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 77,487 complaints — component: SERVICE BRAKES
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLA 250
(2025) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 6, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
I pulled into a parking space, cars on each side of me and car in front of me had pulled through the space to park. As I eased into the space, foot on brake, the car violently shook and surged forward, smashing into the rear of the car in front of me. The car continued to shake then moved to the left and crashed into the car in front of me to the left. The car that I hit in the rear was pushed int... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Turned on vehicle on 3/2/2026 and received a message stating "Anti-lock break system failure. Drive slow and stop cautiously." I test drove my vehicle in my local neighborhood and discovered that my brakes were only functioning at about 20% and would only respond if the brake petal was pressed all the way down. My car was towed to the local dealership to be assessed and was determined to need Rese... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
On January 15 I took my car to Tasca Ford for the "10,000 check up and NYS Inspection. I was given paperwork confirming that the car was functioning properly . On January 17, 2026 my parked, unoccupied 2024 Ford mach E crashed into my parents garage door. I brought the car back to Tasca on January 19 and again was told nothing was wrong with my brakes. I then took the car to an independent mechani... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I have had multiple occurrences where as I'm backing out of my garage or a parking spot, the vehicle stops suddenly and there is nothing behind me.
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
while driving a UPS Freightliner truck (Cascadia Vin number [XXX] ) on [XXX] on [XXX] in Charlotte, North Carolina, the tractor brakes locked down causing [XXX] 's arm to jam into shoulder from having all momentum come to abrupt stop causing seatbelt to yank across shoulder ultimately necessitating surgery and putting me out of work for 6 months+ and ongoing INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FR... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
I was driving down the road at approximately 40 MPH. My vehicle suddenly slammed on the brakes. The BRAKE warning light appeared on the dash. There was nothing around me - no cars, animals, road obstructions, etc. It really scared me and luckily no one was behind me. I have had this car for 6-ish months and it has less than 6,000 miles on it. This is the first time it has happened.
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
Unable to stop the car. Luckily no accident. Brake pedal was very hard to press and car didn't stop. Brake pedal became normal again in few seconds (5- 7 sec). Inspected car. nothing was stuck under brake pedal.
FOREST RIVER
XLR TOYHAULER
(2021) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 6, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
I was stopped at a traffic light and when it tire we green I was unable to drive as the emergency brake was holding the vehicle. I was unable to release it. Car would not go forward or backwards. Finally was able to drive after disconnecting battery for a few minutes. Drive directly to repair station. They changed the e brake switch, and the motor on one side of rear brake and the caliper also. Wa... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Feb 24, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety issue involving a Volvo VNL truck. The vehicle was purchased new on December 12, 2025 and currently has approximately 22,000 miles. Since shortly after purchase, the truck has experienced a defect in the braking system. While driving, the vehicle has unexpectedly applied the brakes on its own and has displayed warning messages related to ... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE SPORT
(2018) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 6, 2026
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
The first time I drove my Ford Ranger and went to brake, I was startled by my right shoe getting tangled and wedged on something. I was able to get to the brake and come to a stop in plenty of time but it did give my heart a jump. It has happened several times with my husband as well. The clearance between the lower part of the dash and the accelerator and brake pedals needs reconfiguring as your ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The Vacuum Pump for the Power Assist Brake System failed on my vehicle, the dealership would not provide me with the failed unit as they "have to send it back to Toyota". My brake assist was very inconsistent, sometimes barely had any which lead to very poor braking, accompanied with a KNOWN problematic knocking noise with an active TSB. I complained about this issue when I bought this used vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
Driving to work, going into a turn with no obstructions my car frequently alerts to a "collision warning" that is not there. Additionally, I have been driving on the highway, with no obstructions in front of me and my car emergency brake despite an emergency not being present. In both instances, it is extremely distracting and induces anxiety as I am alerted of a threat that is not there. Furt... Read more
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
I was sold this 2024 Mazda cx30 from Ken ganley kia located in mentor Ohio (44060) the vehicle started showing major electrical issues. when they occur I have no control of the functions of anything in the cabin (infotainment, heat/air, braking system,) just to name a few. My wife and I were assured we were purchasing a good safe and reliable used vehicle. I feel this vehicle is extremely unsafe ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
My 2018 Ram 3500 is included in the NHTSA Recall # 24V-896. My warning lights have been coming on for a while now and so I believe my ABS is not active. I am being told parts are not available. As I am sure you know the recall was issued 11/27/2024. I feel like they have had more than enough time to have the parts available and am very dissatisified with the situation.
