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: Oct 1, 2025
My in city driving car has had it's transmission fail and continues to not be drivable. I am the only owner of this car and have completed all repairs and upkeep according to schedule. In October 2025, my 2014 Escape "slipped" out of gear while in drive and would not engage again. Had it towed to Mel Hamilton Ford where I was informed my transmission had failed. I was given the option to overhaul... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
Vehicle has been recalled for a speed sensor issue that still persists. Recall repair was NOT properly executed. Vehicle engine still randomly shuts off while in idle at stoplights and during travel. Engine won’t start at this point.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2025
What component or system failed or malfunctioned? Engine and Transission System Fuel Management system, How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? While driving the vehicle it would just shut off, when you tried to restart vehicle it would not start all you could smell was gas. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? This happened on ... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
UNKNOWN TRANSMISSION ISSUES MENTIONED IN OTHER RECALLS FOR SAME PERIOD/MAKE MODEL AS LISTED YET MY VIN was not, as a mother 4 little ones I need my vehicle to perform as it was design to, the cost for this repair is over 6,000.00 I have already invested over 40,000 since I brought it. I feel they ought have included my car on this recent recall they had to have known this problem was of their why ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 15, 2026
Problem with the fuel pump control module. Car broke down in front of my neighbor’s house. Now there is a problem with the transmission. It is slipping and there’s a clunking noise.
Incident date: May 6, 2026
1. The engine architecture suffered a catastrophic mechanical failure. Specifically, severe, systemic internal oil consumption/vaporization starved the hydraulic timing chain tensioner of critical hydrostatic pressure. This caused the tensioner to collapse, creating slack in the steel timing chain, which then "jumped time" (skipped a tooth on the camshaft sprockets), causing the engine to instantl... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Feb 11, 2026
Transmission, going towards home up a mild hill, broke top of hill trans shifted to next gear, rear wheels locked up and tires squealed. doing around 40 mph. Took it directly into the shop, and the trans was destroyed inside. broken parts in the pan. Trans could not be repaired, had to get a new transmission. I limped to the dealership, just noisey under vehicle. There was special covera... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
“10R80 transmission slips and loses power during acceleration. Matches Ford TSB 23‑2250. Sudden loss of propulsion creates safety risk when merging or crossing intersections.”
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
The contact owns a . The check engine light illuminated, while driving, the vehicle shifted to a lower gear unexpectedly and the turbo began to make a noise., the RPM's rapidly increased. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unavailable.
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The Throttle response is very slow when slowing down and then trying to take back off you are half throttle or more before anything happens, i have had to pull off the road to keep other vehicles from hitting me because the vehicle would not go. There has been a few times on the interstate that the throttle would not accept throttle at all and i would have to keep mashing it to finally get it to r... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Vehicle intermittently lunges forward during the 2nd-to-1st downshift, even while the brakes are being applied. When this occurs, the vehicle unexpectedly accelerates or surges forward slightly, travels farther than anticipated, and feels similar to being bumped from behind. Because the condition occurs at low speeds, often in tight areas such as parking spaces, stop-and-go traffic, or before a cr... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Yesterday, while driving home on a surface street, I experienced a sudden loss of drive power, multiple dashboard warning lights, and violent shaking throughout the vehicle, creating a significant safety hazard for both me and surrounding motorists. It is fortunate that this did not occur at highway speeds. The shaking was so intense that the head-up display on the windshield was visibly vibrating... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
I own a 2022 Nissan Rogue with approx 71,139 miles on. While driving on the freeway at 65mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power and became disabled. Prior to the failure, the vehicle did not dispaly an overheating warning, coolant warning, or other indication the engine was overheating or experiencing coolant loss. The vehicle was being driven normally and was on the way to routine maintenance and f... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact recieved notice of a NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train). The contact stated while driving on two occasions at approximately 25 MPH the steering wheel became stiff and the power train warning light illuminated and he felt the vehicles gears changing. during the first occasions he continued to drive the vehicle, during the second occasion ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a _____. The contact stated that while attempting to register the vehicle, it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a private sale/dealer sale. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was ___ and at the time of registration, it was discovered that the mileage was ___.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated upon shifting to park(P) and attempting to turn off the vehicle, the message "Shift to Park" was displayed. The contact waited and attempted to park and turn off the vehicle again, and the vehicle responded after several attempts. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the shifter assembly needed to be replaced d... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving, the unexpectedly shifted from sixth to second gear. The wrench warning indicator illuminated after the incident occurred. The vehicle was pulled over to the side while malfunctioning and then the vehicle was able to drive properly. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufa... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Vehicle began shaking and stuttering while driving. "4WD System Unavailable Service Required" Message appeared. Local mechanic stated there is an issue with the PTU. Checked the VIN and no recall has been issued for this vehicle but a recall was recently announced for Jeep Cherokees 2019-2023
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The transmission on the 2021 Toyota Highlander failed at only 5 1/2 years old (66,000 miles). This is a known issue from Toyota and they should be held responsible to cover items just barely out of warranty for well maintained vehicles.
