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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 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 2,245,377 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

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 117,788 complaints - component: STEERING

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

The vehicle has experienced a pattern of recurring electrical failures beginning shortly after purchase, involving driver door controls (window, lock, mirror, and interior lighting functions), which have required four separate repair attempts over approximately three years, including replacement of a door module, a wiring harness, and a door switch assembly. Despite these repairs, the same driver ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

1. Steering, yes 2. Momentary hesitation to steer, until sudden release 3. No couldn’t reproduce 4. No have appt July 27,2026 with Honda service dept 5. Tire pressure light came on afterwards

Incident date: Jun 25, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V363000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the inspection. The contact was advised to continue to park the vehicle away from the residence. The contact was confused. The contact asked the dealer wh... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2022 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. The contact stated that the steering wheel was sticking. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred after the vehicle was driven approximately 20–30 minutes. The failure was persistent. The dealer... Read more

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

SAFETY DEFECT REPORT: Sudden Power Loss & Falsified Records 1. INCIDENT & 5-HR TOWING (XXX): On XXX at ~16:30, while executing a low-speed (<10 mph) left turn in Cambridge, MA, the vehicle had a sudden, total high-voltage failure mid-turn, losing all motive power and power steering without warning or error codes. Photos/videos were taken on-scene confirming ZERO physical impact or undercarriage c... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

While driving my vehicle straight approaching an intersection, I lost complete steering capability and feedback from the steering wheel. The lower intermediate shaft on the steering column complete separated from the splines on the rack and pinion. If I wasn't already preparing to stop at the stop sign this could have happened while driving on a curve in the road or at high speeds on a highway. Th... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

Makes a clicking sound when turning. Honda unwilling to repair or look at car. It's been an ongoing issue with Honda Prologue owners.

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Wrangler. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the heated steering wheel feature was enabled; however, the heated steering wheel feature failed to function as intended. In addition, the contact became aware of a burning odor. The contact deactivated the heated steering wheel feature. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnos... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

Component: I was driving my jeep on XXX and the power steering went out. Because this is electric over hydraulic, I couldn't even muscle the steering wheel. No lights illuminated on the dash and I don't believe the computer stored any codes. The power steering was out for less than 20 seconds. Safety risk: I almost crashed my car due to this issue and that's a safety risk to myself and others. I l... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

My 2019 Honda Civic has been driven for only 35, 775 miles. The steering has become "sticky" or "notchy" and poses a safety risk since it seems to get stuck particularly when making left turns. The dealership's service center has diagnosed the problem as internal failure of the rack steering gearbox causing binding and stickiness in the steering feel. No warning messages were indicated. The p... Read more

Incident date: Jun 6, 2025

When negotiating a curve the steering will lock to the right and must be manually adjusted by turning the wheel. A firm grip must be kept on the wheel so as not to over compensate for this issue. This has been happening for several months.

Incident date: Jul 5, 2026

When Highway Driving Assist / Lane Following Assist is active — confirmed by illuminated green HDA and lane assist indicators — the vehicle applies uncommanded steering torque, to the left or to the right, strong enough to force the vehicle out of its lane. This occurred on every drive, daily, from delivery on 7/2/2026 (approximately 23,200 miles) until the vehicle was brought in for service o... Read more

Incident date: Jul 5, 2026

My vehicle steering wheel completely disengaged/malfunctioned when driving home. The steering wheel continuously rotates however there is no shifting of wheels. This is hazardous as I had to brake the car and call roadside assistance. It is currently at the Mercedes dealership and will be inspected tomorrow. The car displayed the following error after the steering malfunctioned: ESP® is mal... Read more

Incident date: Jun 18, 2026

The vehicle developed repeated front‑end structural and steering problems shortly after purchase. During normal driving, it produced loud popping, creaking, and clunking noises when turning, entering driveways, or driving over small inclines. Steering felt inconsistent and the front suspension felt unstable. These symptoms created a serious risk of loss of control. A dealer confirmed the proble... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

•Steering rack •Unstable steering •dealership •no No messages, began while I was on the highway and had to control the steering on the highway. Which can create a accident .

