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: Feb 26, 2026
My car made a loud banging noise and would not move even though engine was running. Had towed and was told car needs new transmission I brought to another mechanic for second opinion and was told the same thing code P073300
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Tacoma. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V656000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the is... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2018) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Multiple times (Friday, March 27, Monday March 30, 2026) we have had the 2020 Equinox fail to accelerate at green lights. The gas pedal is pressed to the floor and car is VERY slow to accelerate. It takes multiple depressions of the gas pedal to accelerate more than 10 mph. There are open recalls on certain vin numbers from the NHTSA but mine was not on list yet appears to have many of the same c... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2025
My 2017 Ford Expedition is currently at an authorized dealership (Arlington Heights Ford, IL) for a failed transmission lead frame (DTCs P0706, P0707, P1702), which causes intermittent loss of gear engagement and sudden shift issues. This specific part is subject to NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA26001. Ford is refusing to honor the 10-year/150000-mile extended coverage (Program 19N01 Supplement 4) ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2004 Dodge Ram 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced transmission failure, and the brake lines were rusted. The contact was trapped in the desert for hours with his dog. The contact stated that two independent mechanics had determined that the idler pulley needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was... Read more
Incident date: Feb 7, 2026
2022 Ford Edge Gear selector goes in drive and does not move, lamp says shift system malfunction.
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2017) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
System Failure: The Power Train (6-speed Automatic Transmission) suffered a major malfunction, documented by diagnostic codes P0731 (Gear 1 Incorrect Ratio) and P0780 (Shift Error). The vehicle is available for inspection. Safety Risk: The failure caused a sudden loss of propulsion while attempting to accelerate. This created an immediate risk of a rear-end collision and left the vehicle unrespon... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
Truck Issue Description (2021 Ford Ranger – ~93k miles): Truck makes a whining / humming noise with a slight rattling vibration. The noise occurs while accelerating in gears 1–5. The pitch stays mostly the same but gets louder under throttle. The noise goes away when I let off the gas. No noise when revving the engine in park/neutral. No loss of power and the transmission shifts normally. Gea... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced transmission failure while driving. There was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating, and the sound increased in volume while driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with an internal transmission failure.... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Hyundai Kona. The contact stated that while stopped at a traffic light, the accelerator pedal was depressed, and the vehicle hesitated before driving forward. The Engine START/STOP feature was engaged. The contact stated that the ESC warning light was illuminated temporarily. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent, but was a recurring failure. The check engine... Read more
Incident date: Nov 19, 2024
Im driving vehicle and randomly the vehicle will shut off when making turns. It is random every so many months. But it has done in major intersections. It will immediately start back up so that’s good. But there are no engine lights. And dealership Does not seam like they can do a whole lot with engine no lights on. But it seems common when doing research online The vehicle is a 2022 Ram 150... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2024 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost automotive power. The vehicle failed to properly accelerate but remained running. The vehicle was restarted and returned to normal operation. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be inspected; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure or determine the cau... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers : 25V512000 (Power Train) and 26V104000 (Electrical System, Exterior Lighting); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear axle shaft assemblies had failed and needed to be replaced. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Mar 24, 2026
STATEMENT OF FACTS: I presented my Kia K5 for two safety recalls (SC356 and SC263) with an active Check Engine Light for code P047100 (Exhaust Pressure Sensor). I informed the service advisor, Aliyah, that this code is a symptomatic secondary fault of the pressure irregularities addressed in Recall SC356, which explicitly lists an "Illuminated Check Engine Light" (MIL) as a primary warning sign. T... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
Powertrain failed in 2020 Acura RDX Tech Pkg AWD. Only 2 weeks after the 6 year warranty expired on the vehicle the powertrain failed and set off the check engine light. Dealer service department found an excessive amount of shavings in the plug. The vehicle only had 41,345 miles on it before transmission/powertrain failed and there was only 1 owner for the vehicle. It was purchased brand ne... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that upon parking the vehicle on a slightly inclined parking lot, the vehicle started rolling backwards. The contact engaged the electric parking brake, and the vehicle responded as intended. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while parking the vehicle on an incline, requiring the electric parking brake to be engaged. The ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
While driving my 2021 Cadillac Escalade on an interstate highway at approximately 70 mph with my family, including two minor children, the vehicle suddenly and without warning lost propulsion, shut off, and shifted into neutral. This occurred in active traffic and created an immediate safety hazard. A warning message appeared instructing me to restart the vehicle. After several minutes navigating... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2026
Molded lead frame sudden downshifts to first third or fifth gear would have to pull over to the side of the road/highway and shut the truck off and restart it to get it to go away it went from happening every 50-75 miles to the point where it would happen every 1-5 miles or less when it would down shift to first gear it would lock the rear wheels and almost caused me to get in multiple accidents h... Read more
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
6R80- Unexpected downshifting at highway speeds without driver input causing the vehicle to slow down. Harsh/rough when shifting and sounds like I'm driving on the rudders on the side of the highway. No warning lamps or messages. Occasionally downshifts hard when I'm slowing down and then potentially locking up my rear wheels.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The vehicle developed a rattle at idle and noise from the transmission bell housing area. Lafayette Ford in North Carolina has confirmed the issue is caused by a cracked flexplate, which is a known defect covered under Ford Customer Satisfaction Program 22N12.
