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: Apr 16, 2026

I have a 2023 Toyota Highlander XSE with 77,015 miles on it. Last week we noticed that when pushing on the gas pedel to accelerate that the car started making a terrible whinning noise that did not go away. i scheduled a service call with dealership i purchased it from and where i take it for all of its scheduled service and they canfirmed that the transmission was failing and needed to be replace... Read more

Incident date: Aug 9, 2026

Hello, I have a 24-ford ranger raptor, this incident happened twice, I was driving approximately 60 MPH and vehicle on its own started changing drive modes. It switched itself to baja mode which is 4-wheel drive and very dangerous at these speeds. I took my truck to local ford dealer in Valencia Ca, Dealer stated no codes or issues found. This is deeply concerning to me; I Have family that also dr... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the check engine warning light illuminated shortly afterwards. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. The message “Slow Down - Service Shifter” was displayed. The contact associated the failure with TSB: (23-029-2... Read more

Incident date: Aug 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into a lower gear. Additionally, the transmission became stuck in the lower gear, and the wrench icon was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle was recently repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); and a software update was perfor... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

While driving on a family road trip, our vehicle check engine light came in and put the vehicle in limp mode. This happened a couple of times but luckily we were close enough to our home we were able to make it home safely. The code received was indicative of a Coolant Control Valve Failure. In discussions with the dealer, there is currently a special coverage out for this component failing but th... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2020

The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted to neutral(N); however, the transmission failed to shift as intended. The contact inspected under the hood of the vehicle and became aware that the transmission shifter cable had detached. The contact was able to reattach the transmission shifter cable bushing using medical tape a... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

Transmission started "clunking" and shifting erratically over a two week period before warning light came on that said "powertrain needs attention...contact dealer" Took the car to Monticello Ford in Monticello NY and they tested it based on diagnostic code and replaced filter and fluid. They reset the computer and told me to drive it for a week so computer could "relearn" driving habits. Drove tr... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

On XXX, my wife, who is [XXX] pregnant, was driving our brand new 2026 Toyota RAV4 Plug-In Hybrid (approximately 20 miles on the odometer) at 45 mph on a highway when the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of propulsion. What failed: The hybrid powertrain system shut down while the vehicle was in motion. The instrument cluster displayed "Hybrid System Malfunction Do Not Tow This Vehicle" along wit... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Tacoma. The contact stated that the transmission failed to operate properly while driving 35 MPH and attempting to accelerate. While driving uphill or downhill, the transmission was slow to shift into the intended gear, and the vehicle was slow to accelerate. Additionally, there was an abnormal sound while turning the steering wheel. While driving in the left lane wi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

This complaint concerns a serious, unresolved powertrain/propulsion safety defect in my 2023 Hyundai Santa Fe. While traveling approximately 70 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion and would not accelerate normally while surrounded by highway traffic.MOST IMPORTANTLY, THERE WAS NO WARNING OR ADVANCE INDICATION. No warning lights, messages, or symptoms appeared before the loss of propulsion. I... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

our transmission not shifting to next gear on highway acceleration— RPM"s climbs but speed doesn't match—is a serious drivability and safety issue. My car was in the dealership for this problem and it has returned. my wife was entering a highway and RPM's increased and t .transmission wouldn't shit to the next gear.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the transmission was sticking. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted, and the vehicle received a software update; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Hyundai Santa Fe. The contact stated that while reversing, the vehicle jerked and shuddered abnormally. Additionally, the transmission hesitated, and the vehicle almost stalled. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where the contact was informed that the Service Campaign Number: 9C2 was completed. The contact was informed that the upd... Read more

Incident date: Sep 19, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. While the contact’s wife was driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to 1st gear. During the failure, the vehicle abruptly decelerated and failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated the failure had occurred while driving at undisclosed speeds. The failure also occurred while the vehicle was idling at a stop light. During the failu... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P); however, the message “Shift to Park” was displayed. The gear shifter was moved back and forth, then shifted into park (P) before the proper gear was recognized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the gear shifter was replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The v... Read more

Incident date: Jul 13, 2026

The car has a blown head gasket at 72k miles the odometer. This seems to be a major problem with 2018-2022 honda accords with the 1.5 turbo engine. it also has a bad fuel pump.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

Warning light SVC 4WD and dashboard message 4WD System Unavailable Service Required. Jeep Dealer found diagnostic code C14A7. Dealer checked Power Transfer Unit (PTU) operation and PTU fails to acuate. Needs to be replaced and part ordered. Time for repair could not be determined. I was told at least two months, possibly longer. In researching this issue I found there is a safety recall for ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

