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.
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
Showing 137,132 complaints - component: POWER TRAIN
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the transmission failed, and the vehicle lost motive power, and the vehicle was stuck in the middle of traffic. The contact referenced several satisfaction programs for the issue; however, the VIN was not included in the repair. The vehicle was towed back to the residence due to it not being able to operate. The contact stated there was a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Honda Pilot. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with fuel injector failure. The contact was informed that the fuel injectors needed to be replaced. The fuel injectors were replaced. The contact became aware of Technical Service Bulletin: 21-010, NHTSA ID Number: 10187008 (Engine and E... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2019) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 2, 2026
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The UA80 8-speed automatic transmission failed at 87,896 miles. Symptoms began as slipping in 1st and 2nd gears and harsh jerking when accelerating from a stop, with the engine revving while the vehicle failed to move. This is a loss of motive power that can occur without warning in traffic. On 8/31/2026 a Toyota dealer diagnosed a failed transaxle requiring complete replacement, with a whine trac... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 BMW X6. The contact stated that while driving 60 MPH on the highway, the vehicle lost power, and the contact was unable to maneuver the vehicle or accelerate as needed. The heat management module warning light illuminated on the instrument panel and caused the vehicle to lose motive power. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure was confirmed by the dealer... Read more
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER
(2018) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message flashing forward alert not available, brake assist not available, transmission fault, AEB not available, HDC not available were displayed. Additionally, the stability control, forward alert not available, Emergency brake assist not available, and transmission fault warning lig... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request?Transmission How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk?Stumbles harshly when accelerating and deaccelerating Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center?Yes, Changed Transmission Fluid but still occurs Has the vehicle or component been inspect... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
2024 Nissan Ariya Evolve+ e-4ORCE, manufactured 11/2023, approximately 15,544 miles. Vehicle began displaying "Service EV System" when attempting Level 2 charging and would intermittently refuse to charge. Dealer diagnostic scan showed DTC P2E2B-12 (Drive Motor A Excitation Current) and P0AA6-23 (Electric Insulation/high-voltage isolation fault). Dealer physically tested the front traction motor... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLS 450
(2019) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 2, 2026
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLS450 4Matic. The contact stated that vehicle was taken to the dealer for routine service, and it was discovered that the U-joint on front driveshaft was fractured and needed to be replaced. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V216000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approxim... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 2, 2026
Incident date: Aug 19, 2026
1. The car makes a squeaky sound when I accelerate. The faster I go the louder the noise becomes. I took the car to the Toyota dealership and was told that the transmission needs to be replaced. The car is only 5 years old. I checked online and noticed a lot of other people are also complaining about the same issue with their 2021 Toyota Highlander. 2. While driving on the Turnpike a few months ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 15, 2026
Lost all wheel drive rear wheels not turning front wheel drive only. Out of warranty
Incident date: Aug 22, 2026
Since taking delivery of this brand new 2026 Toyota Tundra Hybrid, I have experienced a persistent shuddering at low speeds, approximately 15 to 25 mph. The shuddering is most pronounced during slow, gradual brake application — the more gently the brake pedal is pressed, the more severe the shudder. It is also present to a lesser degree during acceleration. The issue appears to involve the trans... Read more
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
I am reporting a recurring safety issue with my 2026 Hyundai Palisade Calligraphy involving severe shaking, sputtering, loss of acceleration/power, stalling, and abnormal drivetrain behavior. The first incident occurred at just under 10,000 miles after driving for approximately one hour. While traveling at highway speeds, the vehicle began shaking severely and lost significant acceleration/power.... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
Update Re: ODI Complaint Number: 11759237 Subsequent Actions and Manufacturer Refusal to Remediate Safety Defect: Following the [XXX], acute safety incident—where the vehicle lost motive power and entered severe limp mode on [XXX] immediately upon release from Sheehy Hyundai of Chantilly—the vehicle remained in dealer custody for 11 days (August 20–August 31, 2026). Failure to Diagnos... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2022) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 2, 2026
Incident date: Jul 18, 2026
The vehicle will not allow the truck to be turned off everytime, it states the truck must be in park to be turned off, and the truck is in park. The engine lost power and staleld twice, and loses accelerator power multiple times. The transmission has dis-engaged 3 times. All of this since July 2026. The truck has 54,000 miles on it.
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
I am experiencing a severe defect involving a recurring clicking and popping noise from the front end of the vehicle when turning at low speeds. This issue is tied to a known premature failure of the front drive axles and constant velocity (CV) joints, which is currently the subject of federal class-action litigation ([XXX], et al. v. American Honda Motor Co., Inc.). The progressive failure of the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
My 2026 Volvo EX90, with approximately 3,000 miles, experienced a complete vehicle failure while being used as our family vehicle in Phoenix, Arizona. While my nanny was driving my two young children, including my [XXX], the air conditioning stopped functioning during approximately 110–115°F outside temperatures. After she parked, the vehicle’s displays went dark and the vehicle became compl... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
The transmission shutter and hesitates while downshifting.
