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
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
May 8, 2026
Incident date: Apr 4, 2024
Vehicle was driven for 5 minutes before alerting that it was overheating. While attempting to pull into a safe location off of a main road, the vehicle would not allow me to accelerate. This left our family stranded in the turn lane. I was unable to restart the engine or shift into drive.
Incident date: May 7, 2026
Vehicle was determined to be unsafe to operate per inspection performed by Mike Maroone Chevrolet on 8/26/24 immediately after I purchased from Rocky Mountain Auto Brokers in Colorado Springs on 8/8/26. It was discovered by customer immediately after sale that bank 2 catalytic converter was restricted internally (after Rocky Mountain failed to correctly diagnose and repair 3 times before and after... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
My 2019 Dodge Durango R/T began experiencing drivetrain and warning system issues after collision/body repairs were completed by a repair facility. The original repair work involved suspension/body-related repairs and did not originally include documented transfer case or internal drivetrain damage. At the time I picked the vehicle up from the repair facility, the tire pressure monitoring system ... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
My 2019 Jaguar E-PACE is showing code P26CB related to coolant pump performance. The vehicle is experiencing the same coolant/water pump failure symptoms reported in similar Jaguar vehicles, but my VIN was excluded from coverage. This issue creates risk of overheating, engine damage, and possible loss of power while driving. I believe additional affected VINs may not have been included because my ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLC 300
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
May 8, 2026
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Vehicle tipm shut off transmission while driving an cause a traffic jam on a busy intersection caused the transmission system to go in limp mode an no breaks. Was very dangerous lucky I had a hand break that worked cause engine to shut off an studder had to get towed an transported the vehicle home an got it inspected by a mobile mechanic an says the fuse box had blown internal components due to f... Read more
Incident date: Oct 29, 2025
-Transmission locked - broken output shaft ring gear weld. -Yes its available for inspection. -Vehicle came to complete stop in middle of freeway as if emergency brake was applied unknowingly. Could be bad if going around corner or downhill -Problem confirmed by dealer -No -No warning signs or check engine light
Incident date: Feb 5, 2026
Thermo Control Valve Failure- Contact Subaru of Cherry Hill, NJ for Inspection 177,4XX Miles P26A5 code Check engine Light on, Disabled Safety Systems (Eyesight System), Car may have overheated if not pulled over and turned off. Part of warranty extension but did not qualify due to mileage.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
I have been having issues related to my transmission. It is similar to the issue with the current open recall where I jump back and forwardl. I had it inspected by a transmisson company, and they stated I needed a transmission overhaul possibly releated to the issue. Ford wants me to pay for a diagnostic fee. I thought they are supposed to pay for the repair for the recall.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Noticed noise. Took to dealer. Dealer confirmed bad front pinion/bearing and need front differential. Will be very dangerous if not fixed! Dealer has had this issue before and online forums state big issues
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The issue involves the vehicle’s drivetrain and hybrid/electronic control system, where the car suddenly jerked forward in stop-and-go traffic on the freeway as if it had been struck from behind. Immediately following this event, the vehicle would not accelerate beyond approximately 40 mph, indicating a loss of normal power. This created a significant safety risk, as the sudden jerking could hav... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
the sound of the front axel is unbearable, the CLIK that produces when rotating the direction of the steering wheel is very strong. ... like the sound of the wind since it has not been It seals correctly and you can feel the sound of the wind The backup camera is completely dysfunctional at night; you can't see anything clearly at all.
Incident date: May 7, 2026
I bought my 2018 Toyota CHR back in November from a Mitsubishi dealership. When I first test drove it, it was making a weird whining noise, I was told it was the bearing and that they will fix it before I pick the vehicle up. They kept the car for several days to repair it and inspect it. A few days after picking the car up I started to hear a very low noise. I couldn’t describe the sound becaus... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2024) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
Transmission failure without any warning while driving. Vehicle engine immediately shut down resulting in no power and loss of power steering. Vehicle came to a complete stop within seconds. Fortunately I was on a country road with no traffic. Had I been traveling on a highway I could have been rear ended and suffered major injuries! I had to push the vehicle to the side of the road since there ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated when attempting to shift gears with no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the parts required to complete the recall repair were not yet available. The dealer was contacted . The vehicle was no... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Kia K5. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The failure occurred on several different occasions. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to get a diagnosis however, the failure cause was unidentifiable. The vehicle was not repair... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated to 10 MPH with no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to restart the vehicle following the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure milea... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
The transmissions down shifts extremely hard, causing an abrupt wheel speed reduction. It starts doing this after you have driven the vehicle about 15 minutes....before that it operates correctly but once you hit 15 minutes of drive time, it is neck jolting! Driver and Passenger Mirrors have a mind of their own. They will be in position, you start backing out of a spot and they start moving unti... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2015
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently shifted. The contact stated that the failure occurred when approaching a stop sign. The contact stated that the transmission shifted from first gear to fifth gear. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred only when the out... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
1 week after the BMW dealer replaced the battery under the warranty (after the car was towed due to the power loss from drive train malfunction) Engine Check, Drive train malfunction, and Oil level measurement inactive signals popped up again.
