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 117,788 complaints - component: STEERING
Incident date: Jun 18, 2024
Entire information cluster has lost power vehicle halts to a stop in mid driving breaking response is sometimes hard sometimes very loose intermittent warning lights
Crash
Incident date: May 27, 2025
I was driving my car to the post office in Waikii Ranch in Kamuela Hawai’i no or around [XXX] When all of a sudden my steering went out and my car could hardly turn without great effort from me and I am [XXX] I noticed a warning light stating my power steering was not working and to drive with caution This was a horrible drive home as I live where there are many turns and hills Once I made i... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2016) - STEERING
Jun 14, 2025
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
Called the dealership at commonwealth motors and all other dealership to take care of the recall as that is the only reason why I am a unable to pass inspection . Dealer ships all around said the part for the takata airbag recall is not in stock and will not be available till December 2025
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
While going on the highway it braked hard and displayed service stabilitrak light with traction control light flashing went away after 10 seconds. Then I pulled into my driveway and it snapped the wheel out of my hand forcefully almost breaking my wrist and wouldn't let me turn right. Towed it to ford where they claim a loose battery terminal was present. No warning at all before this. Upper engin... Read more
Incident date: Mar 20, 2025
At 11:15 AM, June 13, 2025 when I turn right at intersection, my steering wheel suddenly became hard (could not turn). My car nearly hit median in my left hand when the steering wheel back to normal. So I could steer my car avoid accident. This is first time I encountered problem like this. Everything is normal right now. No warning or everything popped up on display.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
Just like the same era's Honda CR-V (the Honda Element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era Honda CR-V's NHTSA Recall (23V-228). Large sections of my car’s rear frame are completely missing, and as shown in the photographs even the rear bumper fell off because of all of the rust. Just like with the CR-V, ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
I’ve been having multiple problems since I bought this 2022 Mitsubishi Mirage G4 LE. First, my front brakes went out and I had problems with a serpentine belt not even a year and a half later after buying the car I took it to the dealership. They said there was nothing wrong with it. Let me leave with no brake pads and a squealing belt.. thank God I had an sense to have my husband check it and h... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
Just like the same era's Honda CR-V (the Honda Element's sibling car with many of the same components), the undercarriage rust on my vehicle is excessive: as described in the same era Honda CR-V's NHTSA Recall (23V-228). Large sections of my car’s rear frame are completely missing, as shown in the photographs. My car is now undriveable. I had it towed to two Honda dealerships at my expense and b... Read more
HONDA
CLARITY PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2019) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while exiting the driveway, the steering wheel moved voluntarily and failed to respond as intended. The contact stated that the steering wheel then seized. The message "Power Steering Fault" was displayed on the screen. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made awa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
On the night of [XXX] at approximately [XXX] PM, I was driving from Tracy, California to Lancaster, California via the [XXX]. The freeway had no traffic at the time, and I set my cruise control to maintain a speed of 75 mph for a safer ride. While driving in the left lane near Santa Nella, my car suddenly deployed the ABS brakes. The steering wheel locked, and the car began to slip—its tires lo... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Chevrolet Cruze. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the steering wheel seized, and the vehicle also lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the electronic control unit module had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle w... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Fusion. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the steering wheel failed to function as intended. The contact stated that the assist fault error and an unknown warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed with steering gear failure. The contact was informed that the steering gear needed to be replaced. The vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 25, 2023
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became very difficult to turn in either direction. The contact stated that the message "Service Vehicle" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2025) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: Jan 24, 2025
I was driving to work and all of a sudden I had no power steering and red light with wheel and ! Came on indicating power steering failure. Confirmed by mechanic and estimated 3-4 thousand dollars , this is a known issue with these trucks apparently as I’m finding out
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2024) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
Steering wheel sticks once at highway speed, wheel turns but with a glitch
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
My daughter almost killed herself in the car at [XXX]; the steering wheel and wheels got stuck. She's stuck at [XXX] close by [XXX] in the middle of the road, She's already called the mechanic and towing company and his assistant so I can get to work. The car is under my name [XXX] . Car was towed to a mechanic shop. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S... Read more
Incident date: Apr 14, 2025
My daughter almost killed herself in the car at [XXX]; the steering wheel and wheels got stuck. She's stuck at [XXX] close by [XXX] in the middle of the road, She's already called the mechanic and towing company and his assistant so I can get to work. The car is under my name [XXX] . Car was towed to a mechanic shop. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2025
Incident Summary: On [XXX], I was in an accident and dropped my Tesla Model 3 at Tesla’s North Phoenix Collision Center in Nov 2024. I received the car back in Dec/Jan. Immediately, I noticed dangerous swaying, bouncing, and veering when hitting dips—especially on the freeway. The car was unstable and unsafe to drive at high speeds. In Feb/Mar, Tanner (assistant manager at the collision cente... Read more
Crash
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2021) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
We recently bought the dodge truck from a dealer in Puyallup Washington and noticed it was hard to steer and pulling to the left and right when Turning. It was a hard pull ! Now we can't even drive the truck at all its hard to steer and there's a red light at the bottom of the cluster with a red circle and a exclamation mark.! We don't want to drive it as my husband says it's the electric power st... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 2500
(2024) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: May 9, 2025
The dash board stared to flash all sorts of symbols check engine light, auto start stop, sway bar disconnect unavailable, shifter problem. And then the power steering does not work, sometimes the throttle has no power, and sometimes the engine shuts off.
