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: Apr 1, 2026
Steering wheel will not turn. Tried to reset but that did not work. Mechanic diagnosed it as a power steering rack failure. Steering rack needs to be replaced.
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
While driving, a critical heavy-duty front lower control arm / lateral link bolt completely detached from my vehicle and was found intact on the ground with factory green threadlocker still visible on the threads. The undercarriage and chassis show absolutely ZERO signs of external impact, scrape, or road hazard damage. This structural failure caused an immediate, severe safety hazard, rendering t... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2025
We were informed of safety recalls for our Toyota Rav 4 2009 . We called the local Toyaota dealership for the recalls and was told on the phone after we dropped it off that they did the inspection to make sure the recalls could be completed and informed us that they could ,but they needed to keep overnight because they had to order the parts. Prior to dropping the vehicle off the car was able to b... Read more
Incident date: May 22, 2026
Shift to park dings continuously and vehicle won’t turn off draining battery leaving doors unlocked. Don’t want to force into park and break anything more.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2021) - STEERING
May 22, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
The vehicle experienced a loss or severe reduction of power steering assist. The steering became very difficult to turn, creating a safety concern while operating or maneuvering the vehicle. The issue appears to involve the electric power steering system, steering rack/rack-and-pinion, and/or related electrical harness or connector. The problem occurred on or about 05/21/2026 at approximately 490... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The lake keep assist safety feature works inconsistently. Many times, the system has allowed my vehicle to cross the yellow or white lines, when it shouldn't have. Even worse, during wintertime, the vehicle gets confused as to what is road and what is not, jerking the vehicle in directions that it shouldn't be going (either off the road, or into incoming traffic). This is quite a violent jerk, so,... Read more
Incident date: Feb 4, 2026
Hello, I am the Buyer of the subject Vehicle, Upon doing my research, I found out several reports stating that The subject vehicle's 2.4L engine has manufacturing defect, that causes Head Bolts to get stripped/melt down in to oil causing Engine failures and Life threating risk in the middle of the road.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
No power steering hard to turn left and right
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2026) - STEERING
May 22, 2026
Incident date: Apr 10, 2026
Power steering starts leaking in cold climates resulting in tightness and difficulty in steering wheel . recall code s08
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Component: power steering (gearbox) Safety at Risk: steering wheel would not turn properly (excessive sticking) especially high speed. Reproduced/Confirmed by Honda dealer: YES Vehicle/Component inspected: YES and replaced by Ed Morse Honda, Riviera Beach, FL Prior Warning: NO (gradually got worse over approximately three month period)
Incident date: Apr 30, 2026
Positions during small steering corrections, especially at highway speeds and during straight-line driving. Condition feels like temporary increased steering effort or intermittent reduction of electric power steering assist. Additional force is required to move the steering wheel past the sticking point 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock. Once resistance releases, steering may suddenly move farther than in... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
changed from outside lane to inside lane, when I tried to turn right to stay in the middle lane the steering wheel locked sending me into the left hand turn lane and then into a car that was in the next lane, hitting their left rear tire. I told the insurance adjuster about the issue, he told me they would have the car checked, but I don't think he or my insurance company had the car issue inspect... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jul 15, 2025
Following a recent $9,000 engine replacement performed by an authorized Kia dealership, my vehicle suffered a catastrophic, simultaneous mechanical and electronic systems failure while in operation. Without warning, the vehicle triggered the Knock Sensor Detection System (KSDS) and entered "Limp Home Mode," severely restricting vehicle power. Immediately following this, the vehicle experienced a t... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
A fuse box burnt up while driving in down town Chicago at 35mph causing no power to steer and loss of braking. The vehicle only stopped because it ran off the road hitting a pothole there was total loss of power. towed to the dealer Ram claims it was a burnt fuse box and there is still electrical issues with the truck its not fixed truck has approximately 11,000 miles still under factory warranty ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
CV axle joint clicking sound when turning the wheel right or left. Honda technician already check it out and confirm the problem that it is the CV joint axle. No remedy provided by Honda at this time
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
Vehicle is very hard to steer, will not reset when restarting the vehicle. two dash messages; advance track warning and power assist failure. I have not attempted to drive on road due to difficulty of steering the wheel. I am afraid the vehicle is uncontrollable at this point and needs to be towed to a repair facility. Not sure if this incident is linked to the recall under 14S06 for ford recalls.
