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: Sep 1, 2026
After contact the Honda Corporation of this problem, they suggested that I file a complaint with your organization. I have reported a problem to Honda concerning the steering on my 2017 Honda Civic LX. The steering wheel is having a sticky, notchy effect when I am above 4o miles per hour. I am on the PA turnpike atleast once a week and really notice the problem then. What happens is that the car... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
On 08/29/2026 while traveling on the interstate the electronic power steering light activated on the cluster of the 2013 ram 1500 truck. After hearing the warning and seeing the warning, there was no power steering on the vehicle as I was traveling at 70 mph down the interstate. The wheel was difficult to turn and the vehicle was hard to maintain control while driving. This presented a safety issu... Read more
TOYOTA
COROLLA CROSS
(2026) - STEERING
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2026
There is an interior design defect on the 2026 Toyota Corolla Cross XSE regarding sharp, overlapping hard plastic edges located directly underneath the steering column and lower dashboard assembly. The clearance in this specific area is too narrow for normal vehicle ingress and egress. As a result, the driver's knees repeatedly strike and scrape against this sharp plastic seam when getting in and ... Read more
1 injured
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2024) - STEERING
Sep 1, 2026
Incident date: Aug 31, 2026
I applied brake and pedal went straight to floor without any stopping. I had to steer into a ditch to avoid a collision resulting in more damage to steering system, frame, windshield and body. This was complete brake system failure and yes is available for inspection. I was in a very rural area at time and was able to avoid a collision however, if I had been in city or on highway it could have eas... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Honda Civic. The contact had experienced intermittent power steering assist failure, causing the steering wheel to lock up while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that after the failure, the vehicle failed to restart, and the "Air Bag" warning light illuminated. The vehicle has been taken to a dealer for inspection on several occasions; however, the technicians ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Ram Promaster 3500. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH while making a left turn, the steering wheel suddenly jerked to the left and the right. The EPS warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that while in reverse, the steering wheel jerked and became firm. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaire... Read more
Incident date: Aug 18, 2026
"Steering Assist is Reduced, Drive With Care" showed up on the dashboard. The temperature gauge dropped to dead cold. Once the car was parked and cut off, the fan still kept running for 5 minutes. From my research it seems these are the signs of a thermostat being stuck open. It also seems this is a very common problem with this car, according to the internet. This vehicle has around 70K miles. Th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2022 Toyota Corolla. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH, the steering wheel seized, with the message "Power Steering Low" displayed. The master warning light illuminated, and the vehicle veered off into a ditch. The vehicle was towed to the residence. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
I am reporting a potential steering system safety defect involving my 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV. The problem began at approximately 22,800 miles. The steering wheel developed a grinding noise, a noticeable catching/binding sensation when turned, and would not return to center normally after a turn. The condition could be felt even while the vehicle was stationary and not running by turning the steeri... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2026
On August 26, 2026, at approximately 8:56 AM, I entered a public parking garage in Washington, DC. Full Self-Driving (Supervised) was engaged and controlling the vehicle during a reversing maneuver. I remained attentive to the vehicle's surroundings, including pedestrians and surrounding traffic. While reversing under FSD (Supervised), the vehicle's right rear corner collided with the corner of a... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 12, 2026
This is a follow-up to a previously submitted complaint regarding the same issue. I am submitting this update to reference NHTSA's recently opened investigation into 2018-2019 Tesla Model 3 suspension failures. Previous complaint ID is 11732882.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
Sudden, complete loss of electric power steering while backing out in a parking lot. I was driving our 2014 Ram 1500. It was approximately 9:00 pm and I was in a post office parking lot. I started the truck, put the car in reverse and backed out. The steering suddenly became impossible to turn and the ESP warning appeared on the dash. The truck had been driving fine and the failure occurred w... Read more
CHEVROLET
TRAILBLAZER
(2025) - STEERING
Aug 31, 2026
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
About a year ago I brought my car to the dealership because my computer blacked out which resulted in losing power steering and braking ability. I was told they hooked it up to the computer and found nothing and sent me on my way. Last week this same thing happened 5x in one day and I lost all computer function for 24 hours. The computer has since glitched and blacked out multiple times but hav... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
My van at times doesn't mater the incline it will say hill side assist and will lock the brakes I can be stuck for an hour or so found pumping the breaks will help release the lock quicker had dealership lock at it and they can't figure it out this has been going on for a year or so what can I do this isn't safe for at times I'm in traffic
Incident date: Jul 7, 2026
While Driving power steering failed, in addtion this complaint is noted on numerous Ford formums and websites for my year and model truck.
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
Earlier that morning the cluster displayed "Service Power Steering - Drive With Care" at 12,925 miles. I photographed it at a traffic light. The vehicle drove normally on that leg, steering assist was not lost, and I dismissed the notification, which cleared. I parked. On restarting a short time later, the vehicle went into failure mode. While driving on surface streets it lost power steering ass... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2026
Sudden loss of power steering while driving. National chain won’t fix it either, although they said I could lose steering altogether. This is a huge safety issue.
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
- The steering system appears to be malfunctioning. The steering wheel becomes sticky or feels like it catches while turning, and there is a clunking and grinding noise when the steering wheel is turned. The vehicle and affected components are available for inspection upon request. - The steering issue creates a potential safety risk because the steering wheel may not turn smoothly or respond as ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 31, 2026
When driving down the road, 55mph, I drove across some bumps in the road, and my steering, tires and the front of my Jeep started shaking violently. Couldn't hardly control it. Please help.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
I experienced a severe, violent, and uncontrollable front-end suspension and steering wheel oscillation—commonly known as the "Ford Super Duty Death Wobble." While traveling at highway speeds approximately 70mph, I came across a bridge expansion joint (nothing unusual) and immediately upon impacting the joint, the front axle began shaking so violently that it caused a sudden, near-total loss of ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2026
There is a bad flexible steering coupler. Caused steering wheel to click and lose responsiveness, shakes going over bumps. The problem was diagnosed and confirmed by the dealer Vehicle was inspected by dealer There were no warning signs other than the wheel click and losing responsiveness.
