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 12, 2026

Vehicle flashes Auto Start Stop icon on the dashboard, which is not commonplace. When this occurs, the vehicle can not accelerate when the accelerator is actuated. The vehicle can not accelerate past 40mph and the RPM is sporadic. This happens randomly and can not be diagnosed by the dealership. Multiple dealerships have tried and none can duplicate this issue. This is a severe safety concern and ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while attempting to move the gear shifter, the vehicle hesitated while shifting into neutral(N) or drive(D) as intended, and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had reoccurred. The vehicle was towed to a local independent mechanic, where... Read more

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission downshifted and upshifted erratically. The power train and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train), and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the PCM software update was performed; however, the f... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving approximately 75 MPH, the vehicle lost drive power. The vehicle decelerated and was coasted over to the side of the road. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights flashed on the instrument panel while the vehicle was decelerating. While on the side of the road, the check engine warning light remained illuminat... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

2024 Honda CR-V Hybrid with approximately 91,000 miles. Vehicle is less than two years old, has received all required maintenance and mileage is predominantly highway driving. I experienced intermittent chugging/rough engine operation, particularly when the gasoline engine engaged at light throttle. There was no check-engine light. The vehicle subsequently displayed: “POWER REDUCED - Shutter gr... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2023

The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted and remained stuck in first gear. The contact was able to drive to a residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where a transmission recall associated with the failure was completed. Additionally, the contact was informed that the leadframe needed to be replaced; however, ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the vehicle experienced a failure after the recall repair was performed. The contact stated that while the vehicle was stopped in third gear, the speedometer was at zero while the RPM was at 5,000 RPM. The check engine and transmission warni... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN). After retrieving the vehicle, the contact discovered that the parking brake was activated, and the vehicle failed to respond while attempting to reverse. The local dealer was not yet notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet contacted. The failure m... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2024

The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into 4WD Low. The traction control and ABS warning lights were illuminated. The contact was concerned about the safety while driving the vehicle. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The local dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the part... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

Vehicle is very jerky while transmission is downshifting. With no pressure applied to gas pedal vehicle lurches forward on own forcing me to step on brakes to correct lunging forward. At parking lot speeds and while in reverse vehicle is very sluggish and feels like stalling will occur if pressure is not applied to gas pedal. Vehicle is also sluggish and does not respond right away while enteri... Read more

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

Transmission failed at 38,000 miles. Downshifted violently while driving and couldn't keep up with the 35mph speed limit. Was luckily not on a highway or far from home. Dealership noted it's a common valve body issue in the transmission. No inspections, vehicle has a branded title (hail) and Chevy claims no responsibility for the transmission failure. 0 warning signs or issues.

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

This has now happened 3 separate times. Once 1 month ago, my husband and I were on the connecting road from [XXX] toward [XXX] by the water plants stopped in traffic and the truck completely powered off at a red light. It took 30 seconds for the truck to power back on, and be restarted. It showed a check engine light the rest of the drive. The next time it turned on from being off there was no che... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

My 2026 BMW X5 xDrive50e experienced a serious freeway safety event involving loss of braking/brake power, loss of vehicle power/functionality, and multiple vehicle warnings/errors. The incident occurred while I was driving on the freeway and substantially affected my ability to safely operate the vehicle. BMW Emergency Services subsequently towed the vehicle to Irvine BMW on 07/09/2026. Irvine B... Read more

1 injured

Incident date: Nov 21, 2025

The systems affected appear to be engine, powertrain, and vehicle speed control. My 2014 Kia Forte, VIN [XXX] has approximately 118,000 miles. Since purchase in November2025 from Wondries Toyota, the vehicle has had repeated high RPM, poor acceleration, and loss of power when entering freeway on-ramps and driving uphill. It struggles to accelerate while merging into faster traffic, creating a saf... Read more

Incident date: Nov 20, 2023

At approximately 85,000 miles, the engine in my 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 seized. The vehicle was parked when it occurred. Inability to start. This created a safety risk because an engine seizure can cause sudden loss of propulsion in traffic. Before the failure, I did not notice any red flags. The problem was inspected and confirmed by a GMC dealer, which diagnosed the condition as an engine seizure. ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 20, 2023

At approximately 85,000 miles, the engine in my 2019 GMC Sierra 1500 seized. The vehicle was parked when it occurred. This created a safety risk because an engine seizure can cause sudden loss of propulsion in traffic. Before the failure, I didn't notice anything that would raise any alarms. The problem was inspected and confirmed by a GMC dealer, which diagnosed the condition as an engine seizure... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

Car was going into neutral unexpectedly with a message of "two gears selected". Very disorienting as with the one pedal driving mode I was expecting the car to slow and kept moving faster than expected. Luckily nothing happened as I jammed on my breaks. I was reversing towards a hill in my yard that leads to some woods Brought the car to the dealership, and they said the transmission control modu... Read more

Incident date: May 13, 2026

When shifting from 3rd to 4th gear, the trucks RPM jumps and then downshifts into first gear. This happens around 40 mph and has almost caused two accidents for me.

