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
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
I own a 2019 Honda HR-V that has been consistently maintained at Honda dealerships, including proactive transmission fluid changes every 30,000–40,000 miles. At approximately 104,700 miles, during a routine maintenance visit, the dealer diagnosed a failing CVT transmission. Technicians identified metal debris in the transmission, indicating internal deterioration. This condition is consistent w... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
I have had this car for 6 years and the transmission has gone out on top of the purge valve, I have seen many people have the same issues with this model and year of this car. THIS NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED. I also see that there is a lawsuit against this issue with the transmission model 6F35
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
1. While driving my 2021 Ford Bronco Sport, Big Bend, the automatic transmission (Ford 8F35 8-speed automatic) experienced internal mechanical failure. The vehicle lost the ability to engage reverse gear and the check engine light illuminated. Ford authorized dealer Koons Woodbridge Ford [XXX] ) confirmed the failure under Repair Order #38386 with the finding: "VERIFIED CONCERN. THE TRANSMISSI... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal grinding sound was coming from under the vehicle. The 4-Wheel warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a PTU failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Maserati Quattroporte. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the transmission would randomly shift into the manual position. Also, while driving the message "Service Parking Brake" had remain displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a software update but the failures continued to occurred. The manufacturer was notified of the failures... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2026) — POWER TRAIN
May 4, 2026
Incident date: May 3, 2026
One day out of the blue, my Jeep Wrangler received a "Service Shifter" error code. The error code threw about 40 other codes at the same time. Loss of power steering, loss of abs, engine kept revving on its own, windshield wipers turned on. While in park it felt as if it was trying to shift itself into other gears. Loss of steering while driving as well as the engine revving up and down while on t... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Car was making whining sound with acceleration at 62k miles. Dealer told me I need to spend 8k on a replacement.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2022
218 Ford F150 5.0L 4X4 with 10R80 transmission. While accelerating from stop light and attempting to merge into highway traffic flow, transmission shifted to 4 gear and failed to actually change gears resulting on a massive loss of momentum and causing a dangerous situation for myself and other motorists. This was an unknown problem to me, but after doing some research, a very well known problem... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, a loud rattling noise was heard coming from the vehicle, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number 23V896000 (Power Train); however, the parts required to perform the recall repair were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to multiple dealers, ... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Ford Bronco. The contact stated that while coming to a stop, the vehicle would unexpectedly lunge forward and hesitate, with no warning lights illuminated. The contact also stated that a loud, abnormal rattling noise was coming from the soft top area of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, it was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmi... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
My 2014 Ford Escape was part of a recall in 2023 concerning the transmission shifter cable bushing. I took the car to [XXX] Ford in [XXX] . According to [XXX] Ford, the part was fixed. However, just last week, the bushing failed as I was backing out of my driveway. I had the vehicle towed to [XXX] Ford in [XXX] . The repair for the bushing is going to costs me over $458, for a repair that was ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
All lights on head dash are on , all components are not working properly or effected because of this. (Engine light brake light abs light tire light traction control light , sensors out all) while driving vechile reduces power does not operate randomly , have to pull over shut the car off and turn it back on. Has high vibrations lot of shaking, stauling. I have had it looked at with multiple shops... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
I was driving on the highway and my car started making a lot of noise. I got a notice “The Engine system has detected a fault.” Then another notification saying 4 wheel drive was disabled and then my car stopped running, leaving me stranded in the middle of the highway. My car would start, but it would not go into any gear. When I tried putting it in gear, I got a notification that said “Pow... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
May 4, 2026
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
I, [XXX] was driving home from work on Friday, May 1st on [XXX] in [XXX] during heavy traffic when my vehicle suddenly shut off while traveling approximately 65–70 mph. I initially thought I may not have been pressing the accelerator hard enough, but the vehicle would not respond at all. I then looked at the dashboard and saw a message that said “push brake to start.” At that moment I re... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2025
Recall 19S07 was performed on my vehicle. The dealership attempted the repair multiple times, and although the software update was eventually completed, the diagnostic trouble codes indicating a lead frame failure remained present immediately afterward. The recall did not resolve the defect condition. I was then required to pay out-of-pocket to replace the lead frame in order to correct the same ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