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2001 Dodge Durango. The vehicle was repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 07V555000 (POWER TRAIN); but the failure occurred. The contact stated that the vehicle unexpectedly shifted out of park(P). After several attempts, the gear shift lever was shifted to park(P) and remained in park(P). The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was ... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2016) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The component that has been deemed in need of replacement is the UA80 8-speed transmission. It is available for inspection as of today's date, April 1, 2026. My and my family's safety has been put at risk of the transmission failing, especially at highway speeds. The problem was reproduced and diagnosed at both a local repair garage in Westwood, MA and the Nucar Toyota dealership in Norwood, MA. B... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
Safety Complaint – 2019 Ford Edge Transmission and Engine Shutdown Issues To Whom It May Concern, I am submitting this complaint to report ongoing safety-related defects with my 2019 Ford Edge, which I purchased new. At 30,000 miles, the auto on/off stopped working and was not fixed. After approximately 50,000 miles, the vehicle began shutting off after refueling. At 68,000 miles, the tr... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2025
On March 11, 2026, a 2024 Ford Transit (VIN: [XXX] ) was being operated under normal driving conditions when the check engine light began intermittently activating. Shortly thereafter, the vehicle experienced a sudden loss of dashboard functionality. While attempting to safely maneuver to the shoulder, the operator experienced loss of power steering and reduced braking capability. During this tim... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that upon shifting to Reverse(R), the vehicle hesitated to respond, made an abnormal loud sound as if it had been rear-ended, and the vehicle shifted into gear violently, causing the driver to sustain neck pain. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving and depressing the brake pedal to come to a stop, the vehicle unintendedly downsh... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
My 2023 Lincoln Aviator has a grinding noise when I back up. Also a rattle has begun at all speeds. I had vehicled check and the axles were found to be totally rusted. Prior to having it towed to the detail i did some research and found the following -- A 2023 Lincoln Aviator recall regarding a "rusted" or breaking axle generally refers to a serious issue where the rear axle bolt can fracture, ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2025
My engine has failed. This is the second car I’ve had from Kia that the rod barring has failed.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2025 GMC Sierra 3500. The contact stated that the transmission was shifting hard and was jerking while shifting gear. Additionally, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 50 MPH. The messages “Reduced Acceleration” and “DEF Low” were displayed. While refueling the vehicle, the fuel gauge failed to correctly display the level of fuel inside the fuel tank until the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, the message "Service 4WD" was displayed. The contact had taken the vehicle to a local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the PTU had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact researched online and related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
I own a 2023 Ram 1500 Limited 4x4 with approximately 53,000 miles. The truck has had no issues for the first 40,000 miles and then developed a noise and vibration coming from the front end that is present at all speeds. I took it to Jerry Ulm Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Tampa, FL. They kept my truck for 14 days and replaced the axle, stub shaft, wheel hub and bearing assembly. The truck was return... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2015) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
Sealed transmission found "bone dry" at approximately 13,000 miles. No consumer-accessible dipstick. Complete transmission failure January 2, 2026. Second complete powertrain failure March 14, 2026, nine days after first repair completed. Symptoms on second failure (loss of power, hollow tumbling sound) consistent with engine bearing/connecting rod failure matching Cook et al. v. General Motors (C... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Second complete powertrain failure on March 14, 2026 at 13,993 miles, nine days after first repair (complete transmission replacement for bone-dry sealed transmission). Symptoms: sudden loss of power on highway (unable to exceed 20 mph with accelerator fully depressed), hollow sound, noise described as "like a rock tumbling around inside." OnStar diagnostics returned "No Error Code Found" twice (1... Read more
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
The check engine light repeatedly comes on in my vehicle and despite expensive repairs and multiple trips to the mechanic, the problem is recurring. It has now been determined that there is a coolant intrusion into the engine block and the only resolution is to replace the engine block in its entirety which will cost thousands of dollars. This is a known issue with the Ford Ecoboost engine and a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2026
Complete transmission failure.
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
Transmission shudder/stutter during acceleration, most noticeable between 25-45 mph under light to moderate throttle. Issue began at approximately 10,000 miles and has persisted to the current mileage of approximately 65,000 miles. The vehicle has been taken to the Honda dealer on multiple occasions for this issue. The dealer has performed two separate transmission fluid flushes, which temporarily... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Hard Shifting, will enter limp mode in 2nd and 4th gear (usually will down shift to that gear). The check engine light will flash and I have to pull over, stop, shut off my vehicle and then restart it to resolve. I have already spent roughly $4,000 in repairs and still have continued issues. These issues started at approximately 100,000 miles, transmission was rebuilt at 110,000. The current mile... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
The Transmission mount failed and the transmission was loose and clunking around in the vehicle when I applied the breaks and occasionally when I accelerated. The car has less than 50K miles and the transmission mount should not fail. There was no accident or rust and no reason for it to fail. I believe it is a safety hazard that Honda should do a recall or at least cover the cost of the repair.
