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: May 29, 2026
2021 Ford F-150 Lariat, 5.0L Coyote V8, purchased new, now 65k miles. Two interrelated safety defects: OIL CONSUMPTION: On 3/21/2026 at 62k miles, I discovered the engine was critically low on oil. Only 3 quarts drained during a full oil change, against a rated 8.8 quart capacity. The engine had been running on one third of required oil. The onboard oil life monitor showed 9% remaining and gave NO... Read more
Incident date: May 9, 2026
The 2018 F150 I purchased started out a good vehicle like most vehicle do. The problems then began to come one after the other. Routine oil changes on the vehicle at the dealership with no hiccups turned into “Your motor is low on oil”. The tech tried to find a leak. The motor wasn’t leaking ANYTHING, so naturally the tech told me the motor was burning the missing oil. The tech told me “th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. The contact received a notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly failed to accelerate or maintain velocity as intended while the accelerator pedal was depressed. The check engine warning light ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Automatic CVT failure confirmed by Future Nissan of Roseville CA. No warning prior to failure. Replaced by Kirkwood Autoworx Mechanical since Nissan Corporate denied a good-will replacement. Reason: 15k miles over warranty - 75081odometer reading at replacement on 5/27/26. CVT failed while on a busy street [XXX] ). I had only reverse and had to back my way out of traffic. Extremely dangerous si... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle would jerk upon depression of the accelerator pedal without warning. In addition, the contact stated that on multiple occasions while turning into a parking lot, the vehicle's collision avoidance system would engage while in the vicinity of another vehicle as a warning chime would emit from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to ... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
While operating my vehicle on a public roadway, the vehicle suffered a sudden, catastrophic loss of transmission hydraulic pressure and vehicle propulsion, accompanied by a dashboard warning light with a blinking "D". The vehicle completely stopped delivering power to the drive wheels while moving with traffic, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard for a rear-end collision on an active ro... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Today, my turbocharger was diagnosed as damaged and leaking coolant into the cylinders and visibly leaking throughout the undercarriage. Additionally, my cylinder 4 is misfiring. My mechanic said they've seen this problem many times and while the turbocharger can be replaced, it often fails or other parts of the engine are damaged beyond repair. I had sluggish performance, mainly with acceleration... Read more
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2024) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
My 2024 Ford Maverick (VIN [XXX] ) has had three sudden losses of drive power while driving. Each time the accelerator stopped delivering power with NO warning lights, no error messages, and no dashboard indicators before, during, or after. Each time I pulled over, shut off the vehicle, and restarting fully restored normal function. Incident 1 — Aug 2024, two-lane highway, New Mexico. Clear, ~80... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2023
My 2018 Ford F‑150 experiences harsh shifting, sudden downshifting, gear hunting, delayed engagement, and shuddering during normal operation. These issues occur regardless of weather, temperature, or driving conditions and present a serious safety concern when accelerating or maintaining speed. Detailed Description of the Problem: The transmission consistently behaves unpredictably, including... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off and in park(P), the gear shifter could be moved out of the park(P) position without depressing the brake pedal. Due to the failure, the vehicle would roll forward which caused a potential safety hazard. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA ID Number: 18V100000(Power Train); however, the contact's... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
My 2024 Mazda CX-90 PHEV Premium Plus has experienced repeated hybrid system failures. The vehicle currently has an active "Hybrid System Malfunction" warning light. This is the latest in a series of 17 recalls and recurring defects since purchase in July 2023. Most recently, the vehicle was out of service from February 14, 2026 to approximately March 18, 2026 due to a severe transmission fluid le... Read more
Incident date: May 16, 2026
Went from 65 and dropped down to 40 going up grades on the freeway. Started shaking, check engine light went on and electric battery disappeared from dash. Got to top of grade, went back to normal. Problem repeated on next grades. Car had just left dealership lot an hour prior where it was safety inspected and they said all was fine. Took back to dealership for inspection and they said that the... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 11, 2026
My 2023 Toyota Highlander was experiencing a high pitch whiny noise when accelerating. I looked up on line and saw that this could be a failing transmission issue. I took it into the Toyota Dealership , 6321 West Canal Drive, Kennewick, WA 99336. They confirmed my concerns. They said the transmission was toast and I could not drive it until repaired. They informed me they would have to order a r... Read more
Incident date: May 29, 2026
In this vehicle, I regularly experience a "delay" in gas pedal response. I drive a non-hybrid V6 twin turbo variant engine 2022 Toyota Tundra, and for a long time I thought this was just related to turbo spooling delays. But Toyota's recent TSB-0032-26 publishing last month confirmed that it is actually a TCM logic issue requiring a re-flash. I spoke to the dealership and this is not covered outsi... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, a service 4x4 warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed the the PTU was bad and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with a common unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failu... Read more
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Elantra. The contact stated that while driving, check engine light illuminated, with a loss of power when accelerating. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power train failure and received diagnostic code P040100. The vehicle was repaired; however, the issue persisted. The vehicle was returned to the dealer multiple times but still ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while at a complete stop, the automatic engine Start/Stop system engaged, and the vehicle shut off completely. The message "Please Hit The Start Button Again" was displayed, and several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact press the start button, but the vehicle failed to start. Additionally, the gear shifter was st... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Engine Overheat, white smoke from exhaust, and coolant leaking. Empty coolant reservoir.