My truck threw the code p0747 for fail valve body. When I do my research its a common problem. GM is stating my truck isnt covered.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

While driving the vehicle, the accelerator pedal was pressed but the vehicle failed to respond and did not accelerate, it simply rolled slowly as the engine continued to idle. The driver increased throttle input in an attempt to get the vehicle to accelerate. The vehicle continued to show no response to the additional throttle. After a delay, the vehicle suddenly resumed normal operation while th... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

Was traveling home and started losing power going up a hill on XXX. The truck was surging, the check engine light came on and an audible warning of no (low?) oil pressure. The truck shut off on a busy interstate highway and barely got onto the shoulder. The tow truck driver had to lay on the ground with part of his body in the lane of travel to place "skids" under the rear tires because there is n... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle to be serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); the vehicle started making a loud clunking sound while shifting from reverse or drive. The dealer was not made aware of the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 95,782.

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

While driving at highway speeds, my steering wheel physically binds, catches and then suddenly jerks when trying to make normal adjustments. This creates an unpredictable control hazard. This is similar to NHTSA Recall 24V-744 and Honda TSB 24-011. The internal steering gearbox is binding due to the same design & manufacturing tolerances.

Incident date: Jun 28, 2026

The vehicle was parked stationary in the driveway with the engine running for 3-5 minutes with the A/C on. The vehicle then accelerated forward into my garage causing damage. Once I entered the vehicle, both the dash and shifter displayed park. Current TCU system internal failures have been reported from the pulling of data from Mazda.

Crash

Incident date: Jun 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. In addition, the power train warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 29, 2019

The contact owns a 2011 Ford F-150. While driving 50 MPH, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted into first gear and the rear wheels locked up. The contact stated that while in third gear, the vehicle shifted to fourth gear unexpectedly. The transmission failed to shift above fifth gear. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear. After turning off the vehicle, t... Read more

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

The cars transmission has become very jerky at low speeds. The drive train will either hesitate or rev without power for a couple seconds. The problem started at around 14k miles.

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 GMC Canyon. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 - 20 MPH, the message to decelerate immediately was displayed on the instrument panel, and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to 1st gear. The failure had occurred several times, at times while driving 75 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to replace the valve body and solenoid. The second time ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. 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 attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle felt like the parking brake... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

The high-voltage battery system (this is a plug-in hybrid) began intermittently displaying a "battery not properly charging" warning approximately 6 months ago; the issue would resolve after plugging in and charging. On July 14, 2026, while driving, the vehicle displayed a "critical battery failure - pull over immediately and drive slowly" warning. The driver pulled over and shut off the vehicle; ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

Car lost power while driving and came to a slow stop, was unable to accelerate. This was dangerous and I was on a relatively busy street will a small shoulder. Car made no noises or gave any warnings prior to this issue. Car engine was eventually able to powered back on, engine light now shows, along with power system light

Incident date: Dec 19, 2025

I am reporting a safety concern involving the transmission in my 2022 Ford Bronco Sport equipped with the 1.5L engine and 8-speed automatic transmission (8F35). I purchased this vehicle new in May 2022 with approximately 6 miles on it. At approximately 83,000 miles, the vehicle displayed a “Powertrain Malfunction/Reduced Power” warning through FordPass. The notification stated that a transmis... Read more

Incident date: Aug 10, 2026

Driving along and it felt as if I were driving over a rumble strip. It stopped after a while, but later that evening I felt it again, but this time the shudder was stronger and it sounded almost like a loud bird chirping. I slowed and the noise stopped, but drove home slowly through the neighborhood in case something happened. I took it to the mechanic and he suggested trading it in before it g... Read more

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

GMC should be haulted from selling trucks with the 6.2L engine. My brand new 2026 GMC Yukon Denali engine imploded on the Interstate going 75mph that nearly killed my entire family. No warning, just out of no where died on the highway, with 4K miles on it. This is sadly going to get someone critically injured and when is enough going to be enough? GMC has some explaining to do, when they charge... Read more

Incident date: Jul 3, 2026

Incident date: Aug 9, 2026

On XXX, at approximately 6:30 PM, my wife was driving our 2025 Hyundai Santa Fe Hybrid on [XXX] when the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion power. It would not accelerate past approximately 55 mph. With the accelerator pedal pressed fully to the floor, the vehicle did not gain speed. I drove the vehicle myself the same day, immediately after she arrived home, to verify the problem, and I reproduced... Read more

