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 116,327 complaints — component: STEERING

Incident date: Jun 15, 2025

The power steering randomly turns off. This is a known Chevrolet recall from the prior year model (2015) and it was recalled. I have just over 100k miles on my truck and I cannot have family members drive it because they are not strong enough to turn the wheel. If it went out on a turn the truck would plow right into oncoming traffic. It is not safe! The repair parts are $1000 with a total cost of... Read more

Incident date: Mar 16, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2021 Kia Telluride experiencing repeated and dangerous electronic system failures while driving. Kia of East Syracuse (NY) diagnosed the issue as related to the backup camera assembly and communication/network failures. While driving, the vehicle experienced loss of power steering assist, instrument cluster failure, speedometer malfunction, incorrect gea... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2026

Subject: Formal Safety Complaint – Structural Manufacturing Defect – 2021 VW Atlas Cross Sport (VIN: [XXX] ) To the NHTSA and Volkswagen Customer CARE: I am formally reporting a significant safety hazard regarding my 2021 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport. Incident Details: Incident Date: 05/07/2026 Current Mileage: 76,305 miles VIN: [XXX] Supporting Documentation: See attached files image.png... Read more

Incident date: May 12, 2026

I was leaving the parking lot at XXX downtown [XXX] around 12:30 a.m. with my passenger when the vehicle out of nowhere started throwing multiple errors and warnings. I lost the ability to break and I lost steering. I completely lost the ability to slow down the car using the brake pedals. Luckily I was not moving fast and I was able to come to a rolling stop. Have I been in heavier traffic or ha... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Mazda Mazda3.The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact stated that the vehicle's steering wheel would fail to operate as needed. The contact stated that an abnormal, clunking noise would emit from the steering wheel while turning at various speeds. The contact also stated that the steering wheel felt loose while driving at high speeds, fearing tha... Read more

Incident date: May 2, 2026

I am submitting this on behalf of my daughter, [XXX] . On Friday, May 8, 2026, [XXX] was traveling southbound on Highway 89A approaching [XXX] . Highway 89A is a narrow, winding two-lane canyon road with limited shoulder and significant elevation changes. While still on the canyon road, her 2020 Chevrolet Equinox suddenly lost all power, including power assist to both steering and brakes. A sudd... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

Tesla just sold me a car with defective front half shafts axles. The car makes a reproducible and very concerning accelerator pedal shudder that makes the entire vehicle front vibrate, including the steering wheel and brake pedals while the car is accelerating between 30-60mph. This interferes with safety features like, lane departure assistance and blind spot steering wheel feedback, Confusing th... Read more

Incident date: Mar 6, 2026

While attempting a slow right turn from a complete stop at an intersection, I heard a loud thunk sound followed by an immediate loss of power steering response. The steering wheel spun freely with little resistance while the front tires did not respond proportionally. I was able to safely pull over. Upon restarting the vehicle it produced an abnormal wheezing sound suggesting additional mechanical... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2026

The steering rack failed about one week after I purchased the vehicle. The dealer replaced the steering rack once, but the same problem happened again about six months later. The vehicle has now been at the dealership for about one year waiting for another replacement steering rack. The dealer informed me the part is unavailable and must be specially manufactured. A loaner vehicle was provided whi... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

The steering wheel takes more effort to turn than it should and does not return to center after making a turn. It has been like this since I bought the car used, and I did not realize until recently that it should not be like this. Comments on some online forums indicate that this is a common issue with Chevy Bolts, usually requiring a steering rack replacement. This is a complex operation requiri... Read more

Incident date: Mar 17, 2026

The contact owns a 2018 Honda. The contact stated that while driving the steering wheel became "sticky" making it stiff. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

Incident date: May 10, 2026

2025 Lexus TX350, approximately 27,000 miles. Vehicle exhibits rotational clicking/vibration from front drivetrain during acceleration while turning. Dealer is attributing issue to brake pad and rotor wear. Lexus TSB L-SB-0033-24 Rev1 documents a known front drive shaft assembly defect on this platform. TSB applicability check has not been performed. Requesting investigation into whether this defe... Read more

Incident date: Apr 15, 2026

We experience a sticking between 11 and 1 when driving at slow (parking lot) speeds and at highway speeds. It makes it more difficult to drive on the high around long turns, because if it's a gentle turn, holding the right angle of turn is difficult if it's sticking around that area. This can lead to unintentional swerving. This is an ongoing issue.

Incident date: Jan 1, 2022

Steering sticks/locks while driving requires excessive input. Feels like the lane departure is controlling the steering and fighting you for control. There is a recall for the same issue but our VIN is not included. Honda needs to re-evaluate to expand RECALL as this appears to apply to more than the original recalled VIN’s.

Incident date: Nov 12, 2025

Car aggressively shakes and steering wheel shakes / jerks itself side to side when accelerating. Getting worse with time. GMC has it as a known issue but has been for months. Problem is getting worse the more it is driven. GMC says it is “safe”.