Incident date: May 20, 2026
The steering wheel on our Mazda CX-90 has been getting stuck when turning the vehicle. This failure occurs when there is a slight turn in the wheel (approximately 25-45 degrees). The steering wheel gets stuck and the driver has to use force to "break" it loose. This action causes the vehicle to overcorrect into either the lane next to vehicle or into oncoming traffic. I have done research and Mazd... Read more
1 injured
TOYOTA
HIGHLANDER
(2022) - STEERING
May 21, 2026
Incident date: May 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 . The contact was in a parking lot of a shopping center, put the car in gear and the steering wheel became inoperable , vehicle would not stop while depressing the brakes. Four additional vehicles were damaged from the impact with one vehicle deemed a total loss. The right front end was impacted including the hood and the right wheel. No additional property damage. Th... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
I am reporting a safety-related concern involving the right front axle on my 2024 Honda Prologue. When making right-hand turns at low speeds, the vehicle produces a loud clicking noise coming from the right front axle/CV joint area. The noise is repeatable and occurs consistently during turning maneuvers. I reported this issue to my authorized Honda dealership. On 05/21/2026, I dropped the vehic... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
Will be driving and suddenly my EPS light turns on and doesn’t allow me to turn. I have sudden loss of power assist, making the steering wheel incredibly heavy to turn. Once I pull over to safety and fully turn the truck off and back on, I can generally make it to my destination as the sensor temporarily goes off. It appears there have been recalls for this, but my specific VIN was not included ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
I am writing regarding a serious vehicle safety issue involving my 2023 Hyundai Tucson Limited purchased from on [XXX] with approximately 61,000 miles. About one month after purchase, during a drive from Pennsylvania to Florida in October 2025, the vehicle experienced multiple dangerous steering and collision-assist malfunctions in clear highway conditions. The first incident occurred in Virginia... Read more
Incident date: Jan 14, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on multiple occasions, the brake pedal became inoperable and felt spongy while attempting to stop the vehicle. The contact also stated that the steering wheel became difficult to operate, and a crunching sound was heard while turning the steering wheel. Additionally, the contact stated that multiple incorrect warning messages illuminat... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Reporting severe dealer negligence and physical structural damage during secondary repairs for Federal Safety Recall 20V-769 / Campaign W9F at Darcars Honda (Fairfax, VA). The technician severely violated Honda TSB 20-125 protocols, physically mushrooming the steel on the left lower control arm (LCA) boss. This blunt-force mechanical damage compromises the structural integrity of the suspension an... Read more
Incident date: May 18, 2026
While making a normal right turn at low speed in a residential neighborhood, I heard knocking sounds from inside the vehicle and immediately lost steering control. I had to physically force the wheel back into position to regain control of the car. After the initial incident, every right turn and brake application produced a loud rubber grinding sound accompanied by significant loss of steering c... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2026
honda sticky steering began at around 75,000 miles - this safety issue recall should apply to all honda vehicles - safety first !
Incident date: May 17, 2026
The contact stated that while driving the steering wheel became hard to steer. The dealer was contacted but the issue could not be duplicated. the manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 25,012.
Incident date: May 20, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Ram. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph the power steering. The dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 79,800.
Incident date: May 20, 2026
Sticky steering. Steering wheel locks up driving straight or in turns.
Incident date: May 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and steering left or right, the steering wheel would seize. The contact would have to maneuver the steering wheel back and forth for it to unlock and continue driving. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed a notch in the lower steering shaft ... Read more
Incident date: May 17, 2024
On 5/18, I was reversing into a parking spot and my steering rack completely locked to the right, with no warning and while in motion, causing me to strike a parked vehicle. The car had to be towed and dealership mechanic said steering rack had an internal mechanical failure and needs replacement. After doing some research, I found forums of numerous people who have had this same issue. This is ... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 17, 2024
The steering wheel does not return to center after turning while driving the car (unlike every other car). It has been reproduced by an independent service center. There are no error codes or warnings. This is a continuous problem that always happens and makes steering the vehicle more difficult.