Incident date: May 23, 2026
On May 23, 2026 I was driving family and friends around San Francisco, CA in my 2017 Honda Pilot (48K miles). We were driving up multiple steep hills, up to a 20% grade in some places with a full car of 7 people. The car handled it well. However, as we neared my home 25 miles away, the car started shaking and the check engine light started flashing. We searched online and the advice was to pull ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 3500
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: May 19, 2026
Engine started running extremely rough shaking vehicle. Various warning lights lit up. Took vehicle to dealer and was told that I need a new duramax engine because the cylinders are scored. Vehicle has about 58k miles It has been at the dealer for 3 weeks and they say they have no idea when they can get it fixed. It is my only work vehicle and now I have to rent another vehicle to keep working.
Incident date: May 21, 2026
This vehicle (VIN: [XXX] ) has suffered repeated catastrophic engine shutdowns and complete loss of propulsion power while in motion. The dashboard displayed "Engine off! Shift to P or N, then start engine." This has occurred so many times the owner lost count, requiring multiple tows to Kia of Beavercreek. Following one incident, Service Manager Brad personally assured the owner's wife, looking h... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Loosing oil putting oil in every 3 to 4 days no leaks on ground or oil pan or drain plug.oil don't smell or looks burnt happened around did 2 oil changes in a week still the same. Car will sputer hesitation on acceleration every so often
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The driver side Keyless door entry pillar has come off on the highway and hit something. The keyless door entry panel came off in 2023 and Koons Ford of Annapolis charged me $ 523.00 to fix the panel. The panel has a small clip and double stick tape. Sorry, double stick tape is not going to hold up to weather variations throughout the year, wind speed and age. Terrible and dangerous desi... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
The contact own a 2022 Ford F-150. The contact stated while at an stop the contact herd a a snapping coming the vehicle and the vehicle failed to ilthe contact stated that the headlights and both turn signals were inoperable and failed to to illuminate. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2026
1.5 L eco boost engine FORD- COOLANT INTRUSION, cylinder 3 misfire, check engine light at 59,800 miles - known defect by Ford- needs new engine. Some models recalled but not this one (?? Why??). Cannot safely drive this vehicle. Problem diagnosed by dealer[ as well as by independent garage] and dealer acknowledged a recall should be done but they cannot help except to replace the engine at my e... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2026
My 2018 Malibu is stalling, it is covered under Recall N192221960, and the dealer is refusing to properly scan or fix the issue. They did the recall and the car is still doing the same thing but worse.
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Engine fails it violenty thumps and studders and drops from highway speed with no warning. This is a mfg. defect and also an EXTREME SAFETY CONCERN. The engine studders and thumps and we were almost rear ended by a truck when our truck could not go into gear properly. It is very scary! Dealership confirmed that they have many vehicles with same issue and recommended a Super Flush of transmiss... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2026
The issue involves a loss of signal between the transmission range sensor and the powertrain control module, which can cause the transmission to unexpectedly downshift into second gear, potentially leading to a loss of vehicle control. I purchased this vehicle in Feb 2025 used 2013 Ford F 150 6 Gear and this happened to me. I took it to the dealership, and they said the recall had expired and char... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I was driving into town where the speed limit dropped from 60 to 30 so I tapped my brakes and the transmission slammed into low gear and the rpm's went up. Almost sounds like recall 19V075 for other ford vehicles.
