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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints

138,663 Reported Crashes

56,255 Reported Fires

8,561 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 2,215,138 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

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 133,534 complaints — component: POWER TRAIN

Incident date: Feb 16, 2026

Traveling back home from our vehicle downhill the vehicle started aggressively started to downshift that caused disengaging it was scary and almost wrecked into a tree. The car was very hot and smoking . We were stranded and afraid to move the car as we sat for over an hour and had to walk two miles in the dark to home with two children . We could not get tow truck or ride as we had no service.

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Mercedes-Benz GLA250. The contact stated that while his wife was stopped at a traffic light and attempting to depress the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The vehicle shut off unexpectedly, and the gear shifter ceased. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to dealer, where it was diagnosed and it was determined that the ABS sensors and t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -After the 68C recall update for the HV battery failures, the vehicle has not been able to consistently maintain or provide power due to the limitation of the battery introduced as part of the recall. This is most noticeable driving in Electric Mode below 60% charge. The throttle behavior is inconsis... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into park(P) to exit the vehicle, the vehicle started moving backwards down the slanted driveway. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped. The contact then started the vehicle and shifted into park(P). The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. On another occasion, while driving at... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

The "shift to park" continues to pop up and can take as long as 20 minutes to get it to go off. From what I have seen this is a super common issues for the 2019 models and why there isn't an active recall I am not sure. Getting pretty frustrating when I have read 100s of complaints about the same thing and GM isn't doing anything about it.

Incident date: Mar 19, 2026

1. Transmission shudder at highway speeds between 64 and 83 miles per hour. 2. Pour fuel economy; 12.5 mpg @ 65 mph, 11.8 mpg @ 70 mph, 8-9 mpg @80 mph towing a 2025 utility trailer wiith motorcycle approximately 1800 pounds.

Incident date: Feb 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving 20 MPH, the vehicle lunged forward while the accelerator pedal was depressed after the brake pedal was depressed. While the contact’s husband was driving approximately 78 MPH and attempting to accelerate, the transmission light drive(D) started flashing, and the transmission unexpectedly shifted to neutral(N)... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

The car shakes when I turn the car on. I always thought it was normal until they told me it wasn't. Also ive smelled like a burn oil smell... Ive gotten stuck on intersection, guessing its the transmission.. i had to put the car it park and put it drive to see if it moved. When it did moved the whole front car shook while doing the turn. That happened like 2x. Both times I've parked afterwards and... Read more

Incident date: Mar 22, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving and coming to a stop, the vehicle shuddered and jerked unexpectedly. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was test-driven, and the failure was duplicated. The dealer replaced the transmission control module and reprogrammed the transmission; however, the failure persisted. The v... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2024 Honda Prologue. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was test-driven, and the dealer confirmed that the vehicle made an abnormal clicking sound while turning. The contact was informed that it was a common failure; however, no diagnostic information was provided. Th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

UNKNOWN exact component, but it is a critical failure within the electrical/charging system or the 48V eTorque system. The dealership previously suspected the eTorque system and replaced the belt tensioner, but the failure continues. The vehicle is currently available for inspection and has been sitting at an authorized Ram dealership for the last three weeks. The vehicle suffers a complete and s... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2025

Nisan Rouge SVAwd 70K Milage. When driving suddenly the vehicle loss power and shakes drastically reducing the speed and is uncapable to fast acceleration. CVT service now popup on the scree. After taking the vehicle to the dealer. Dealer charge $200+ for read the codes. and ended asking for a 10K to full replace the CVT

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Altima. The contact stated that while attempting to accelerate from a stop sign, the vehicle accelerated to approximately 15 MPH and then unexpectedly decelerated. The contact attempted to depress the accelerator; however, the vehicle lost automotive power and stalled. The vehicle was towed to the residence. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was t... Read more

Incident date: Mar 8, 2023

My transmission control valve failed while I was driving causing my speed to reduce on a high speed high. I know longer could go in reverse, about 35mph or above 2nd gear. This is a known issue on the 10 speed transmission for 2022 Chevrolet Tahoe, Suburban, GMC Yukon however my vin number was not included in the recall but it happened to me. This was a terrifying situation and i am so shocked as... Read more

Incident date: Mar 19, 2026

Bought in 2024 ..few days later car wouldn’t change gears transmission overheats shutters jerks and won’t go when giving gas at times. Had the car in 5 times to fix, didn’t work.. I’ve almost been in accidents one of which was with a tractor trailer This car is a death trap had to quit job due to this .. and have a 7500.00 loan on a car I can barely drive. I want this loan paid off and... Read more

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

On 2/14/26 my car decelerated on the interstate. No warning lights came on. I parked the car and had it towed the next day to the dealership. Several days later they told me I needed a new engine, and then later told me that Nissan would not replace the engine but told them I need the EGR Cooling System replaced and that would resolve my problem. 3 weeks later I picked up my car ($3722) and immedi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

Started the car to go to work and the check engine light came on, I stop started flashing and wouldn’t turn off. Message says there is a malfunction with the hybrid system and to visit Mazda dealer. I had to drive it to work, so it drove fine. But the lights never went off.