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
While driving I'm going around a corner and the steering was grabbing and getting tight I had to mussel the car home then it stopped doing it the again and again now my steering has not power steering and when I back up it grabs sometimes out of my hands and almost breaks my arm. This car is a death trap. There were no warnings till it happened
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
I have had issues in the past with the transmission of this car for the past few months, it initially started to give me issues around 49k miles in this car, so I got it flushed out by a mechanic and it ran fine for a few months. Just a few days ago, I was headed home and my transmission went completely out as I was about to enter a state highway and I had to pull over into a neighborhood to get i... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2020) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
The car will lose power when trying to accelerate on the highway. The car’s transmission will completely shift out of a high gear while traveling 50+ mph at a time when you are trying to accelerate onto the highway or speed up to avoid another vehicle. The car’s transmission will shift to first and slow way down and you cannot regain power or speed for several seconds. This has happened multip... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
On XXX at approx 1:29 PM, I was driving my 2023 Nissan Rogue (purchased new XXX Chapman Nissan Philadelphia) on [XXX] with my family including 2 young children and my brother-in- law, heading to [XXX]. At highway speed (~65 mph), "Service CVT Power Reduced" warning appeared, complete loss of acceleration. I had to press accelerator to floor to avoid crash. I managed to drive approx 1 mile to emerg... Read more
Incident date: Aug 17, 2026
I had the engine on 2018 (61000 mileage) focus replaced 1 and 1/2 year ago because of the oil pan wet belt recall. Now my transmission locked up because of clutch failure. I was lucky that I was coming to a stop while parking in my driveway. Now im told by mechanic that i need a new transmission. Why was ford allowed to continue selling cars with substandard engines.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Mar 29, 2026
I am reaching out to NHTSA due to a vehicle that I believe will get me and/or my family in a major accident and cause serious injury or death. The vehicle that I had purchased in 07/08/2025 had a clean history report and was bought at 54,587 miles. It started having issues 8,563 miles later (odometer reading 63,150 ) on a trip that was 400 miles round trip. I was driving the vehicle on a highway a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
Driving on the Highway the Engine failed at highway speeds and the Tahoe experienced a complete shutdown, we could not restart the vehicle nor shift to neutral. We had the vehicle towed and was told by the dealer that it needs a engine replacement at 14,000 miles.
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
There is a hole in the engine block and it happed while I was driving, people could’ve been hurt on the road because of this mechanical failure. Vehicle has only been inspected by a private mechanic who found the problem. There was no warning of this besides a add air to tire warning.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Vehicle is subject to active Safety Recall 26S28 for transmission lead frame and range sensor failure causing unexpected downshifts into 1st gear. Vehicle experienced downshifting symptoms creating severe road hazard and risk of rear-wheel lockup. Dealership cleared diagnostic trouble codes without saving freeze-frame logs, mis-entered VIN on billing estimates, and refused to complete the recall r... Read more
Incident date: Jan 29, 2026
I am reporting ongoing safety-related powertrain and drivability concerns involving my 2021 Ford Explorer ST in Fresno, California. The vehicle has experienced recurring transmission and driveline problems, including harsh or delayed shifting, hesitation, abrupt gear engagement, jerking/surging, and inconsistent acceleration. These symptoms are similar to transmission concerns documented by Ford ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
The vehicle would not accelerate over 40MPH, we took the vehicle into the dealership for what we thought was a failed fuel injector, upon inspection they found metal shavings in the oil and mentioned the engine is not repairable and would need a whole new replacement. We had this vehicle 9 months. Upon investigation there was a known recall that is identical to the issues we are experiencing. The ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
Steering Rack: The internal components of the rack bind up and create heavy resistance, causing the wheel to lock into a turned position rather than gliding back on its own to maintain control. This issue forces you to manually pull the steering wheel back straight after every turn, making high-speed and everyday driving unpredictable and dangerous. Power train: The powertrain is loose when movin... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Direct failure of Cam phasers and confirmation. This led to erratic engine runtime leading to transmission shifting learned behaviors based on the bogus engine information. This causes erratic hardshifting into drive and most importantly dropping gears on the highway resulting in unsafe driving conditions at random. This includes both random downshifts at highway speed and a similar situation when... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the message “Service Transmission” was displayed. Additionally, the engine revved excessively. The vehicle also hesitated while depressing the accelerator. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to shift out of park(P) soon after the vehicle was started. The gear shifter eventually shifted out... Read more
LAND ROVER
RANGE ROVER EVOQUE
(2020) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Aug 22, 2026
My vehicle is affected by Safety Recall D126 / 26V-248. The vehicle has already experienced the recall failure: loss of charging, stalling while driving, and now it will not crank at all. The dealership is refusing towing, refusing to document the safety failure, and refusing Transportation. Corporate has also refused assistance. I am left without a vehicle and unable to work. This is an unsafe co... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2026