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

I started the car and got the warning "check electric vehicle system." The car then lost power. It would only go 27mph with the accelerator pedal pushed all the way to the floor. My safety was at risk because my car was not responding appropriately to driver input. The car is at the dealership as it is undriveable in this condition. This is the second incident with this vehicle within 6 months... Read more

Incident date: Jul 26, 2026

The steering wheel became extremely difficult for my husband to turn. Power steering went out on my 2025 Honda Pilot Trailsport. Numerous warnings were then displayed on the vehicle's dashboard screen, it was impossible to drive, and caused us to have to get towed. We had it towed to a Honda dealer for repair, where it was discovered that the steering wheel had more turns in one direction than the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Lincoln Aviator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH, the vehicle shutoff while coming to a complete stop, with an abnormally rough grinding sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted after several attem... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

On [XXX], while driving my 2023 Cadillac Escalade ESV from the Salt Lake City area toward Las Vegas, the vehicle developed a serious loss-of-power condition in Utah. I contacted OnStar, exited the highway, and waited at a gas station. OnStar arranged towing to a Cadillac dealership. GM records document the tow at approximately 56,644 miles. At the dealership, I reported the loss of power. After i... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

I scheduled an appointment for a recall on my truck. The appt was set for Monday. The dealership in Pensacola, FL picked up my vehicle and claims they do not have the ability to service the recall. However, prior to scheduling the appt, the truck was driven from Seguin, TX to Pensacola without any issues because we have a family emergency with my father in the hospital. Upon arriving in Pensacola,... Read more

Incident date: Nov 21, 2025

The front driveshaft universal joint failed causing the drive shaft to bust a hole in the engine and crack the transmission. There was no knocking noise prior to failure. It suddenly failed, disengaged and caused damage. I was told by service manager the u-bolt must have been defective to have failed without warning.

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

Subject: Formal Dispute: Warranty Breach and Failure to Repair – 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe Timeline & Facts:11/2/25 (~52,000 miles): I officially reported an intermittent loss of power and severe engine revving (up to 7,000 RPM). This created a severe safety hazard when merging and accelerating from an idle stop.3/28/26 (Under 60k miles): After months of diagnostic delays, Hyundai confirmed the Dual... Read more

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

My 2021 Ford Edge is experiencing a severe transmission defect. When accelerating between 22 mph and 35 mph, the vehicle hesitates, stumbles, and shudders violently (transmission shudder). The transmission struggles to engage gears properly, causing unexpected jerking and a sudden loss of acceleration power. This behavior creates a dangerous driving hazard when merging into traffic or changing lan... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

I am reporting a safety concern involving my 2018 Honda Accord. I purchased my vehicle used in January 2024 at approximately 90,000 miles and have kept up with the recommended maintenance during my ownership. At approximately 120,000 miles, a Honda dealership diagnosed head-gasket failure with coolant intrusion involving cylinders 3 and 4. Before diagnosis, the vehicle experienced rising engine te... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

Vehicle was parked on the driveway, brake sign came on upon start and system malfunction error showed on screen, vehicle started lowering automatically and Air compressor stopped working.

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

My vehicle has had this issue 2 times since it was purchased, the first time at 800 miles on the bike and the second time at 1050 miles on the bike. While driving at highway speeds 70 mph the automatic transmission just shifted into neutral, leaving me in the middle of traffic and trying to get off the highway safely.there was no sign of any trouble until it happened both times. The second time it... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

While operating the vehicle, the transmission suffered an abrupt failure resulting in Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0720 (Output Speed Sensor Circuit). Further diagnostic inspection revealed a complete internal failure of the integrated valve body assembly, which houses the Transmission Control Module (TCM), solenoids, and output speed sensors. The failure caused an immediate loss of gear select... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

Cdf drum went bad had to have transmission replaced because of how hard it was shifting

Incident date: Nov 2, 2025

The transmission started a whining noise 2022 approx 10k miles it got worse. I took it toyota and got an estimate for 10k plus to replace transmition which is probably what the car is worth.