Incident date: May 27, 2026
On [XXX], my 2018 Kia Soul (VIN [XXX] ) displayed DTC P1326 with a blinking check engine light and went into limp mode. Ray’s Automotive documented P1326 in writing, added oil, and cleared the light only to allow safe transport. At Greenway Kia (Avenues), they charged $199 and refused to create a Vehicle Diagnosis Number (VDN) or perform the Bearing Clearance Test (BCT) unless they could reprodu... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
CC
(2017) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: May 19, 2026
The DQ250 6-speed DSG (dual clutch) automatic transmission in my 2017 Volkswagen CC Executive has catastrophically failed at 37,768 miles. COMPONENT FAILURE: The mechatronic unit, the electro-hydraulic controller that manages all gear selection and clutch engagement inside the DSG transmission has failed. The transmission is available for inspection upon request. WHAT HAPPENED: Symptoms began with... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
At a stoplight the truck began running rough. When the light turned green, the truck failed in just 3 blocks (approximately 1 minute). Power was greatly reduced. Check engine illuminated on dashboard, then another red icon, followed by a stop safely now message. Immediately I attempted to pull over from the left lane to the right lane but the truxk Immediately stalled across both lanes, blocking a... Read more
FORD
F-150 LIGHTNING BEV
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 3, 2026
Incident date: Mar 31, 2026
Ford Motor Company has failed to remedy NHTSA Safety Recall 25V863 (Ford recall number 25C69, Integrated Park Module / Park Pawl Engagement) on my vehicle within the timely manner required, and the recall remains in "Recall Incomplete" status more than four months past Ford's own stated remedy availability deadline. The recall was announced on January 26, 2026. The defect — the Integrated Park M... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
I am submitting this complaint in reference to NHTSA Defect Petition DP26001, opened March 6, 2026, investigating loss of all-wheel drive capability in 2021-2023 Acura TLX vehicles due to interfacing spline failure between the transmission and the power takeoff unit (transfer case). I am the owner of a 2021 Acura TLX SH-AWD with 55,300 miles. I purchased this vehicle on June 2nd, 2026. I have not... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
While driving at a speed below 30mph, the vehicle suddenly dropped into neutral with the message “hybrid system fault”. The car could not be moved afterwards and required several power cycles while blocking traffic to get the car into limp home mode.
Incident date: May 19, 2026
My power lines were not installed properly and leaked all over burning up my transmission. This is aVERY common ford issue to the point where the place where I took it said I got a lot further than others. Ford needs to do better
Crash
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The vehicle suffered a sudden, severe engine malfunction/misfire while in operation, presenting a serious safety hazard on the road. Following the incident, the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership service center (Repair Order #XXX), where technicians verbally confirmed that the engine requires a complete replacement due to internal mechanical failure. The catastrophic mechanical failure... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 26, 2026
What happened: On XXX at approximately 6:49 PM, shortly after departing, the vehicle displayed error and warning messages, entered neutral, and would not engage Drive or Regenerative Brake mode. The vehicle remained inoperable in this condition for approximately one hour near the intersection at approximately [XXX] , during rush hour traffic. The vehicle recovered without mechanical intervention. ... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
Component/System: Electrical system / electric drive control system. Available for inspection upon request. What happened: On XXX at approximately 5:45 PM, shortly after departing, the vehicle displayed error and warning messages, entered neutral, and would not engage Drive or Regenerative Brake mode. The vehicle remained inoperable in this condition for approximately one hour at approximately [XX... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
Component/System: Electrical system / electric drive control system. Available for inspection upon request. What happened: On XXX at approximately 3:43 PM, shortly after departing, the vehicle displayed electrical system warning and error messages, entered neutral, and would not engage Drive or Regenerative Brake mode. The vehicle remained inoperable in this condition for approximately one hour at... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
2024 Ford F-150 The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V512000 (POWER TRAIN) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. 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. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
During normal driving conditions the vehicle had set code P18A1 in the ECM. Code set due to an internal short in one of the solenoids in the valve body assembly. This caused the vehicle to display "Limp Mode" and lose reverse gear and propulsion over 45 mph. The vehicle was parked and towed to the dealership for evaluation. Upon inspection by a certified dealer technician, it was found that a sol... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
During low speed driving, mainly stop and go traffic the truck will randomly lunge forward when the brake pedal is engaged. It happens when accelerating and the truck will shift in to second gear, then if you apply the brake the truck will act like it is going to stall, the engine rpm will spike and the truck will launch forward. If you dont force the brake pedal to the floor, the truck will con... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Transmission failure, sounds like there is a rattle inside of the transmission.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was/was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was/was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failur... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
Known transmission issue from Ford with 10-speed transmission. Transmission failed at 106,500 miles, and needing to be replaced. Ford has knowingly ignored issue, and is charging for repair.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The car that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replace Ac don’t blow any cool air To be driving with a minor child it put he’s health in a bad risky situation