Incident date: Jun 13, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became inoperable. The contact stated that while attempting to make a turn, the contact heard a loud clanking sound coming from the steering wheel. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the po... Read more
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2022) - STEERING
Jun 13, 2025
Incident date: Jun 10, 2025
While driving my 2024 Ford Maverick on a highway at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle suddenly lost power to the front wheels while passing a slower-moving vehicle. This caused the truck to jerk and decelerate rapidly in the oncoming lane, forcing me to veer back into my original lane abruptly. In doing so, I narrowly avoided a head-on collision, but the sudden maneuver caused the driver behind me... Read more
3 injured
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
MDPS Flexible Steering Coupler Fails on all these cars but only Optima’s got covered even though the same defective coupler is used in the Forte’s Here is the memo for the Optima’s TSB: CHA072 / CS1604 (Rev 2) Optima (QF/TF/TFH) August 2016
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
No crash, but ongoing issue that could cause a crash easily as it is increasing in difficulty in steering the vehicle. Abnormal sound when turning. Sticky wheel that has difficulty releasing at the end of a turn. Increased effort to turn. Safety issue due to uneven force needed to turn or straighten at end of turn which can result in under or over correcting. Honda dealer can reproduce and says ... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000(Structure); however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving 40 MPH and making a right... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
Sticking steering wheel.Steering wheel sticks causing me to jerk wheel when turning curve.Yes, I took to Honda dealer and they ran test confirming problem. They said I need steering gearbox replaced. No warning lights occurred. About May 2024. It has gotten so bad now that I am afraid to drive it over 10 miles.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
We started having trouble keeping it on the road. Then on the highway, at about 73, I thought the car was going to go off the road. The steering felt sticky, and It's awful trying to hold it straight. You can also feel it when car is parked. Once parked and in park, keep it running and just turn the steering wheel. The steering wheel jerks either direction we turn it. We took the car over to our g... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2025
Alignment is off. Recall for my type of call for the control arm weakening and causing wheel alignment problems. Why isn't mine part of recall??
MERCEDES-BENZ
E550
(2012) - STEERING
Jun 12, 2025
Incident date: May 27, 2025
The contact owns a 2005 Nissan Altima. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle made an abnormal grinding and whining sound. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where an unknown diagnosis was made, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was ta... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2021) - STEERING
Jun 12, 2025
Incident date: May 27, 2025
Intermittent steering issues, loss of power steering, hard to steer vehicle.
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2022) - STEERING
Jun 12, 2025
Incident date: Apr 30, 2025
The contact owns a 2012 Mercedes-Benz E550. The contact stated that while occupying the vehicle while the vehicle was parked, the ignition switch failed to detect the key fob. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the electric steering rack had failed and needed to be replaced or reprogrammed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated while her son was driving the vehicle at approximately 65 MPH, the steering wheel became difficult to steer. The contact stated that the driver pulled to the side of the road. The contact stated after the driver turned off and restarted the vehicle several times, the steering wheel responded as needed. The contact stated that the message ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2025
Wiring to the steering column melted causing concerns with air bag.Dealer wants us to purchase a new steering wheel
Incident date: Nov 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Impala. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. Additionally, the message "Power Steering Failure" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that electric power steering control module(PSCM) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2010
The contact owns a 2016 Dodge Journey. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-45 MPH and turning the steering wheel to the left or to the right, the steering wheel was resistant. The contact stated that the failure progressively increased, and the steering wheel completely seized. The vehicle was towed to a certified independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with power steering... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
Power Steering fails intermittently. Shows stibilitrack warning. Can sometimes be immediately fixed by turning the vehicle off/on. Sometimes it takes a while. I've had the steering fail in the middle of a turn causing an extreme amount of additional force. Problem is intermittent, and is covered under other recalls for the same model year.