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
DESCRIPTION OF DEFECT: My 2017 Toyota Highlander experienced a complete transmission failure under normal driving conditions. The vehicle began showing symptoms including delayed shifting, hesitation when accelerating, and eventual loss of proper drivability. The issue was diagnosed by an authorized Toyota dealership, which confirmed internal transmission failure. The estimated repair cost provide... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving downhill, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle felt as if it were in neutral. The tachometer gauge revved up independently. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled to the side of the road. The contact opened the front hood and notic... Read more
MITSUBISHI
OUTLANDER
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: May 5, 2026
On April 16, 2026, within minutes of being released from a certified dealership, my 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300 suffered a sudden and total loss of propulsion while traveling at high speed on the Belt Parkway (NY). Despite depressing the accelerator, the vehicle failed to maintain speed and stalled in active traffic. This created an immediate life-safety hazard, forcing me to navigate across multip... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly hard shifted and the check engine warning light along with the reduced engine power warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with trouble codes P0700, indicating a transmission control module (TCM) failure, and P2717, indi... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2026
The contact owned a 2017 Ford F150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN). However, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH on a country road, the vehicle independently veered to the right, went down a ditch, and hit a tree. Both driver-side and front passenger-side air bags were deployed.... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
I am reporting a systemic safety fraud involving three critical points:1. INHERENT DEFECT & CRASH LINK: This vehicle has a pathological history of 6 transmission fluid changes starting from 308 miles and multiple alignment failures. There is strong suspicion of inherent defects in both the POWERTRAIN and REAR DRIVETRAIN/STEERING systems. These defects likely contributed to the previous owner's 5-s... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed on the highway, the vehicle unexpectedly downshifted to a lower gear, and an abnormally loud noise was heard from the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended and was rear-ended from behind. N... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 1, 2024
12/2020 First the TPS sensor failed at 1,000 miles and almost caused an accident. Would not go over 25mph, was shifting hard, and the service engine light was on. Verified and replaced at dealership. Second, the rear view camera stopped working while backing up and almost caused an accident - no back windows - major safety issue. Replaced by me as they have no replacement for it even though it... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
on 1/26/26 while driving my car started shaking. I felt unsafe driving and had the car towed to the dealership. They inspected the vehicle and could not notice the shaking but did perform recall service NTB25-05 as well as some additional items on the routine maintenance schedule. They said the recall was just an ECM software update and all should be well. 5 1/2 weeks later while driving out o... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
2016 Honda Civic EX-T 1.5L turbo. Coolant is disappearing with no visible external leak. Diagnosed by mechanic as likely head gasket failure. This is a known defect affecting 2016-2022 Civics with the 1.5T engine. There is an active class action lawsuit (Alcantara et al. v. American Honda Motor Co.) regarding this exact issue. Vehicle has approximately 190,000 miles.”
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
Driving down the highway in heavy traffic and the truck shutoff unexpectedly, I came to a complete stop and luckily avoided being rear ended and had to go from Drive and Park and recycle the ignition to restart the truck and limp off to a safe place.