Incident date: Apr 25, 2026

The steering wheel locks and stiffens on turns to the left or right refusing to come back to center on its own. In the middle of the turn the wheel locks up. Been told by multiple dealerships and forums I've read online it's a known issue with the car needing a steering gear replacement. A job that costs $4-5k per GM based on labor. There's no warning lights. GM has reproduced issue And base... Read more

Incident date: May 11, 2026

While driving my Ineos Grenadier in the middle of the Arizona desert, the steering suddenly became difficult to control due to a tie rod nut coming loose. The vehicle began wandering and required constant correction to maintain control, creating a serious safety concern in a remote area far from immediate assistance. There were no warning lamps, messages, or alerts displayed inside the vehicle bef... Read more

Incident date: May 11, 2026

When slightly braking, steering becomes heavy and resistant. Steering is slightly vague. Sometimes the lane departing warning shows up stating “check lane departing warning system” on my dash.

Incident date: May 6, 2026

I am contacting you regarding my 2020 Chevy Blazer with approx $55,580 Miles. the vehicle is experiencing multiple issues consistent with the know thermostat problem reported on many 2020 Blazer, including the P0128 code, cooling fans running at high speed and "steering Assist Reduced" warnings. The Steering wheel has now become hard to turn while driving, creating a serious safety concern for me ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 10, 2023

This is an electric vehicle. I experienced a sudden loss of all power while traveling on the interstate in heavy traffic. I nearly lost control of the vehicle as it would not respond to my inputs. I had to cross two lanes of dense interstate traffic to get to a safe area to pull over and it was terrifying because the car just suddenly shut down while traveling at highway speeds. The dealership tha... Read more

Incident date: May 11, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Honda Ridgeline. The contact stated that on several occasions at various speeds, when the vehicle went over bumps in the road, it shook more than usual. Additionally, when the vehicle was slowed down and the brake pedal was depressed, it took more effort to depress the pedal. The vehicle was taken for inspection, where it was determined that there was a steering suspension ... Read more

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

I am reporting a serious safety issue involving my 2019 Subaru Forester related to failure of the Electric Power Steering (EPS) system. Since April 21, 2026, I have been in communication with Subaru of America regarding whether this issue is related to an existing safety recall (WUC-88). During this time, I provided detailed information about multiple occurrences of EPS warning light activation a... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

While driving the "power steering failure" light came on, and then went off. I checked my VIN and it says there's no recalls needed for the vehicle, but I have read that there's a lot of this happening. It happened twice in less than 2 months of ownership.

Incident date: May 11, 2026

SUBJECT: URGENT COMPLAINT: Deceptive Practices/Misrepresentation & Services Not Rendered (Woodhouse Ford of Omaha) I. Actionable Safety Issue Summary This complaint concerns fraudulent billing and dangerous misrepresentation by Woodhouse Ford of Omaha, which claimed a vehicle's 3rd rack and pinion system was "safe" on 2/19/2026 after a known safety issue, following a previous failure. They further... Read more

3 injured

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Ignition key not releasing after turning engine off. Put shifter in park, foot on brakeii, turn Ignition key off. Key will not release. Have to cycle multiple times to get key released.

Incident date: Mar 2, 2026

1.The ESC system and power steering lights come on and sometimes go off making it extremely unsafe to drive due to not having proper control of the steering wheel. It is available for inspections at any time. 2.Being able to turn and use steering wheel correctly puts me and my family at risk for collisions. 3.confirmed by a code reader. And personal Mechanic. 4. No inspections have been made at... Read more

Incident date: May 6, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Honda CR-V- difficulty steering wheel, drives a little stiff. lane assist malfunctioning, cruise control malfunctioning. The vehicle was previously taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with an issue related to NHTSA Campaign Number 24V744000 (Steering). The contact stated the issue persisted. The dealer was contacted again that the issue had reoccurred but the... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

I own a 2024 Mazda CX-90. The vehicle has an intermittent steering concern where the steering wheel feels like it sticks, catches, or becomes notchy during normal driving. It is most noticeable when making small steering corrections to stay centered in the lane, and I have also noticed it during turns, including while entering an on-ramp. The component/system I believe is malfunctioning is the st... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

At low speeds, when I turn my steering wheel more than 45° left or right, I hear a loud clicking sound as if the steering is failing

Incident date: May 6, 2026

While driving down the highway 5/10/26, the vehicle completely shut down at 75 MPH. The dash went black, everything shut down, and the steering wheel locked. No warning lights came on. I immediately hit the brakes and tried to veer to the right. Luckily, I was in the right lane and was able to get to the edge of the shoulder. My son and I sat there in shock. A few seconds later, I hit the ignitio... Read more

Incident date: May 7, 2026

For the past year anytime I drive my vehicle above 40mph I notice the steering feels “sticky” and often you have to use additional effort to turn the wheel which cause the wheel to jerk to whatever side you attempting to turn the wheel. Apparently this is common on the same year civic but the dealership stated my vehicle VIN is not included on the list of vehicles that need the repair. The veh... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 2026

Has electric steering that becomes hard to steer. Dodge claims my particular vehicle has no recall.