At 90,181 miles, the 10R80 transmission in my 2017 Ford F-150 suffered a catastrophic internal failure. The vehicle exhibited violent, hard shifts between gears 2 through 4 with no check engine light or warning indicator, giving zero warning the drivetrain was failing. Sheehy Ford in [XXX] reproduced the condition. Their diagnosis on RO XXX: "HARSH 4-6 SHIFT-INTERNAL FAULT." Teardown revealed a ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Transmission. My 2021 Toyota Highlander with approximately 94,500 miles developed a consistent whining noise during acceleration. The issue occurs daily during normal driving and appears to be worsening. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the problem and confirmed the noise is coming from the transmission and that the transmission requires replacement. This appears to be a premature failure of a ma... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 4, 2026
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
"Mi Outlander 2024 tiene falla de frenos desde 8/1/26. Está en [XXX] Mitsubishi Thornton. El dealer negó garantía. Hoy 8/4/26 llamé a Mitsubishi 3 veces a las 7am, 8am y 8:20am pidiendo español por ser falla de seguridad. Me negaron español y me colgaron 2 veces. La tercera vez me dejaron 15 minutos en espera sin contestar. Pido número de caso, grúa pagada a [XXX] que está más cerca de... Read more
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
While driving on I-95 North in the fast lane at highway speed, my 2023 Tesla Model Y experienced a sudden loss of propulsion and displayed a warning indicating the vehicle was shutting down. The vehicle rapidly decelerated and would not respond to acceleration or drive engagement. Steering remained functional, which allowed me to maneuver the vehicle across lanes to the shoulder to avoid a potent... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 4, 2026
Incident date: May 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Genesis GV70. The contact stated that while driving approximately 80 MPH on a toll road, the vehicle suddenly stalled and stopped on the on-ramp. The contact pressed the accelerator pedal and the drove forward and operated as normal. The cause of the temperary failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The failure mileage was... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The car started jerking and overheating. Mechanic says blown head gasket. The car is only 64000 miles.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2024
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Automatic transmission failed How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While merging into traffic the transmission would not shift and the truck lost power and began to slow down. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes the de... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving the vehicle the warning message "Service Four Wheel Drive" had displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who performed a software update but the warning light remailed illuminated. The contact retrieved the vehicle and later experienced transmission gear slippage and grinding. The cause of the failure was not ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a . The contact stated that upon restarted the vehcile experienced harsh restarts and lurch forward. The contact indicated that the failure and become more frequent. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer was unable to duplicate the failure and no service was performed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure.. The failure mileage was 33,400.
Incident date: May 2, 2026
I own a 2016 Model S P100D equipped with the Large Drive Unit (LDU). The component that fails is the rotor coolant seal in the rear drive unit motor. Coolant leaks internally into the motor and inverter, causing bearing wear, corrosion, isolation faults, and eventual complete drive unit failure. The affected drive units are still installed and available for inspection upon request. This defect put... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2024) — POWER TRAIN
May 4, 2026
Incident date: May 5, 2025
I own a 2016 Tesla Model X P100D equipped with the Large Drive Unit (LDU). The component that fails is the rotor coolant seal in the rear drive unit motor. Coolant leaks internally into the motor and inverter, causing bearing wear, corrosion, isolation faults, and eventual complete drive unit failure. The affected drive units are still installed and available for inspection upon request. This defe... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
The transmission had a recall 2 years ago and they gave me a new one (KIA). I am having issues with my transmission again
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
I own three 2016 Tesla vehicles with the same known safety defect: two Model S P100D and one Model X P100D, all equipped with the Large Drive Unit (LDU). The component that fails is the rotor coolant seal in the rear drive unit motor. Coolant leaks internally into the motor and inverter, causing bearing wear, corrosion, isolation faults, and eventual complete drive unit failure. The affected drive... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I recently purchased this vehicle, and shortly after, it began having serious powertrain issues. When I accelerate, the vehicle intermittently loses power and starts shaking violently. It feels like the engine or transmission is slipping or failing. The RPMs surge and drop rapidly, and the vehicle hesitates, jerks, and sometimes briefly slows down before suddenly accelerating again. This creates ... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
CV axel joints clicking, at risk of breaking
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
Transmission shifts hard with a hesitaion when first taking off. mostly when cold but it is unperdicable some times even when warm. Intermitate shudder at 30 to 50 mph feels like i am running over small even bumps.Could be a safety problem as it never happens at the same times, makes me drive angst and i don't like it.