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

I see there was a P0420 error code related to catalytic converter oil consumption recall, but when I put in my VIN it said no recalls. This is for a 2020 Hyundai Elantra 2020. The problem comes and goes and was able to be reproduced or confirmed by a dealer Hyundai. The warning lamps, messages comes on frequently and was reportedly fixed charges $2000 for a sensor. I the code and it is all over th... Read more

Incident date: Feb 26, 2026

The failure involves the engine (powertrain), which was under warranty. The vehicle has experienced four catastrophic engine failures resulting in sudden loss of power, including at highway speeds (65–75 mph). The most recent failure also involved an oil-saturated catalytic converter. These failures occurred between 06/25/2024 and 03/16/2026. During this ~629-day period, the vehicle was only in ... Read more

Incident date: Feb 26, 2026

My transmission failed at 95k miles and was available for inspection at a fee. My safety was at risk since my car was jerking on the highway and I had to quickly pull over while the car slowed down in a fast and high trafficked area. The problem has been an ongoing issue especially in 2020 models from social media and the dealership. The vehicle was inspected by the Kia dealership. The engine ligh... Read more

Incident date: Oct 7, 2025

I purchased this vehicle new in September 2025. At approximately 3,903 miles, the vehicle exhibited a failure of the transmission system affecting its ability to remain stationary when placed in park. When the vehicle was placed in “Park” on an incline, the park mechanism failed to hold the vehicle, and the vehicle rolled despite being in park. This condition presents a clear risk of unintend... Read more

Incident date: Jan 2, 2026

Valve body went out while driving, drastically reduced speed, threw code p0747.

Incident date: Oct 4, 2024

I am reporting a persistent and unresolved excessive oil consumption issue that I began to notice at approximately 61,000 miles. I follow all routine maintenance and oil change schedules, but my car has returned to the dealership I purchased from (only owner), three times for this specific problem. - First Visit (64,074 miles): I shared my observations of excessive oil consumption to the dealershi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 21, 2026

Hyundai Tucson Sport 2016 GDI engine. I am the original owner of this truck I have taken care of this truck so much it being my first brand new purchase. No oil leaks NOTHING! When I first purchased the vehicle I noticed that it would stall when I would accelerate but did not think too much of it since it was brand new. A few years passed started to notice frequent oil changes were supposed to be ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

I had a rear-end collision on [XXX}. The car was scheduled for repair on 3/19/2026. On [XXX] at ~70,000 miles, my 2024 BMW i4 eDrive35 (VIN: [XXX] ) experienced a drivetrain malfunction with reduced speed. The dealership diagnosed an internally faulty A/C compressor with metal shavings contaminating the system and recommended replacement of the compressor, condenser, chiller, expansion valve, an... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

Harsh shifting especially from 7th to 8th gear. Delayed shifting which causes a problem cause of the truck slowing down while in motion. It puts me at risk of getting hit from behind when it does this. There's also a vibration that happens randomly while driving. It has started jerking forward upon start up

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

While driving, the vehicle stutters during acceleration, creating hesitation and inconsistent power delivery. This occurs during normal driving conditions and has not improved after being inspected by a dealership. The issue has been reproduced multiple times and remains unresolved. The vehicle was taken in for service, but no effective repair was provided, and the condition persists. There is a... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

The transmission has failed at 135K miles. The dealer has confirmed. Cost to repair around $10,000. The vehicle periodically loses power/acceleration without warning - no lamps/lights/messages. Seems to be a common issue with this make and model.

Incident date: Aug 23, 2025

The contact owned a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. While driving at 65 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The message to shift into the intended gear was displayed even though the vehicle was already in gear. The contact was able to restart the vehicle, but the issue recurred several days later. The vehicle was driven to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaig... Read more

Incident date: Feb 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently accelerated. The “Service 4WD” warning light was illuminated. The contact pressed and held down the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. In addition, the contact stated that when the vehicle stopped, the vehicle rolled forward. The contact turned off the vehicle. The contact s... Read more

Incident date: Feb 17, 2026

My 2016 Subaru Outback CVT transmission has exhibited an intermittent jerking and grabbing sensation when accelerating from a stop, worse when cold, since at least February 2023. This is a known defect covered under Subaru warranty extension bulletin 16-115-18. February 2023 — An authorized Subaru dealer documented the complaint in writing. The technician stated the vehicle never warmed up durin... Read more

Incident date: Mar 5, 2026

The wheel bearings inside of the transmission of the 2018 CHR and newer models commonly fail and seize up causing the vehicle to lock up and create a dangerous situation while driving. In Canada the highway safety has recalled the Transmissions and had them repaired unlike in the United States. The wheel bearings in my 2018 CHR CVT transmission or seizing up and causing damage to the engine which ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2023

The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25E070000 (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 issue... Read more