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

DIRECT ADAPTIVE STEERING EXPERIENCEING AT START UP ALTERING THE VEHICLES STEERING AND RESPONSIVENESS AND TURNING RADIUS DOES NOT WORK AND IS INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH. VERY UNSAFE TO DRIVE. THERE IS A RECALL 16V430000 ON THIS VERY PROBLEM. HAVE BEEN TOLD BY DEALERSHIP AND NISSAN MOTORS THAT MY CAR IS NOT ON THE RECALL AND I WILL HAVE TO PAY MY SELF TO GET FIXED AND TO SEE IF THAT IS THE PROBL... Read more

Incident date: Jul 3, 2026

I purchased fgis car from a used car dealership, for over $6,000.00 , which is not a ton of money, but plenty enough to not have instant issues. Since my purchase in june 30, 2026, i have already had all of these issues occur. There is white smoke coming from the left tail pipe, it is sluggish when you push on the gas, there is black soot constantly on my rims that is extreamly hard to remove, th... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

The biggest concern that I have is what I have learned is referred to as “Sticky steering” when I'm driving especially 55mph. It's almost like it catches or hangs up on something before making a small correction. The with the steering wheel doesn't settle back in the center of the lane as it should. It tends to drift toward the left side. I try and correct it but it's a constant back and forth... Read more

Incident date: Jul 21, 2026

My husband bought a 2018 Ford Escape and he took it back to the dealer because it was speeding up when he did not touch the gas and it was veering off the road. I put the vin# in the website and it pulled up 4 past recalls one of which fits the description of what he experienced.

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

The engine tries to die when in park. While stopped at a red light, it died and stated conditions not met to shift. Had to hit park button then restart it. This has happened 4 times. With & without auto start feature on

Incident date: Oct 23, 2025

Shortly after purchasing this truck, the ABS, Traction Control, Electronic braking system, and trailer brake system lights all came on. Back then I did some research and learned it was just something I will have to live with. Fast forward 2 years and the other day I drove to work like normal but when I came back out to my truck the electronic power steering had gone out. Some research told me that... Read more

Incident date: Jul 19, 2026

I was pushed to complete an update on my 2023 Tesla Y with an over the air update. This happened last week. Following the update i have been getting a slew of errors when driving my car related to the parking break, brake functions, automatic energy braking and steering are affected. The wording on the app / car says, Alerts - Steering & Braking - Parking brake functions degraded / Parking brake m... Read more

Incident date: Jun 27, 2026

While braking from highway speeds or any other speed, the vehicle becomes unstable and pulls to the left, making it difficult to maintain control. During hard braking, the vehicle does not track straight and requires steering correction to remain in its lane, creating a significant safety hazard. To diagnose the problem, the vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic. An alignment was perfo... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist" was displayed. The vehicle was restarted, and the message was no longer displayed, and the vehicle operated normally. Later, while driving at an undisclosed speed, the power steering message returned, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. Addi... Read more

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V363000 (Steering); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle could be taken to the dealer to be inspected; h... Read more

Incident date: Dec 16, 2025

SUMMARY OF ISSUE: Water intrusion from a defective factory rear window seal flooded the Radio Frequency (RF) Hub module, causing severe, dangerous network communication (CAN bus) failures while driving. The removed RF Hub has been retained by the owner and is available for physical inspection upon request. SAFETY RISKS: Power steering repeatedly seizes/locks up while driving. Vehicle complet... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

When driving on the highway or making a turn the wheel feels like it is sticking and it is making it difficult to drive long distance and it feels unsafe.

Incident date: Jul 3, 2026

Loss of power steering assist . Yes it is available for inspection on request. I can't steer it . It has not been confirmed by anybody yet. It has not been inspected by anybody yet. There are no warning lights on dash .

Incident date: Aug 21, 2024

This complaint is against HENDRICK CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM IN HOOVER ALABAMA misaligned solid-axle geometry and compromised tire casings triggered a violent, uncontrollable oscillation through the steering system, rendering the truck an immediate highway safety hazard. The vehicle was so dangerous to operate that it could not be driven home and remains stranded at a secondary residential location.... Read more

Incident date: Feb 13, 2026

Steering "sticks" when going at highway speeds around long corners in any weather condition. The steering also sticks and clicks in tight turns at any speed, noticeably more often when outside temperatures are 85 degrees and above. I thought it could be the road departure mitigation or the vehicle stability assist system, but neither indicator was shown on the dash during the sticky steering inci... Read more

Incident date: Jul 2, 2026

I am reporting a severe safety hazard on my 2025 Toyota Tacoma caused by incorrect alignment specs and an uncorrected extreme toe setting. On a recent service visit, alignment inspection showed a Total Toe of +1.62 degrees (OEM target is approximately +0.10 degrees). The alignment machine database loaded incorrect tolerance specs (+1.37 to +1.87 degrees displayed as acceptable green range), lead... Read more