Incident date: May 11, 2026
2 issues to report: 1. Truck has a pull to the right since new. Found the front strut springs installed wrong. Attached photos show 2024 tundras on the dealer (pink dot on drivers side, yellow dot on passenger side) lot vs. mine (pink dot on passengers side, yellow dot on drivers side). Dealer corrected. Following repairs, pull is much better, but still present. Over 20 alignments completed; 3 by ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
A known problem with these trucks is ground strap failure. I was driving and all the sudden lost power steering which almost caused an accident. There is a customer satisfaction program N252515590 that covers 2019-2024 trucks but mine was not included in this for some reason. I did have the truck fixed a my cost and was looking to get my money back from GM. I'm not sure if you can help with this... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The steering system failed while driving down the highway on two different ocassions. I got a warning message saying the driver att warning sys had malfunctioned (it wasn't on a the time) then after that message disappeared, I had a red light in the "steering column" symbol in the dash. The steering lost all power and it was really hard to drive the car as it felt like a car with no power steering... Read more
Incident date: May 8, 2026
Was changing lanes from the outside lane to middle lane, when I tried to turn the steering wheel to the right it locked and the car continued straight, crossing the left hand turn lane and it collided with another vehicle in the next lane. After the car came to a stop I again tried turning the steering wheel both Left and right and it wouldn't move. After the car was turned off and restarted the s... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 13, 2026
On Sunday evening [XXX] at [XXX] I was returning from Long Beach on the [XXX] home to Los Angeles, when I went under an overpass and my emergency braking system activated with an alarm and red arrow pointing to the left. There was no warning before this event. Then my lane assist stopped me from going over the line into traffic. A few minutes later the same thing happened again. INFORMATION REDA... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2024) - STEERING
May 20, 2026
Incident date: May 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2009 Ford Escape. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. In addition, the power steering failure warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a ca... Read more
HYUNDAI
TUCSON HYBRID
(2024) - STEERING
May 20, 2026
Incident date: May 10, 2026
The steering shaft torque sensor unexpectedly malfunctioned while driving resulting in a loss of steering. There was no indication that this would happen, no check engine light was on, and no symptoms prior to the incident. The vehicle is undrivable due to a lack of steering and was diagnosed by an independent garage. The steering shaft torque sensor is recalled for other 2010 Ford Escapes, but no... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
I was driving when my power steering suddenly failed while the vehicle was in motion. I pulled into a plaza, turned off the vehicle, and after restarting it the power steering appeared to function normally again. The component that malfunctioned appears to be the power steering system, and this component along with the vehicle itself is available for inspection upon request. When the failure occur... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V514000 (Steering). The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the airbag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer for inspection, where it was diagnosed that there were cracked suspension knuckles and a poor connection for the driver'... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Land Rover Range Rover. The contact received a recall notification, NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V514000 (Steering) however the parts were unavailable. The dealer was contacted, however the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted, the contact was informed that the parts were unavailable. The contact's vehicle had not experienced any ... Read more
Incident date: May 20, 2026
I am getting the known P0128 code. My engine says it's cold when it's not, my AC isn't working, and I am getting a message that says "Steer assist reduced. Drive with care". This is a known problem and complaint of the GMC Acadia.
Incident date: Mar 25, 2026
When putting the car in reverse and moving backwards start to feel the vehicle look drive power and knock sounds. Sounds likes and feels like gear teeth or not aligned. When putting the car into drive the vehicle jumps a little and you hear a lout pop noise.
Incident date: May 19, 2026
The vehicle Wobbles violently above 75 mph, especially crossing over passes.
Incident date: May 19, 2026
on 5/19/26 I had just traveled about 100 miles when suddenly I lost steering. As soon as I lost steering a red steering wheel with an ! appeared on the dash. I managed to get slowed down and pulled over but it was very hard to turn the steering wheel. I shut off the vehicle let it sit for about 20 min and started it again. The steering worked for about 3 min then went out again as I was driving... Read more
Incident date: May 14, 2026
On Saturday 16th Oct 2026 around 10 AM EST, while driving down the ramp from Parking Floor 2 to Parking Floor 1 in the JFK Terminal 4 Short Term Parking garage (John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York), the Tesla vehicle suddenly accelerated forward very fast on its own without any input on the accelerator pedal. Either I was not pressing the gas pedal at the time, or I was slowing pressin... Read more
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: May 1, 2026
When I’m driving, the steering wheel suddenly gets stuck and pulls against me with force. This is extremely dangerous, especially on the freeway or when going over a bridge — the car pulls in the opposite direction of where I’m steering. The brakes also start squealing very loudly. It feels like the steering wheel is about to lock up while I’m driving, and I’ve had to physically fight it... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2015) - STEERING
May 19, 2026
Incident date: May 19, 2026
"Travel Assist Not Available" chime and yellow notification came on intermittently from around July 2024 to July 2025 in my VW Tiguan. I complained about it to the Heritage VW in [XXX] and nothing was done in 2024. The noise and notifications became more frequent around July 2025 and came on every time I drove the vehicle incessantly. I took the car back to Heritage VW and they said it was by... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
TIGUAN
(2019) - STEERING
May 19, 2026
Incident date: May 19, 2026
Bolt fell out of the lateral control arm on the front left wheel. Car was inoperable.
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2021) - STEERING
May 19, 2026
Incident date: Aug 25, 2023
2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited AWD, VIN [XXX] , approx. 111,355 miles. Reporting serious safety concern: repeated/worsening electrical system failure with intermittent loss of power steering assist. For nearly a year, Auto Start/Stop warning and battery warning lights have appeared. During episodes, power steering assist can stop working, especially at complete stops, making steering extremely difficu... Read more