Incident date: Jul 16, 2024

Vehicle Info •2020 Ram 1500 •Approximately 70,000 miles •eTorque system ________________________________________ Complaint: I am reporting a failure of the eTorque system in my 2020 Ram 1500 that has rendered the vehicle inoperable for an extended period of time. The vehicle experienced an eTorque system failure and has been out of service since December 23, 2025. The vehicle is covered u... Read more

Incident date: Feb 14, 2026

On [XXX], while driving my 2021 Ram ProMaster 2500 at highway speed in Florida, the van suddenly lost all power and came to a near stop, then re-engaged. Vehicles were in front and behind me, creating an immediate risk of serious collision, injury, or death. I pulled over ~30 minutes, restarted, but it could not exceed 20 mph while RPMs were high. AutoZone confirmed limp mode and advised a dealer.... Read more

Incident date: Jan 14, 2026

While driving my family home on a hot 90+ degree day. My 2016 Chevy Colorado suddenly has a power loss engine died and i went from 75 to parked in less than 30 seconds. Luckily I was able to pull off the freeway to the median. We were almost hit by two vehicles pulling a trailer and the other pulling a RV. I had to have someone pick my kids up due to the hazards of being stranded on the side of th... Read more

Incident date: Sep 19, 2025

The transmission failed. It is available for inspection but the transmission was replaced at my cost. Traveling on the highway the vehicle bogged down and could not respond to pressing gas peddle. I had no control of the vehicle. All transpired on major highway Route 95. The problem repeated again while I was driving and it was identified by the independent service facility that the transmissio... Read more

Incident date: Feb 15, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious and ongoing safety issue with my 2017 Honda CR‑V equipped with the 1.5L turbocharged engine. While driving, the vehicle experienced sudden and unexpected power loss, creating a dangerous situation, particularly while in traffic. During this incident, the vehicle also began emitting visible smoke, indicating a serious mechanical or engine-relate... Read more

Incident date: Jan 7, 2026

I was driving toward the perimeter of my neighborhood, approaching an arterial cross street. When I braked the pedal went straight to the floor. The breaks didn’t work despite pumping them multiple times. I also heard the engine revving. To avoid the intersection and busy street I steered into a yard, hit a retaining wall and a tree, rolled and hit a metal city street sign. All airbags deplo... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

1) At D/S Stow and Go seat malfunctioned and was repaired by CarMax Service Center Jan 2023 - 2) Around 97,000 so - Engine started ticking on or about JUL/SEP 2023, enstate Lloyds Automotive in Spokane Valley replaced out engine due to manufacture defect in Oct 2023. 3) At 103,672mi - P/S stow and Go seat was repaired for same issues as D/S stow & Go Seat by Lloyds Automotive Oct 2023 when engine ... Read more

Incident date: Nov 1, 2025

Everyday I get alerts saying the power train system, then I can’t use my cruise control, and many other alerts pop up

Incident date: Dec 15, 2025

The ptu, rear differential and the sensor are no good. The dead spot in the pedal has been there since it was bought brand new. The ptu bucking and banging into gear and power loss got worse and I have complained for 5 years to you about this specific vehicle. The badPTU resulted in the rear differential cracking and sensor needing to be replaced. The Jeep has sat at the dealer for 49 we... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (Power Train). The contact had been calling the local dealer to schedule an appointment since September 2025, but the contact was advised that parts were not yet available. The contact called the manufacturer and was advised that parts would be available by the end of 2026. The contact stated ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 19, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving 75 MPH on the highway, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted from 5th gear to 1st gear, and the rear wheels locked, and the vehicle slid. The vehicle then went into LIMP Mode but was still drivable. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 123,00... Read more

Incident date: Mar 24, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 BMW 540I. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle before the vehicle lost motive power. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while in drive(D) or reverse(R)... Read more

Incident date: Mar 10, 2026

CRV Dashboard all warning lights illuminated including check engine and emissions system problem. I had to park my car and it smelled like gas. I immediately called Honda Care and I took my car to Unicars Dealer on 03/11/2026 They provided a diagnostic report, report retrieved PO172 fuel system Bank 1 too rich and P219F no 4 cyclinder air fuel ratio variation. Despite Honda issuing Service Bu... Read more

Incident date: Mar 3, 2026

ICCU failure occurred while vehicle was operating at 30 MPH, after being charged the night prior and unplugged in the morning at 100% capacity. A sudden pop was heard, and the vehicle indicated that an electrical fault would require the vehicle to be shut down as soon as safely possible. The vehicle went into limp mode and would not exceed 25 MPH.

Incident date: Feb 2, 2026

Rough switching between gears since purchase; Whining noise in transmission when pressing on the gas.

Incident date: Apr 1, 2024

The service 4WD light came on and vehicle doesn’t have 4WD capabilities right now because the PTU is bad. They also can’t get the part because so many people are having the same issue. I have a Jeep for the 4WD capabilities and had difficulty driving to work during a winter snow storm because the dealer can’t fix it because too many people need the part. Other Jeeps are under recall for the ... Read more

Incident date: Mar 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 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 dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was not made a... Read more

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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