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Shortly after purchasing a new 2026 Ram 3500 in January 2026, the vehicle began displaying multiple safety warnings simultaneously while driving. Warning indicators included Check Engine, ABS, Brake, Traction Control, Electronic Stability Control, Forward Collision Warning, and Automatic Emergency Braking, along with a “Service Electronic Stability Control” message. The vehicle had very low mi... Read more
Incident date: Nov 21, 2025
there have about 4 incidents where my vehicle has engaged the automatic emergency breaks while I’m driving, even though there are no cars around me close enough to cause that reaction. called 911 on most recent incident to get medical evaluation to check chest from seat belt sudden locking
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
While driving loss of abs/traction control. Loss of cruise control. Audible distraction ding while driving with warning messages.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
Hello, I has problems driving my car like by brakes braking out of nowhere. There was even a couple times I felt like the car swerved, even though I did not do anything to the steering wheel. Then I found out I had a recall that said not to drive the car because it was dangerous so I parked it in my driveway and I have not driven it for many months as I’ve been getting rental cars. Eventually, I... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while driving at 40 MPH, the brakes inadvertently activated. The contact was unaware whether any warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sound coming from the brakes, and the brakes locked up during the failure. The contact regained control of the vehicle and continued driving after the failure.... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2023) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
On February 28, 2026, while preparing to leave our home with our two children in the vehicle, we experienced a critical vehicle malfunction. Upon attempting to start the car, all dashboard warning lights illuminated, including transmission error, “service needed,” and “automatic emergency braking system needs service.” The battery warning light was also on. The vehicle would not start init... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Brake rotors warped around 33k miles under standard operating conditions. Manufacturer refused to replace under warranty. On an EV, this is completely unacceptable mileage to replace brakes (should last 70-100k or more). Research shows others with this model encountering similar issues. There must be a defect with these rotors.
Incident date: Jan 21, 2026
I purchased car less than 24 hours ago. Service engine light is on. Dealership ran code and say it wasn't diagnosing a problem. And engine light went off. Drove for 3 hours and then engine light came back on. When I drove the car today, I came to a stop at a stoplight and when I went to go the car would not go. Looked down and my car had been gone into emergency parking. This issue was NOT di... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
Approximately four weeks ago on 02/03/2026, during rainy conditions, the brakes on the vehicle did not function properly, creating a serious safety concern. At the same time, a hose connected broke and there was a strong burning smell coming from the vehicle. I also noticed fluid leaking from the vehicle. I immediately took the vehicle to the dealership for repair, and the vehicle remained there f... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The Break booster has failed or started since the break fluid is leaking inside the cab. And other trucks from the same year as my truck did have a recall for the break master cylinder failing. My breaks could potentially go out fully and I wont be able to stop. My problem has been confirmed by my independent service center. And also there's alot of other people having the same issue online. Sinc... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The ABS module that controls the antilock braking system is defective for mine and many other Jeeps from 2013-2017. Jeep is no longer manufacturing this part, and essentially this renders the vehicle undriveable. I have sought modules both locally and online, and the experts are telling me that Jeep has not made this part in years. When driving with the bad ABS module while trying to search for th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 20, 2025
1. There is a constant thunking noise coming from the front suspension when traveling on slightly bumpy roads at low speeds. 2. Both front seats squeak and squeal as if they are loose and not bolted in correctly. 3. Front brakes screach and squeal when coming to a stop in cold or wet weather, escpecially pronounced during cold weather. (This is an active service bulletin in all vehicles made i... Read more
Incident date: Sep 27, 2025
In early September 2025, I leased a 2024 Dodge Charger Daytona EV. Unfortunately, the vehicle has already been in the dealership service department three separate times since I took delivery. The first two service visits occurred after the vehicle completely bricked and would not turn on. I was informed that the vehicle’s electronic module required updating and that the batteries had repeatedly... Read more
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
On multiple occasions my vehicle (2019 equinox LT) that I bought just over 30 days ago has falsely activated the forward collision feature and slammed on its own brakes followed by “service ESC” and “service brake assist” with traction control lights and stability control lights illuminating. Dealership has confirmed that 4 computer modules are out of date on programming/updates. This is a... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
am writing again regarding serious safety concerns with my Chevrolet Equinox EV RS. This is my fourth attempt to contact Chevrolet, as my previous emails have not received a response. These issues present a significant safety risk and require immediate attention.The problems I am experiencing include: Unintended lane movement: The vehicle shifts into another lane without any steering input from me... Read more
TOYOTA
SIENNA HYBRID
(2025) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
On highway taking an exit. The brake pedal sank and did not engage at normal pressure, I had to push the brake all the way down for it to engage. Concurrently the steering wheel locked up where I could not turn the wheel at all. I drove straight through the exit ramp to the entrance ramp, luckily no one was entering the highway at the same time. I very well could have hurt some one else or myself... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 3500