Incident date: Aug 9, 2026

Our 2025 Ram Rebel stalled on a 55-mph curve on a busy freeway. Fearful, I deliberately drifted the vehicle to the right side of the road looking for an emergency lane. The truck regained momentum and I drove it another 10 miles. Coming to a stop, I heard mechanical griding and felt the truck shudder. I drove it home. My husband took the truck, and the same griding and shuddering happened to him t... Read more

Incident date: Jul 25, 2026

While traveling at 75 mph, our SUV suddenly lost power going uphill. We barely reached the crest and were able to coast down to a safe place off the highway. We were stranded 300 miles from home and nearly 100 miles from the closest Cadillac dealership, sitting on the side of the highway with my family for three hours before someone could pick us up. The cause was a catastrophic bearing failure in... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

When driving my vehicle, it severely downshifts and whiplashes/jerks you. We no longer drive it and have parked it and no longer feel safe. No lights came on dash to give us any type of warning.

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

The transmission (CVT) in my 2018 Toyota C-HR failed at 101,740 miles, approximately 5,000 miles and 2 months after I purchased the vehicle used. The vehicle began making a whining/rotary noise while driving. I took it to Toyota of Downtown Chicago (RO [XXX], 7/28/2026), where the technician test-drove the vehicle, confirmed the noise originates from the transmission, and recommended full CVT repl... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

Our 2020 Ford Edge SEL has experienced ongoing shuddering and hesitation while driving. The Ford dealership inspected the vehicle and diagnosed the torque converter as the likely cause, recommending approximately $4,500 in repairs. The torque converter has not been replaced and is available for inspection. We obtained a second opinion from an independent repair shop, which replaced the EGR sensors... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2025

On the 26th of April 2026, the transfer Case on my 2020 Grand Cherokee (with less 114,000 miles) failed during highway travel. This resulted in a sudden downshift and temporary deceleration followed by illumination of “Service 4wd” display. A short time after, the “Service Electronic Stability Control” indicator displayed followed by another downshift and the unattended transition of t... Read more

Incident date: Apr 14, 2026

At 72,000 miles the rear differential failed. Repair required else car could abruptly stop rolling, become uncontrollable and cause a serious wreck. The part is over $5,000

Incident date: May 20, 2026

Wife was going to the store engine lost power and died prior to that steering got loose like trying to turn itself, towed to dealer inspected dealer cleaned throttle returned vehicle after cost of 807.00 and drove van to church tailgate would not open without vehicle running, got home turned off windshield washers operated brittle with key off, remote key system problem displayed also hill hold, b... Read more

Incident date: May 16, 2026

Ön teker sağ ve sol teker bağlantı yerleri sübvansiyon bağlantı yerleri aşırı paslanma var. tesadüfen gördüm arabam 61500 mile

Incident date: Jun 18, 2026

Truck is randomly switching to Baja mode which engages the 4wheel drive making steering difficult

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

The problematic 9 speed transmission failed at 72,000 miles on [XXX]. GM required a flush due to the significant shudder problems in the transmissions. This was performed on this vehicle at 32,000 miles. GM knows the is issues. The car brought to Gerald Jones GM in Graniteville, SC and GM/Buick customer service was contacted 5/22/26 and after. The transmission failed when traveling on busy hi... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

While driving my Audi Q6 e-tron on the highway, the vehicle experienced a sudden and complete loss of propulsion and nearly all vehicle electrical/display functions. The instrument cluster and dashboard went completely black, and the vehicle would no longer respond to accelerator input. I was able to get the vehicle to the side of the highway. After the failure, the vehicle could not be restarted... Read more

Incident date: Feb 12, 2026

2021 ford ranger 98160 millas firts time buy 01 19 2022 transmition went out 7 2 2026, my factory defect

Incident date: Jun 21, 2026

The car suffered a long crank, then stalled completely while moving on a public road, which is a severe safety hazard.

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

I purchased my 2018 Audi SQ5 on September 12, 2025, from Audi Denver (McDonald Automotive Group). On XXX, at 114,145 miles, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic engine failure while driving on the highway near [XXX], caused by defective rocker arm needle bearings in the 3.0T EA839 V6 engine. The early-design needle bearings disintegrated within the cylinder head, scattering loose metal r... Read more

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Vehicle Safety

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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

Read more from our blog