While operating the vehicle inside of a car wash, with the transmission in Neutral and the engine at idle (car was propelling the vehicle) the dash chimed, showed an error message for STOP START REQUIRES RESET, shifted into park and set the parking brake uncommanded. This resulted in my vehicle being struck from behind by another vehicle inside of the car wash. The only remedy to get moving agai... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
While operating the vehicle in heavy traffic (stop and go) conditions at about 10 mph the vehicle displayed an error message (STOP START RESET REQUIRED) shifted itself from DRIVE to PARK and applied the PARKING BRAKE uncommanded. Note that the auto stop start was in the ON position for several occurrences, but even with the automatic stop/start OFF the same anomaly occurred. These events happene... Read more
MINI
COUNTRYMAN
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
While driving a 2023 MINI Countryman on two separate occasions, the vehicle suddenly lost the ability to accelerate. Pressing the accelerator did not produce the expected power/response, creating a hazardous loss-of-propulsion condition in traffic; the car rolled to a stop each time. I was able to get the vehicle to a safe location, but the incidents could have resulted in a collision. There were... Read more
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4WD warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with PTU or actuator failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be disassembled to confirm the diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was a kn... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2018) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
Automatic Transmission not shifting properly unable to accelerate bangs gears while shifting noises from the transmission not reported no warning lamps
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Vehicle is equipped with the 6.2L L87 V8 engine. Prior to receiving the dealer service for Recall 25V-274, the vehicle experienced a distinct highway vibration, powertrain shudder, and fluctuating/jumping RPMs on the highway. The dealer subsequently performed the recall remedy by updating the vehicle to the thicker 0W-40 oil specification. However, the underlying transmission torque converter had ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
My 2023 BMW M2 6-speed manual suffered a catastrophic clutch/transmission/drivetrain failure at approximately 16,000 miles. The vehicle is stock and was still under BMW warranty/CPO coverage. I purchased the vehicle at approximately 6,000 miles and I am the third owner. The incident occurred in [XXX] on [XXX], on the [XXX] side/westbound area. While driving, the clutch/pressure plate assembly fai... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2026
While driving i lost power and heard whining and grinding. Loss of power. Had to get it to towed to the dealership where it remains as their no remedy.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact became aware several years ago that the transmission was not shifting properly and the vehicle was shaking abnormally. The vehicle was taken to a dealer; however, the technicians found no failure. The contact stated that on another occasion while in traffic, the engine overheated. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and d... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal burning odor inside the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that parts for a recall repair might... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Lexus TX 350. After purchasing and taking ownership of the vehicle, the contact discovered that the vehicle was included in a recall prior to the purchase. The contact notified a local dealer and was referred to the manufacturer. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and arranged for the vehicle to be inspected or serviced at the dealer. The dealer scheduled a servic... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2026
On XXX, I brought my 2012 Ford F-150 (VIN: [XXX]) to an authorized dealership (Ed Morse Ford Geneseo) to complete mandatory safety recall 19S07 (Molded Lead Frame Software Update). The vehicle was fully operational, shifting safely, and completely functional upon arrival. Immediately upon completion of the safety recall software flash, during the direct drive home from the dealership, the transmis... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2026
2017 Volvo XC90 T8 plug-in hybrid, approximately 81,000 miles, experienced intermittent hesitation/loss of propulsion when accelerating. When acceleration is requested, the vehicle can hesitate before power is delivered, creating a serious safety concern when entering, merging into, or crossing traffic because expected acceleration is not immediately available. Diagnostic testing identified fault... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
[XXX] It's security risk, Honda customer service not taking any ownership. Anything happens to my family who is going to take responsibility. Please open case against and help all customers who owns HONDA car. I done what ever honda delears recommanded and paid alomost $2000. Please take some action ASAP anything happens to me or my family then HONDA and NHTSA are responsible. Waiting your rep... Read more
TOYOTA
GRAND HIGHLANDER
(2024) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Aug 31, 2026
At 5:16 pm, CST. I was stopped at a stop sign headed west on a 25 mph road crossing a 30 mph road (that does not have a stop sign) in Illinois. After waiting for a an appropriate gap in traffic, I attempted to accelerate though the interesting. I released the brake pedal and attempted to accelerate. The vehicle barely accelerated. The engine seemed to minimally climb in RPM and only accelerated mi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2026
Catastrophic Driveshaft U-Joint failure - BMW X5 - Production date? 09.22.2014 Repair was made by BMW Dealership. Noted similar recall on 2011-2014 models. I believe my car was an early 2015 production model and was effected by the same issue. Current mileage on the vehicle is 93,000 miles.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
The radio displays Uconnect box requires service, please visit an authorized dealer. When that happens you cannot use the safety call 911 button, if you are using your phone for navigation, you will not be able to see it. It also makes the vehicle run different.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
While driving truck jolts (rear wheels lock up) then downshifts into a lower gear. Appears to be similar issue as described in Recall 24V797 and 25V148. Not sure why my VIN does not show up on recall. Based on description it is the same problem. Feels unsafe to drive.