Incident date: May 24, 2026
When driving the car through a busy intersection there was a sudden, brief surge of acceleration, followed by deceleration and the vehicle cutting all motor power and becoming inoperable. The MIL lamp illuminated and the "Ready" light went out. I was unable to move the vehicle out of traffic until I got out and disconnected / reconnected the 12v battery to reset the car systems. The problem is ... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 GMC Yukon. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle would independently activate Limp mode and would not accelerate past 30 MPH. In addition, the vehicle would not shift into the Reverse gear as intended. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed with error codes: P0777 and P18A1. The vehicle was not repaired due to pa... Read more
Incident date: Jan 7, 2026
Transmission is broken at 110,000 miles. It's happening to everyone that owns Toyota's.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: May 16, 2026
New motor put in due to drive train seizing up sept 2025. “Oil pressure low” and died while stopping at a red light in May 2026. Would not crank back. New motor only had 40k miles. Supposedly GM will not cover tow or rental.
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2018) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 2, 2026
Incident date: Jun 2, 2026
Complaint: I am writing to report a transmission defect in my 2018 Toyota Highlander AWD (UA80 8-speed automatic transmission). Prior to the check engine light illuminating, I noticed a burning smell coming from the vehicle. Subsequently, the following fault codes were retrieved: •P0741 – Torque Converter Clutch Circuit Performance/Stuck Off •P2714 – Pressure Control Solenoid “D” Perfo... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
While driving, the engine began making a loud knocking/rattling noise and the check engine light began flashing. The vehicle experienced a loss of power and was unsafe to continue operating normally. The vehicle was taken to a Hyundai dealership for diagnosis. The engine requires replacement. Hyundai denied coverage, claiming excessive oil consumption and/or maintenance concerns. However, upon in... Read more
Incident date: Feb 14, 2019
Engine burns 1quart of oil, 100 miles. Brakes went to floor, brake lines had holes at 69,000 miles. Driver rear axel leaks. 2006 Cadillac CTS is a lemon!! Money Pit !!!
Incident date: Sep 17, 2025
The vehicle was purchased brand new from an authorized franchised dealership, sold and contracted as being equipped with a dealer-installed 2.5-inch suspension lift. At approximately 20,000 miles, a severe front-end squeaking symptom developed. The vehicle was brought to a separate authorized Toyota dealership service center for inspection. An authorized Toyota Master Technician formally inspec... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
While I was driving the brakes did not work. I had to slam on the brakes in order to stop the car. The back portion of the car then skid. The following warnings were sent to the phone and appeared on the dashboard as well. There were more on the dashboard but since I was driving I focused on trying to maneuver the car and not reading the dashboard. Not knowing what happened I continued to dri... Read more
Incident date: Jan 2, 2023
All of my dash lights are on.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
The engine light has come on several times. I was told it was the battery ignition switch, then the sensor in front of the car and now they are saying it is the turbo
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE L
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 20, 2026
My 4WD service light keep coming on
ACURA
MDX TYPE S
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Reporting an additional case in support of ongoing defect petition investigation DP26001. 2022 Acura MDX Type S SH-AWD, currently at 63,700 miles. While driving and making a turn, I heard a grinding noise with no warning lights illuminated. I stopped immediately and shut off the engine but noticed no abnormality. I restarted the vehicle and drove with no further issues or noises. Later, during a... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
My vehicle is currently subject to an open Ford transmission safety recall for which no repair remedy is available at this time. The vehicle is experiencing a recurring and dangerous failure while driving. Approximately twice per day, during my normal commute, all vehicle electronics suddenly shut off while the vehicle is in motion. At the same time, the wheels appear to lock up, causing a sudden... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Dec 20, 2025
When I shift the transmission into park., turn off the ignition, there is an error message - shift into park. Even though I shifted into park, the power stays on, ie stereo, lights, HVAC etc. This is putting a strand on the battery, and computer systems. I now have a list of BCM codes - no communications. Dealer says it will take 2-3 days w/appointment All the vehicles (Volt & Bolt have National ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
2021 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve 2.7-liter twin-turbocharged V6 with coolant intrusion caused by a blown head gasket on cylinder #6. Vehicle would not accelerate properly and lurch forward when the gas pedal was pressed over 25%. The issue was taken to the shop and not found. The issue progressed and was taken to the shop a second time. The issue was found from a misfire code on cylinder #6. Vehicle ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA CRUZ
(2022) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 HYUNDAI Santa Cruz. The contact stated while driving 74 MPH, while depressing the accelerator pedal the vehicle failed to respond. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road and turned the vehicle off and on and the vehicle began to work as intended. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the transmission needed to... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 15, 2026
On May 15, 2006 I was turning slowly into a parking space perhaps 3 to 5 miles an hour. My vehicle suddenly surged forwarded and accelerated on its own. I hit a wall. No warning lights appeared. No crash warning or any beeping of any sort. My car had a recall for the fuel injector. In October 2025 Ford sent out someone to adjust the software at my home. I do not believe a tube was ever inserted. W... Read more
Crash
GMC
SIERRA 2500
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: Apr 12, 2026
We keep getting an error message that shows we need to service DEF SYSTEM, it also started to limit my MPH and is now locked at 55 MPH. initial check of the DEF SYSTEM shows a malfunctioning module. it has been happening over the last year to 18 months. they would reset it or it would sometimes go away on its own after having to drive it in order for the error to clear.