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
It is unknown exactly what causes the issue. But intermittently when taking off from a stop, the powertrain hesitates to respond to my input on the throttle. The hesitation lasts anywhere from half a second to a full second. This puts my safety and other driver’s safety at risk because I cannot reliably tell whether I will be able to pull out quickly and safely in front of an oncoming vehicle. T... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
In November 2025 a new transmission was installed Curry Honda in Atlanta GA on my 2020 Honda CR-V. The new transmission came with a 3 year/36,000 mile warranty. In March 2026 my vehicle broke down and was towed to Tameron Honda in Daphne Al where a speed sensor was replaced at my expense of 388.44. The adaptive cruise control was not working prior to this repair. Within two weeks the vehicle ex... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
My car has a known issue with a piston skirt defect that can cause engine failure. Audi of America acknowledged this issue with the EA839 and only warranted an 80k mile warranty. I am outside of that warranty and in risk of catastrophic engine failure that could lead to safety issues on the road. I am worried about my safety in driving this vehicle. Audi of America refuse to cover my car as it is ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
My Active-Drive 1 PTU failed at 112k miles. This failure happened going down the highway at 65mph. It occurred via a loud clunk and mechanical grinding noise, followed by a “service 4-WD” light. In my case, the failure was not catastrophic and did not cause safety concerns. However, this part runs the risk of seizing all four wheels or losing power to the wheels when failing, which could have ... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2026
While operating the vehicle on both interstate highways and local roadways, an intermittent malfunction occurs involving the All-Wheel Drive (AWD) system. The instrument panel displays a warning message stating, “Service All-Wheel Drive System.” When this warning appears, the vehicle automatically disengages from AWD and reverts to Two-Wheel Drive (2WD). Once this occurs, the system does not a... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Vehicle recalled, left at Dealership on October 10th 2025. Dealership and Toyota corporate have failed to rectify the recall.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2019) — POWER TRAIN
May 3, 2026
Incident date: Dec 17, 2024
On April 30,2026 I was pulling into a parking space and the gear shifter wouldn't go in to park with my foot the brake and the gear shifter wouldn't go in to park with my foot the brake and the gear shifter wouldn't go in to park . The tow truck driver who finally responded was able to lift the rear of the car up to see what was wrong with my car and I was placing it in the back of the he determin... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
I am filing this complaint against Nissan North America due to a recurring transmission failure in my 2019 Nissan Sentra VIN#: [XXX] . Timeline of Events: Initial Purchase: November 2022 (61,000 miles). First Failure: September 2023 (~75,000 miles). Nissan replaced the transmission under the extended CVT warranty (84 months/84,000 miles) established by the Martinez v. Nissan class action sett... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
Driving down the highway. Vehicle random alerts that there is a transmission error.
Incident date: May 2, 2026
On 3rd differential in 2 years. Dealer won’t fix without us paying ANOTHER $4,700. There is NO way a differential goes 3 times in 2 years. Something is wrong. Help!!
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
A metallic clinking/rattling noise developed from the engine/transmission area while the vehicle was running. The issue was diagnosed as a failed flexplate. The flexplate is a critical component that connects the engine to the transmission. Continued operation with a failed flexplate can lead to further mechanical failure and could result in loss of propulsion or inability to move the vehicle, cr... Read more
TESKE
UTILITY TRAILER
(2025) — POWER TRAIN
May 3, 2026
Incident date: May 2, 2026
2024 Dodge Durango (SXT Plus, GT Plus, RT trims) Update to my prior complaint regarding a dangerous shifter defect. Defect Description: While driving and pressing the accelerator (no brake, no shifter button pressed), the transmission shifts into Neutral without warning. The vehicle loses propulsion. The instrument cluster does not display or warn that it is in Neutral — no chime, no message, no... Read more
Incident date: Apr 17, 2026
Hydraulic throw out bearing failed Clutch peddled stuck down to floor and when manually rotated back to resting postion it was stuck there. Clutch system stopped working during normal operation of vehicle. Suspected leaking Hydraulic throwing out bearing. Safety was put at risk by having the functionality of the clutch system completely lost during normal operation of vehicle. Leaving car stran... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Vehicle stopped at light,auto start stop engine off,stepped on gas to go engine didn’t restart,my passenger and I jumped out and grabbed a Noco GB40 jump box I carry and jump started car,we were on a road trip out of town and could not wait for the dealership so finished our trip with the auto start stop turned off and if we had a problem starting used the jump box.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
Car has been running fine and maintenance is up to date . Got up one day to leave for work and when I went to accelerate I started hearing a grinding clatter type noise ( only when accelerating at about 3k-5k rpm ) and once the car got up to needed speed it goes away . No engine light codes ( but having intermittent connection issues with obd port but never been damaged or anything) but it does it... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2025
This vehicle has theta 2 engine.. which is part of class lawsuit kia settled. My vehicle had high oil consumption and the defect was due to rod bearing would cause engine to fail and cause hi oil consumption. The dealer diagnosed it with burned valve and denied warranty even though my warranty was extended due to this engine being a defect. The reason they stated is that the rod bearing... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 2, 2026
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
The vehicle experiences a drivability issue where it stalls or loses power and is not safe to operate. The vehicle is currently undrivable and has been at the dealership for nearly one month without a completed diagnosis or repair. The dealership has indicated a possible powertrain or transmission-related issue, but no confirmed repair has been completed. Additionally, there is an active safety ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2026
Vehicle: 2021 Chevrolet Silverado VIN: [XXX] Mileage at time of incident: Approximately 68,000 miles Date of incident: April 24, 2026 Approximate speed: 75 mph Weather/road conditions: Clear, sunny day Was the vehicle towed? No Did the engine restart? Yes My 2021 Chevrolet Silverado experienced a sudden loss of power and stalled while I was driving on the highway at approximately 75 mph. The wea... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I have a 2018 GMC Acadia SLT with the thermometer and temperature sensor that throws the steering assist error message, engine fan turns on and AC shuts off.