possible module or valves leaking air. Involved in crash and sensitive information available in black box and company Dash camera.
Crash
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
On three separate occasions between August 2025 and June 2026, my car engine revved continuously and noisily, and acceleration was sluggish at best. During that time frame, I took it to two different dealerships (on four separate occasions) and an independent auto repair shop. None was able to duplicate the problem, but on my third visit to a dealership, the technician found metal shavings in th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
While driving, the automatic transmission started to act up. The truck would attempt to go into 3rd gear but would bypass it to 4th, similar action around 7/8th gear. When pressing the accelerator at times, the truck would not switch gears or increase speed. A warning light did appear on the dashboard, indicating a problem. A code reader indicated two possible issues related to the transmission. ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 26, 2026
The driveshaft separated resulting in a loss of motive power while we were driving on the highway at around 65-70mph. We heard/felt vibrations, and a harsh noise then a loud popping noise right before/ during the failure. Then heard dragging as we came toward the guard rail. It caused a loss of control of the vehicle almost causing us to crash. We were able to pull to the side of the road while t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Truck feels like it is going over rumble strips when accelerating. There is a NTHSA bulletin for this. 21-NA-047
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact's parents own a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from sixth gear to second gear, causing the vehicle to jolt and the wheels to lock up. The brake pedal was depressed, but the wheels remained locked, causing the vehicle to crash into the rear of another vehicle, which then struck a second vehicle. No warning light w... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the repair failed to prevent a failure. The contact stated that while driving approximately 10 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle, and the vehicle failed to move as intended while shifting gears. In addition, the contac... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle had not experienced a failure associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the vehicle was taken to the dealer to be inspected and serviced under the recall repair to keep the vehicle up to date. The contact stated that after the recall repair was performed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part 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 o... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
Transmission shudders until it gets warm, then it slips when accelerating after it's warmed up. Sometimes it goes completely out of gear. I've had the recall update done on the TCM and it made it worse. It has been confirmed by a service center. There are no messages or warning lights and it started slipping 6-8 months ago and has gotten worse. I cannot drive it currently.
Incident date: May 3, 2026
While driving, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled and lost power. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership for diagnosis, where the same stalling condition was reproduced and confirmed during a dealer road test. The vehicle had to be towed back to the dealership, where the engine was found to be seized. The sudden loss of power while driving created a serious safety concern because the veh... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
Coolant is leaking into the head causing engine failure. This car has fewer than 60,00 miles. From what I have read this is a common problem and is due to a manufacturer’s design flaw. Ford refused to help me in any way when I contacted them. When I took the vehicle to the dealership they informed me that the engine would need to be replaced. The bill would be $13,000.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2025
In November 2025 vehicle began experiencing intermittent instances of rough shifting when the engine was under strain due to mountain driving. Since we do not live in the mountains, we returned home and waited to see if it would replicate. Vehicle began intermittently, replicating, hard shifting when coming out of Park. At that time an appointment was made with a local transmission shop in June 20... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
A severe, pre-existing life-safety defect and unauthorized structural modification were discovered on my 2024 Toyota Corolla . Following a routine diagnostic check for vehicle pulling, certified Toyota technicians discovered that the vehicle's primary fuel line had been dangerously altered and was held together underneath the chassis by an unsecured wire clothes hanger. The vehicle was immediately... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
10R80 transmission will jerk and hard shift randomly at times. Also appears to get stuck in gear and/or downshift at inappropriate times.
Incident date: Jun 24, 2026
The automatic transmission on my 2021 Chevrolet Tahoe (gasoline engine, 10-speed 10L80 transmission) has been exhibiting intermittent slipping/skipping during gear changes, particularly during acceleration and deceleration. The transmission component is available for inspection upon request. The malfunction poses a safety risk as the unexpected hesitation and rough shifting creates unpredictable ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2026
My 2022 BMW X5 is having the transfer case star to fail. Where the symptoms currently are at is the car has a shudder in certain situations. I can feel it when maneuvering at slow speeds and I can feel it at times at speed or when on a steep hill. I bought the extended warranty for the car and the maintenance package for the vehicle. I'm at 68k miles and the shudder started before that but I ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 13, 2026
Subject: Formal Customer Complaint – 2025 Ford F-150 Powertrain Malfunction / Reduced Power I am requesting that Ford Motor Company open a formal Customer Relationship Center case concerning an unresolved powertrain malfunction affecting my 2025 Ford F-150. Vehicle: 2025 Ford F-150 VIN: [XXX] Mileage: Approximately 19,215 miles Servicing Dealer: Gary Yeomans Ford, Daytona Beach, Florida On XX... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the messages "Stabili-trak" and "Power Steering" displayed on the instrument panel, and the traction control warning light illuminated. Additionally, the transmission display switched from drive(D) to park(P) while driving, causing the vehicle to decelerate and stall. The rear-view camera also ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 11, 2026
Check engine light would come on vehicle was not running well, seemed to stall. When I turned off the car I could hear liquid moving around from inside the vehicle. I am a Mom so I am driving with my 2 small children constantly and worried about their safety. The problem was confirmed by the dealership as well as an independent service center.
Incident date: Jul 22, 2026
Was to be paid off in September and give our family some financial relief ,but the very end of July the transmission went in this car is what ford told me. They forgot to mention that the motor was about to go as well. We paid 60,000 in payments. To get screwed over by my local Ford! We had just left Canada wonderland on the 400 series in Canada. My car completely died. We were able to coast to si... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 13, 2026
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
On the transmission for the 8-speed I'm wondering why mine hasn't been recalled when all the others have been recalled were made the same basically time. And I'm having the same issues as those other transmissions
Incident date: Dec 6, 2025
My Jeep was subject to a recall for a failing Power Steering Unit (PSU). Before the recall was announced, the PSU failed and I paid for the repair at an authorized Jeep dealership. Jeep is now refusing reimbursement, stating they will only reimburse once a recall remedy becomes available. The vehicle has since been totaled in a crash unrelated to the PSU repair, so I can no longer receive the rec... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2025) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 13, 2026
Incident date: Apr 15, 2026
Truck vibrates at speeds from 25-45 mph while maintaining speed