Incident date: May 29, 2026
A few weeks ago, on several separate occasions while I was driving, the engine suddenly lost power; power was restored only after I restarted the engine. Subsequently, the yellow PTU warning light illuminated—a situation that is extremely dangerous. I contacted Jeep’s manufacturer for assistance, but they merely deflected the issue, directing me to visit an authorized dealership. When I went t... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2026
The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle experienced a loss of power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where diagnostic code read C14A7-97. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
CV axle making clicking noise when turning with all CV axle boots in good condition.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
I was driving my car would not accelerate on the highway and it almost caused me to get into an accident with my niece in the car. When I took the car to Audi this is what I was told my the service adviser. “Good afternoon. The technician has been looking into the vehicle and has found the cause of the issue. He has found the coolant water pump has failed internally causing coolant to leak inter... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Acadia. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the shift to parking warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was parked. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, however the failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The conta... Read more
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The contact owned a 2017 Ford F-150 The contact stated while driving at 45MPH, in the rain the vehicle gear shift downshifted independently attempting to make a slight left turn causing the rear wheels stop working as intended for a one second causing the vehicle to merge into another lane causing the vehicle to crash into a ditch in order for the vehicle to come to a complete stop. The contact st... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 25, 2026
Recall 26V237 / Ford 26S28** Vehicle 2015 Ford F 150 VIN: [XXX] Recall Reference NHTSA Recall: 26V237 Ford Recall: 26S28 Summary of Safety Issue My vehicle has begun experiencing the exact defect described in Recall 26V237. The truck has twice downshifted unexpectedly to a much lower gear while traveling at approximately 35–40 mph. Both events caused abrupt deceleration and a momentary loss... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Suburban. The contact stated while the contact's husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed, however the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. In addition, the contact's husband noticed an abnormal sound and the vehicle independently stopped. The contact stated that the instrument cluster displayed a blank screen. The cont... Read more
Incident date: Dec 4, 2025
Incident Description:The vehicle experienced a complete internal transmission failure while driving, creating a severe and sudden loss of power on the roadway. A professional technician's diagnostic assessment confirmed active fault code P07F7 (Incorrect Gear Ratio 10th Gear) and explicitly cited Ford Technical Service Bulletin TSB #25-2474, pointing directly to a failed internal mechanical CDF cl... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2020) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 29, 2026
Our truck started hard shifting and lurching almost a year ago, the check engine light will come on, sometimes the truck will go into safety mode, then the check engine will be off. The problem progressed and we had it diagnosed as a bad transmission control valve which we were made aware is not available to get replaced because of the ongoing recall on other vehicles in the same year range as our... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding ongoing transmission and Transmission Control Module (TCM) issues with my 2014 Ford Focus. In October 2022, the transmission was replaced, yet I continue to experience serious transmission-related failures. Most recently, the vehicle would only start in neutral and would not reliably shift into drive or reverse. These recurring issues have made the vehicle... Read more
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 30, 2026
We purchased our 2021 Highlander XLE in the spring of 2024. It came with a powertrain warranty up to 60,000 miles. Unfortunately for us, we're at 65,000 miles and recently started hearing a high-pitched, whining noise when we accelerate. We took it to the Toyota dealership and they told us we need the transmission replaced. A new transmission is around $9,000, before taxes and service fees. We ... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Jun 1, 2026
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Upon accelerating on the freeway, rear wheels locked up completely almost causing me to hit multiple vehicles. Was repeatable and was able to record the event. Manufacturer claims unable to reproduce and bring back if it happens again. No lights were set.