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
Lease Begin Date: May 1, 2024 Mileage at time of first incident: 16800 Current Mileage: 17,500 Incident Description: This vehicle has exhibited unintended rearward movement on two separate occasions following a "Drive System Malfunction" warning, each occurring immediately after shifting into Drive on an incline. The first incident occurred on February 20, 2025. Immediately after shifting into Dri... Read more
Incident date: Mar 22, 2026
While I was driving, the transmission seemingly stopped working. I was able to coax the car into a parking lot and had it towed to the dealership. I was told the transmission failed and needed to be replaced. I was quoted approximately $7000.00 for this repair. All of its prior service, except for occasional oil changes, had been done at the dealership.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Apr 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Chevrolet Silverado 3500. While at a stoplight the transmission malfunctioned and the vehicle failed to drive forward or reverse. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle was reversed into a nearby service station. The vehicle was later towed to the local auto repair shop, which replaced the brake actuator and the brake pads. Shortly after retrieving the vehicle, the failu... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle unexpectedly stalled while in traffic. There was an abnormal screeching sound coming from the vehicle. The accelerator pedal was depressed, but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The transmission was shifted into reverse(R), but the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was shifted int... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Shift to Park. Unable to turn the car off even though the car is in park. This was previously fixed in 10/24 and started up in 10/25 a few days after the 1yr warranty. I reached out to the dealership that repaired it in 2024 and was told that I would have to pay for the service as the part is not covered under the powertrain warranty. I reached out to GM for assistance and that was a lost cause. I... Read more
Incident date: Oct 11, 2025
I reported problems with my truck to Beck and Masten South GMC. I was put off a number of times with ridiculous excuses. My vehicle sat in the shop for a month to get my OnStar safety equipment repaired. I also had arguments with them regarding the oil light coming on and it burning excessive amounts of oil. I was told this was normal. I know better. Also, I needed to get it back into the shop for... Read more
Incident date: Mar 30, 2026
My drive motors keep failing (so far 3 times) and my emergency braking abruptly stops my vehicle when no true danger is present and I’m in complete control of my vehicle. Currently my vehicle has a constant shuddering while braking which doesn’t feel safe because it’s not braking properly. Audi regional and the dealership refuses to take ownership of the issue. Dealer has confirmed issue and... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
I am reporting a safety issue involving my 2019 Honda Odyssey transmission. Since early ownership, the vehicle has had ongoing hesitation and delayed response when accelerating, especially during gear shifts. Over time, this condition has worsened and now includes intermittent loss of power when pressing the accelerator, followed by sudden jerking or lurching forward. The most serious incident o... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
I believe the torque converter is failing. While driving approximately 38 mph and also 48 mph up to 51 mph the vehicle have a vibration feeling like driving on a rumble strip. If you maintain the same speed, the vibration continues if you speed up, slow down, or let off the gas it goes away. There are so many detailed explanations on forums and social media from other customers experiencing the sa... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
My 2018 Ford F‑150 XLT has the 10R80 automatic transmission with severe issues including harsh shifting, delayed engagement, slipping between gears, and unpredictable shift timing. Symptoms occur during normal driving and create a serious safety hazard. Ford dealer replaced transmission with a remanufactured 10R80, part number JL3Z‑7000‑ERM, and is listed in Ford’s Equipment Safety Recall ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
Rapid loss of oil from the transfer case, Oil was everywhere. Now I have vibration, wooing sound and hard down shifts from a failing transfer case.. The dealership refuse to replace it because they cleaned the area and it did not leak oil again. Probably, because there's no more oil left in it to leak.This is unacceptable.
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG C43 4MATIC
(2024) — POWER TRAIN
Mar 31, 2026
Incident date: Mar 27, 2026
The CVT transmission failed on my 2018 Toyota C-HR, which I purchased in 2022. The vehicle stalled in the middle of traffic on a day with elevated temperatures while my special needs child was a passenger, creating an immediately life-threatening situation. The car showed no signs of any issue prior to this failure. I attempted to have the vehicle inspected multiple times before the failure occurr... Read more
Incident date: Mar 9, 2026
I own a 2023 Ford F-150 Lightning, with 48,200 miles and 2.5 years of ownership. Recently, my truck began displaying a “Powertrain / Reduced Power” warning while driving, and the air conditioning stopped producing cold air. The dealer scanned the vehicle and found DTC P0534 – A/C System Charge Loss. Further diagnostics indicated that multiple vehicle modules may require reprogramming and sof... Read more