Incident date: May 29, 2025
The safety system needs serviced/repaired and the alert has been present for months, and investigated by GM licensed dealership but not repaired, after several requests. The safety of drivers and passengers has been neglected and the high risk for injury and death while occupying the 2021 Chevy Tahoe. Also on 06/11/2025 the EPS Power Steering system failed, with the system alert showing up on the... Read more
Incident date: Jan 31, 2024
I own a 2010 Hyundai Elantra that has experienced a sudden loss of power steering assist on multiple occasions. When this happens, the steering wheel becomes very difficult to turn, especially when maneuvering at low speeds or parking. The EPS light comes on and stays illuminated. This creates a serious safety hazard, particularly when driving with children or in traffic. I am aware of Hyundai Rec... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
1st incident cracked frame/suspension support for front suspension, 4 months to fix, 2nd incident oil pump, lifter failure, replaced under warranty. 3rd failure engine sieze while driving at 55-60 mph. Warning light flashed loss of oil pressure shut down immediately, put it in neutral to coat to side of road but moment I shifted to N engine failed, had to tow home cuz dealer was a month out to loo... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2021) - STEERING
Jun 12, 2025
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
The Power Steering suddenly failed without warning when starting the truck while parked in a public parking lot. Could not steer the truck and noticed the red warning light was illuminated. I turned off the vehicle and waited a few minutes and then the power steering was working. I drove immediately home. The problem then occurred again when I started the truck up. The truck was not safe to dr... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2025
Back in April 2025 my 2020 Honda CRV started having an issue with the steering where it would get stuck or it felt like a grab while driving, this happened while driving around 35 mph and on the interstate going around 78 mph, it felt like it could've made me over correct but it went back to "somewhat normal". It happened several times then took it to dealer, they were able to reconstruct the pro... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
I drove vehicle to Publix with no problems. When i tried to start vehicle, key turns but car does not start. There is no cranking sound. I called a mechanic friend and after extensive diagnosis he determined it was the ESL Module which controls the steering. Fortunately i was not driving the vehicle when the ESL Module failed. There is a recall on Mercedes Benz c300 from 2012-2017 for the ESL Mod... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2025
My steering wheel sticks while driving. It is difficult to keep the car on the highway. I feel that eventually, I will have a wreck due to this issue. It is very scary driving the vehicle. The steering wheel is sticking constantly in the center position. The car is hard to control and keep on the highway.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - STEERING
Jun 11, 2025
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
On 3 separate occasions, the following problem occurred. When towing in back of Motorhome (in neutral tow mode) while making a left turn from a full stop the towed vehicle (Ford Maverick) began to shake violently. The wheels turned opposite direction causing shaking so violently that I felt the motorhome being pulled left and right like a violent wobble. I quickly slowed to a stop and then pro... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) - STEERING
Jun 11, 2025
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
Knocking sound in the front when turning Honda states normal axel problem. For Fuel/battery . Been in a back and forth with Honda service/Honda motors because I’m getting less then advertised on my range performance. Example I drove a 60 mile drive and car drained 109z that’s 49 miles unaccounted for. I am now being told by Honda Motors mediation that the battery loses 30/40 percent efficien... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2025
When I apply my indicator in one direction and begin my turn, the indicator automatically turns off at a certain point. Immediately afterwards, the OPPOSITE indicator automatically flashes about three times. This happens about half of the time I’m making a basic 90 degree turn. It has happened regularly since I purchased the car in December of last year. It is a safety issue since the people b... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2020) - STEERING
Jun 11, 2025
Incident date: Jun 2, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Buick LaCrosse. The contact stated that while driving 25 MPH on a main road and attempting to make a right turn, the contact noticed that the steering wheel had become increasingly difficult to steer. The message "Service Power Steering - Drive with Care" was displayed. The local dealer was not contacted, and the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 24, 2025
After turning to the tight, steering resists centering and tries to continue to the right. Problem first occurred in late 2023. Honda dealer could not identify the cause but suggested rotating and realigning the tires. That reduced the problem for a while. However, it has retuned now and requires much greater effort to return to center, more so at higher speed, I.e. on the freeway.