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
2024 Ford F-150 Platinum PowerBoost Hybrid. Diagnostic codes for power steering loss and CAN bus communication faults documented at 337 miles, well within the 3-year/36,000-mile new vehicle warranty. The vehicle has been at a Ford dealer since March 10, 2026 for symptoms including the truck randomly turning off while driving and loss of power steering communication. As of this report, the truck h... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
Truck fails to accelerate when transmission is in second gear, travelling at low speed (typically under 10 MPH) and at low RPMs (typically ~1,500). Regardless of amount of pressure applied to accelerator, the truck will remain at low RPM and speed for up to 10 seconds. This problem occurs frequently and has been reproduced by a Ford dealer. Ford TSB 25-2302 describes this problem, but in my case... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2024
During acceleration from 40-60 miles per hour, there was a pronounced vibration/shudder through the front end of the vehicle. After taking it to the dealership, they advised both front axles would need to be replaced. The catastrophic failure of an axle is likely to cause a car crash. The problem has been identified by Ford Motor Company and also confirmed by the Ford Dealership where I got it ... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission independently shifted from sixth gear to fourth gear. In addition, the contact stated that an unknown warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000... Read more
ALFA ROMEO
STELVIO
(2018) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: May 1, 2025
I own a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 equipped with the 8-speed automatic transmission. The vehicle has developed serious transmission problems that create a safety concern. When the transmission is cold, the vehicle slips between 1st and 2nd gear during acceleration. If I accelerate normally, the transmission slips and then engages with a hard bang. I must accelerate very slowly to avoid harsh e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
While driving on the highway, there was a complete loss of power and steering. I was able to navigate to the side of the road. The vehicle would not start on multiple occasions, and no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was stated that the issue could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approxim... Read more
TOYOTA
SEQUOIA HYBRID
(2025) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4WD warning light illuminated, rendering the 4WD inoperable. The vehicle automatically switched to the Rear Wheel Drive mode. The vehicle was taken to both an independent mechanic and the dealer, who determined that the PTU had failed and needed to be replaced, but the part was on backorder. ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2024
I have a 2019 Chevrolet High Country, have always kept it serviced and maintained. Driving down the road it randomly lost power, wouldn't let me (driver) give gas, started shaking and making loud clanking noise from the engine. Was able to pull over to the side of the road, recorded the noise it was making. Called a tow company to get it towed to the nearest Chevrolet Dealer ship and they confirme... Read more
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The contact owns a a 2014 Chevrolet Spark. The contact stated that while on several occasions at various speeds, the transmission warning light illuminated and the vehicle lost power. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off for approximately 30 mins and then restarted. The contact stated that after 30 minutes to an hour the failure reoccurred. The vehicle taken to an indepen... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed as needing transmission fluid. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, the contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the vehicle was taken to another independent mecha... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Vehicle developed engine ticking/tapping noise followed by rough running and misfire condition. Independent repair facility performed engine teardown and found cylinder 4 exhaust camshaft lobe severely worn/damaged. Repair facility stated the exhaust roller follower/lifter needle bearings failed and fell out, causing the roller to seize and come off position, resulting in improper valve operation ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra Denali 1500. The contact stated that while driving at 73 MPH the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over safely. The driver was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not avai... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
I was driving on the highway and my check engine light came on. I pulled over and it told it was from engine control system. I had a computer connected to it and it came back the idle control system rpm higher than expected.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V896000(POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of ... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Zero warning lights, dash clusters only allowing two options to show, oil temperature reading 200degrees Fahrenheit or higher, floor board feels like the firewall is almost in the interior of the vehicle and not engine port. Upon performing a thorough investigation of my own, the manifold, intake valve and wires are visibly damaged and BURNT, coil two is visibly damaged and was smoking. The batter... Read more
Fire
Incident date: May 4, 2026
I was driving my 2022 F150 during the 5/5/2026 Northern Colorado blizzard home to Nebraska with Slippery mode selected on Drive Train Selector and the truck started violently rattling and seized, causing catastrophic drivetrain failure with loss of power and perceptible steering control. I immediately pulled off I80 near my fueling stop destination and turned off the truck. I opened the hood to ... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
My 2019 Ford Ranger is equipped with the 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission that experiences hard/erratic shifting (as if it can't decide what gear it wants to be in), jerking/lunging especially in 1-2 gear when making a brief stop-and-go (stop sign or a crosswalk). The first couple time it happened, it felt like I got rearended or hit a curb.
Incident date: Dec 18, 2025
Transmission shifts eradicate, jumps into gear (hard) Motor rpm raises high as transmission actually jumping , not smooth shifting into gear .
Incident date: May 4, 2026
I parked in a lot for about 30 minutes while taking a short hike. When I returned and started the truck the dash was black, no gauges, no PRND indication, nothing and the warning lights in the mirrors stayed illuminated continuously. We were in a National monument and decided to try and get back to the visitor center for someplace safe. When I placed the vehicle in what should have been reverse th... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The vehicle experiences sudden loss of motive power during acceleration. Between 30–60 mph, the transmission fails to upshift correctly, causing the engine RPMs to spike to 5000 while the vehicle fails to gain speed. This creates a severe safety hazard when merging into high-speed traffic. Additionally, the infotainment system frequently blackouts and reboots while driving, and there are intermi... Read more