(2024) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 5, 2025
I currently have a failed ABS module on my truck. The warning lights have come on for brakes, ABS and traction control. I attempted to go to my local dealer but was told the part to replace has been backordered for over 2 years. I am unable to locate a new part, or a company that will rebuild the ABS module. I've had this condition for ~ 9 months. Additionally, just recently within the last 3... Read more
Incident date: Feb 13, 2026
While driving in grocery store parking lot. The brake booster completely failed with no notice almost causing me to hit someone. I had to throw the truck in park while moving to avoid hitting pedestrians. The brake pedal is completely compressed to the floor as I was stomping the brakes in an attempt to stop. Had I not thought quick enough I would of hit at least 2 people.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Problem with Brake booster servo issue comes on the dash then goes away. Brakes are spongy and brake pedal makes a swooshing sound when pressed
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? FACTORY TRAILER BRAKE CONTROL UNIT. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? BRAKE CONTROL INTERMITTENTLY FAIL TO WORK. NOT ABLE TO STOP 15,000 LB TRAILER. WEIGHT PUSHS VEICHLE OUT OF CONTROL. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? N... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
Vehicle: 2014 Toyota Prius v Hybrid Mileage: 79,000 miles The vehicle experienced sudden failure of the brake booster / brake accumulator system. Multiple warning lights appeared including ABS, traction control, and the red brake warning light. Diagnostic code C1391 was retrieved. The brake pedal became soft/spongy and the electric brake pump began cycling frequently. Braking performance felt re... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2022) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 20, 2026
I have had to put a new engine in my 2019 ford ecosport 3 times due to the open recall on the vehicle. It is currently at the ford dealership due to coolant leaking into the head gasket. The problems with the vehicle have been confirmed by the dealers. And no there were ZERO warnings or signs before the vehicle completely failed on us on the highway the first time. Then the same issue happened yet... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Giving an error of reverse assist and not available when starting truck and when placing truck in reverse. Have look up to seen if included in the recall that was issued 6 days ago. Have called dealership to confirm that not part of recall. The message just showed up last night. This truck should be included in the recall
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Warning came on the dash board saying braking power low and a lot of the lights were orange like the anti collision and 4 others
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
While driving my 2010 Toyota Prius, the brake warning lights suddenly illuminated and the brake pedal became soft and unresponsive. Stopping distance increased significantly, and the vehicle required much more pressure to slow down. This created an unsafe situation in traffic and could have easily resulted in a collision. A Toyota dealership diagnosed the issue as a failure of the brake booster a... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
What happened? While driving my 2025 Honda Odyssey, the engine failed to restart during an Auto Idle Stop event at a 4-way stop/intersection. When releasing the brake to take my right-of-way, the engine stalled completely. The vehicle became immobilized, the power steering went heavy/stiff, and the brake pedal became difficult to depress. I had to manually cycle the ignition by shifting to "Park" ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 20, 2025
I have taken the vehicle to dealership twice and told there was nothing wrong with the car. On three occasions the car has shut off when I stop and will re-engage but lurches and makes a crunching sound upon accelerating.
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
The output voltage to the Trailer Braking system is low, only 7.5 volts. Other owners have the same problem. From what I understand there is an issue with the computer that keeps the Original Equipment trailer brake controller from delivering full power at speeds below 30 MPH. This is a safety hazard in stop and go driving. There are many complaints about this same problem in the Ram Forumz. Ram s... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
This is the 3rd time I have had to address this issue. The ABS system fails, resulting in increased braking distances. The dealership refuses to warranty or recall this dangerous defect, replacing the parts which fail again. Symptoms include increased braking distance, extremely hard pedal, lack of ABS function, lack of traction control, lack of hybrid regen. The entire dash lights up with ind... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
For about 6 months now, the abs control module has been bad. Leaving every light regarding braking on the dashboard and no safety features, such as abs, skid control, ect ect . The parts for this have beem on back order over a year now and there are tons of people experiencing the same issue as I. My vehicle only had 63000 miles when it failed. ( code c2200, abs internal failure) . Many people hav... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
humming from the hydroboost pump, actual issue is the high pressure steering line has a nylon tube inside the hose that breaks apart and moves throughout the system. Dodge had one revision of the hose on the early model years but this issue has gone unresolved. I am afraid if i cant get it fixed it may possibly cause the brakes or steering assistance to fail.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
Every morning when I back out of my driveway the brakes squeel as if the wear pad indicators have reached end of life. I took this to the dealer and they said this is completely normal
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Car continues to accelerate after applying the brake. Has happened numerous times. Usually at slow speed
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2019) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Durring inspection i observed an exhaust clip making direct contact with a brake line and it had caused some wear to the metal brake line. This vehicle is an active school bus and I found similar failures or evidence of contact on all 3 of my bluebird vision buses equipped with the 7.3 gas V8.