Incident date: Jun 17, 2026

While driving my 2026 Toyota Camry LE Hybrid at approximately 10 mph in a parking lot, the vehicle accelerated on its own without any input from me. I applied hard braking to bring the vehicle under control. No collision occurred. The specific component or system that failed is UNKNOWN — I suspect the speed control, powertrain, or electrical throttle system, but this has not yet been diagnosed. ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Hyundai Santa Fe. 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 lunged forward. In addition, the vehicle almost stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicat... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear, causing the powertrain warning light to illuminate. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train), and the vehicle was taken to a dealer where the PCM software update was completed; however, the failure recurre... Read more

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

Was low on oil and check oil light don't go on have to put oil very 2 week because it get low and I don't have no oil leak at all I found out because the motor start shaking and making noise tow it home and mechanical came to check it out and didn't have oil he say I was lurking I was not in the highway because it could lock the mortar and cause a accident

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

The internal mechanical failure of the Ford 10r80 transmission due to design fault causes unsafe driving conditions as the transmission stalls (fails to power at request) or lunges (powers forward without driver input) causing unsafe conditions for vehicle occupants and nearby vehicular & pedestrian traffic. My vehicle exhibits two well known and documented conditions; stalling and lunging forwar... Read more

Incident date: Jun 13, 2026

My PTU/transfer case has failed and our Jeep is currently in the shop. They are stating that this exact issue is part of an ongoing recall and that our vehicle should also be added to the recall list due to this part being the exact reason for the recall. They told me that it is unsafe to drive due to power transfer failure while driving, and potential vehicle rollaway. The problem initially was s... Read more

Incident date: May 4, 2026

Out of the blue my service 4 wheel drive indicator came up and I have been having power issues ever since. Everything points to my car should be u see this recall but it is not. This was a non collision related issue with my car. With the price of PTU replacements, I would like to have my vehicle included in the recall due to it checking all of the boxes.

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

I have 40,000 miles on this truck and the torque converter shutters when towing, the transmission is slow to shift fome 3-4. No one has looked at it. Since its out of warranty I am just going to run it until it fails.

Incident date: May 20, 2026

At around 27K miles the two front CV axles began to fail. I brought it to the Ford dealership and they confirmed that both needed to be replaced. It was a $1600 repair. There have been a lot of complaints from Ford Maverick owners who have had CV axle failures at very low miles on their vehicles. These parts typically last 100K to 150K miles and it's not unusual for them to last the lifetime o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle shuddered. The contact was concerned that the vehicle would independently accelerate and engaged the parking brake. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V674000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet availab... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

Transmission failed/malfunctioned. Available for inspection. Safety at risk due to driving on busy road when transmission failed and car wouldn't move. Transmission recall for VIN [XXX] Vehicle component has not been inspected. No warning of any kind prior to failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle was running rough and the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the transmission made an abnormal sound while starting the vehicle and while driving, and the torque converter was shuddering. The contact and his father di... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

I was driving my 2019 Chevy Silverado TrailBoss with 81,000 miles at 65MPH on I-80 East in Omaha, NE, when 3 warning lights came on. The first was the Service Parking Brake. The second was Service ESC. The final was a flashing Check Engine light. My truck started backfiring/misfiring, making a loud ticking noise, and running extremely rough. I was trying to merge off the interstate, but it was... Read more

Incident date: Sep 24, 2025

Vehicle randomly hesitates to shift (slip/flare), usually from 3-4 or 8-9 gears. It is sometimes accompanied by a clunk/slam before/after engaging the higher numbered gear. It seems to happen more often when the transmission is at/approaching normal operating temperature. The slip/flare has been becoming more frequent and is now randomly accompanied by the clunk/slam. I first noticed the slip/... Read more

Incident date: Apr 12, 2026

Transmission Valve Body failure. - Caused wheels to lockup momentarily and killed the engine with sudden loss of propulsion. Link to video of incident: [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

Vehicle was traveling at highway speeds when the transmission decided to shift from 10th gear into 1st gear at 70mph. Had vehicle at dealership and the transmission had to be replaced. Could have destroyed the motor or caused massive accident on highway shifting into 1st gear at 70mph.

Incident date: Aug 11, 2026

Fwd service light is on and my jeep keeps jerking and at times acts like it doesn’t want to go

Incident date: Aug 12, 2026

The contact's son owns a 2013 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while her son was driving 30 MPH, the vehicle stalled with an unknown message displayed on the instrument panel. The contact's son pulled off to the shoulder of the road and restarted the vehicle. The vehicle was restarted and went into LIMP Mode and drove slowly back to the residence. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired.... 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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