Incident date: May 10, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Honda CR-V. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to steer in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was hard to steer and the steering wheel jerked. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed steering gear box. The contact... Read more

Incident date: May 10, 2026

While driving at highway speeds, steering wheel sticks at 11 and 1 o'clock position requiring extra input from the driver to return to zero or 12 o'clock position. This causes a jerky motion when the wheel finally unsticks or an oversteer condition which is unsafe when driving in busy windy roads with opposing traffic.

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Lost power while driving down the highway. All the dash lights and windshield wipers turned on and lost power steering. The steering gear assembly failed without warning.

Incident date: Apr 29, 2026

The contact owns 2023 Ram 1500. The contact stated that upon purchase of the vehicle, the vehicle was serviced for NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V799000(Steering, Exterior Lighting). Despite the recall repair, the contact stated that the failure continued to occur as the high beams would active when using the turn signals. The contact stated that the failure was most prominent at night as the high beam... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2024

At speeds between 40 and 70 my 2021 Honda Civic EX Hatchback steering feels sticky when making small adjustments. There is a slight resistant in steering when a slight correction is needed. Once that resistant is overcome, the steering wheel jerks in the direction of the correction potentially causing an over correction. This is a safety problem and can cause an accident. I am not seeing any warni... Read more

Incident date: May 3, 2026

Turn on the vehicle went forward in the steering wheel was really hard to turn. It turns out it has something to do with an EPS malfunction.

Incident date: May 17, 2022

After having the airbag recall for my Mercedes done, the Electronic Steering Lock failed and my car would not start and the steering wheel is locked. They said my car was ready to pick up and when I arrived the car was completely inoperable. The MB Dealership in Lynnfield, MA wants $2700 to fix it. If you google Mercedes W204 ESLfailure you will see thousand of owners on facebook, message boards... Read more

Incident date: May 17, 2023

I have had this vehicle since about August 2025, the brakes and wheel bearings have failed twice, the strut failed, the power steering system has messed up repeatedly, the coolant came FLYING out of the car (while parked) FOR ABSOLUTELY NO REASON! There have been multiple warning lights on since I got the vehicle and I have been told they are just sensors from multiple mechanics and that they don'... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

I have recently purchased a 2018 Honda Civic LX at 39k miles and now at 42k miles and only six months of owning the vehicle I am experiencing the sticky steering at 35mph or faster due to the worm gear in the EPS Gearbox assembly in 18V-663, NHTSA Recall 18V-663, however my VIN was not listed as eligible. I was able to have the fuel pump recall replaced immediately after I purchased it in Septembe... Read more

Incident date: Apr 30, 2026

While driving the steering wheel will intermittently lock up or make it where you cannot turn the steering wheel at all. The collision sensors will go off and cause vehicle to lock the brakes up when you’re not even close to anything. Also, random messages will appear in dash as shift to neutral while driving ect. See pictures.

Incident date: May 10, 2026

The steering wheel hard to turn. Need more effort to turn. Feel a notch or sticking in the wheel. The steering makes squeaking sound when turning. The dealer where I bought the car cannot find the problem.

Incident date: May 9, 2026

Steering wheel sticks moving wheel left or right while driving allowing over correction and dangerous situations. No lamps. Mechanical. Same issue for 23-25 models with recall. Yes it's available for inspection. No professional has confirmed it yet because frankly , I shouldn't have to pay for this , but I need to take it in this week. The 'incident' occurred the last week and a half , but the web... Read more

Incident date: Nov 18, 2025

While driving down the road goin around 45 mph all of a sudden my steering wheel got so stiff I could hardly steer the car off the road and out of traffic. I didn't hit anything, my power steering just stopped. I put the car into park and turned off the ignition after a few minutes I started it back up and my steering was back to normal. This has happened to me 2 times driving my 2016 Buick Lacros... Read more

Incident date: Jul 14, 2025

I am the owner of a 2024 Honda Accord Sport Hybrid. When driving at very low speeds, especially while parking or turning the steering wheel in tight maneuvers, the steering system produces a noticeable knocking and clunking noise. The noise can also be felt through the steering wheel. The vehicle was previously inspected by an authorized Honda dealer, and the steering gearbox (steering rack) was ... Read more

Incident date: May 8, 2026

My 2018 Honda CR-V LX (approx. 40,920 miles) has an electric power steering (EPS) rack that sticks and catches at highway speeds, typically above 35 mph. The steering wheel requires extra force to turn, then suddenly releases, creating a snap/lurch effect. This behavior poses a significant overcorrection risk during highway lane changes and gradual curves. There were no warning lights or messages... Read more

Incident date: May 9, 2026

Steering wheel binds up wile making right truns around the 1 o'clock position.

Incident date: Mar 31, 2026

My steering wheel has been sticking and it can be very scary when it happens. The Honda dealership just quoted us 4,700 to replace the steering rack. We bought our car brand new, no issues or accidents, and only has 44,000 miles. Upon research this exact problem is a big issue with similar year / makes and models but our specific VIN has no recall for this. Very upsetting.

Incident date: Feb 28, 2026

While driving or idle at the light the ABS light, traction control light and parking brake light come on and have a loss power steering.

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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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