Incident date: Feb 2, 2022

I was traveling 58 mph on hwy 270 in Malvern Arkansas. The power steering turned off, the emergency brake engaged and flashed, and the ABS shut off. I replaced the steering sensor with an original mopar part off of my vin number and if i turn tightly it still triggers a code. The entire sensor and spring has been relplaced. It was obvious the original part shorted out It is VERY SENSITIVE to h... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

On Tuesday, July 14th I started my vehicle around 6:30 am and started to drive. Once I was driving, I had multiple warning lights on my dash showing and my power steering failed on me. I stopped the vehicle, put it in park and turned it off. I restarted the car and still had the various warning lights and no power steering. The car was driving fine with no warning lights at 4:50 am that morning a... Read more

Incident date: Jul 7, 2026

2019 Buick Enclave (GM) w/ 29481 miles, consistently serviced and in excellent working order. In city traffic about 45-50MPH, no warning lights until total electrical/power failure - no power, no steering, no electrical/lights. Car is owned by [XXX] mother-in-law ([XXX]). Her daughter ([XXX]) was driving. Had [XXX] been driving, there would have been a wreck. [XXX] was able to coast into a corner ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

I am reporting multiple factory defects on my 2024 Honda CR-V, led by a severe, confirmed steering safety defect commonly known as 'sticky steering' where the steering wheel sticks/notches while driving and requires excessive force to correct, causing dangerous lane swerving. The authorized Honda dealership confirmed the steering gearbox has failed and requires replacement but the necessary parts ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 7, 2026

This complaint is a formal report of a FAILED RECALL REMEDY regarding NHTSA Campaign 24V-744 (Honda TSB 24-052) on a 2023 Honda CR-V (VIN: [XXX]). The official recall remedy (worm gear spring replacement and grease application) was previously performed and marked as completed on this VIN. However, the vehicle is actively exhibiting a complete reoccurrence of the exact severe safety defect describ... Read more

Incident date: Jun 2, 2026

I have reported safety issues on this vehicle before, but a new one has arisen which is related to the same. It is the computer shorting out. While in the past I have reported lack of backup camera, lane keeping, cruise control, collision avoidance, now intermittently the power steering fails. I get an error. Thankfully, this occurs when starting up and not while driving (yet), but it is nearl... Read more

Incident date: Jul 15, 2026

While driving straight and then attempting to make a Lane Change or take an Off Ramp or On Ramp the Steering would require extra effort to make the vehicle do what was needed. The Assist Features were OFF at the time. I took the vehicle into Jim White Honda, Maumee, OH and what they found was in line with the 2017, 2018 Honda CRV recall for "STICKY STEERING". They informed me that my VIN was no... Read more

Incident date: May 19, 2026

Duralast 12volt battery post are smaller than they should be. It cause the battery terminal to came loose after a hard bump on the road. It resulted in my car losing power steering.

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel was shaking and locked up, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The vehicle lost power steering functionality. The power steering warning light was illuminated. A dealer or an independent mechanic was not contacted. The vehicle was not taken to an independent mechanic or dealer to... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

I was on the highway when the vehicle alerted me that shift was unavailable then the auto start/stop was unavailable then the airbags were unavailable then my FUEL and my MPH were not reading. My windshield wipers started all on their own and could not be turned off! And my EMERGENCY LIGHTS WERE INOP. I LOST POWER STEERING and was locked in gear! All while in morning rush hour traffic on the high... Read more

Incident date: Apr 6, 2026

"Sticky Steering" was fixed under a recall during a previous owner of my car. The issue has reappeared causing the steering wheel to stick when making turns or adjustments. The steering wheel often fails to retun to center on its own while driving down the road, and requires force to unstick it. This obviously creates a safety risk as the steering can be unpredictable while driving. The issue has ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2024

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while attempting to start the vehicle, the message "Power Steering Assist Fault" was displayed and the vehicle failed to start. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred after starting the vehicle, and the steering wheel locked up. The dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the fai... Read more

Incident date: Jul 12, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Ram 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel became extremely difficult to turn. The message "Service Power Steering" was illuminated. The failure was a recurring failure. The dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted but provided no assistance since the VIN was not... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2025

Power steering intermittently and unexpectedly stops working.

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Ram Promaster 2500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the message “Power Steering Service” was displayed with a high-pitched whining sound coming from underneath the hood and the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the steering gear EPS module and jumper harness needed to be replaced, and the vehicle needed an al... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2016 Honda Civic. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or the right. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 84,... Read more

Incident date: Apr 17, 2026

Pulling into gas station and power steering went out when pulling in, almost hit pump. Not only did it now need a new power steering rack but the clock spring had to be replaced to program it

Incident date: Jun 18, 2026

No check engine, light or anything lost my electronic steering capabilities I’m going down the road

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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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