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
Steering feels sticky/jerky when turning left. Front-left tire outer edge is severely worn down, while other tires are normal. Honda recall 24V744 for steering gearbox was completed, but the problem persists. I suspect the steering rack is defective, causing misalignment and abnormal tire wear. This affects vehicle control and safety.
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
The vehicle was being driven in the rain on August 27, 2026, at approximately 8:30pm, when the power steering, power breaking, and all other electronic modules needed to safely operate the vehicle were loss. NHTSA Recall 24V-744 currently covers 2023-2025 Civics and CV-Rs but not Accords.
Incident date: Aug 26, 2026
During normal vehicle operation, the castle nut came off the control arm causing it to disengage from the wheel. It is currently with the dealer for inspection and service. They still have not confirmed if this and the associated damage will be covered under the extended warranty. I have also reached out to Subaru of America as this is a safety concern and is same as the recall on the 2023 model.
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
My 2016 Honda Civic has developed a steering problem in which the steering feels sticky or notchy while driving. The steering wheel does not move smoothly when making small corrections and can feel like it catches or resists movement before releasing. This is especially noticeable while driving at higher speeds and makes it more difficult to make normal, smooth steering corrections and maintain th... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact noticed that the hard skin material on the steering wheel was crumbling. The contact stated that the right and left hands were severely peeled. The contact inspected the steering wheel and placed a white glove on each hand and rotated the steering wheel. The contact became aware of a black s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
On August 29th 2026 at 1:28PM (13:28) 148,320 mi. on odometer During interstate driving and topping the Sunshine Skyway Bridge on Interstate 275 Northbound (27.617863, -82.653639) the vehicle detected both road departure and engaged the emergency automated braking due to the shadow generated by the superstructure of the Skyway Bridge falling on the road surface. The vehicle attempted to correct t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
When driving, the vehicle will randomly shut off. Every warning light and alarm goes off. A message displays on the dash to put the vehicle on P or N to turn it back on. This happens unexpectedly. It's happened about 16 times on the road and 2 times on the highway. This is a huge safety issue. We notified Kia in February of 2026, it's gone to the service department three times for this specific ... Read more
HYUNDAI
ELANTRA TOURING
(2010) - STEERING
Aug 31, 2026
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to steer. The Electronic Power Steering (EPS) and electronic control unit (ECU) warning lights illuminated. The contact researched the issue and became aware of NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V100000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. A de... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
On XXX, my [XXX] son was driving this 2017 Ford F-150 when the transmission suddenly downshifted while traveling on the road. The downshift was severe enough that the rear tires lost traction and the vehicle fishtailed, nearly resulting in an accident. The vehicle was taken to an authorized Ford dealer on 8/18/2026. We reported the sudden downshift, but the dealer was unable to duplicate the condi... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making turns, the steering wheel made loud grinding sounds and was loose. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 197,000.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2015) - STEERING
Aug 31, 2026
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
My 2015 GMC Sierra 1500 recently started having all the symptoms under GM internal recall number 18289. I lose my power steering briefly and the electronics turn off momentarily. I lose dash, AC, radio and GPS. It comes back on within a second or two and only does this during low speed turning. I ran my VIN but it does not show under this recall despite having the correct Make/Model/Year. It ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
This 2022 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro is subject to Limited Service Campaign 24TD01 for premature tire wear, caused by a factory front toe/camber angle defect acknowledged by Toyota. The vehicle received the campaign remedy (front alignment adjustment and tire replacement) in May 2024, but the same wear pattern on the front tires reappeared and has continued for over a year, documented across multiple d... Read more
Incident date: Jul 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Nissan Kicks. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle veered to the left or right. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who performed a tire alignment; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was returned to the independent mechanic, who could not determine the cause of the failure and referred the contact to a dealer. The vehic... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
The Full-Self Drive of my Tesla failed to follow the programmed navigation directions I set to take me home in one direction, but instead the vehicle took a completely different path on its own. When the vehicle was programmed to turn right towards my home, the car quickly jerked back into traffic and I was forced to take control before accidentally hitting another vehicle The vehicle continued to... Read more
Incident date: Mar 5, 2026
The steering rack on the Chevrolet Bolt EV does not return to center on turns. Over the course of the past 25k miles, my particular model has slowly began to lock up on deep turns. This occurs on sharp rights, lefts, and on both on and off ramps - especially the ones that loop around. The steering rack gets stuck on sharper turns and continuous turns, requiring force to return back to center or to... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2026
Failure of the Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) rack on 2019 Jaguar Pace causing an immediate safety hazard when driven in the rain. Factory EPAS motor housings suffer from inherent design vulnerability. Power steering to the vehicle was locked up with dashboard warning. Jaguar Monroeville has confirmed need for new steering rack, tie rods, etc costing $8900 including labor. There were n... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Rack and pinion/steering assist failed it is available for inspection and has not been repaired. My safety was put at risk along with the general public I was driving about 40 mph when all of the sudden I lost power assist I initially thought the engine stopped so I pulled off as best I could with no shoulder in that section of road. I sat there in the road for a minute until I figured out the eng... Read more
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
The steering seems to stick when turning left. Have give it a yank to get it back to normal
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
Steering wheel gets stuck on curbes at higher speeds (1 o clock angle). Needs to be pulled back into place to avoid accident. This problem began at around 80k miles on the car. Also gets stuck at 11 o clock as well. My family does not feel safe driving this vehicle because of this issue.
Incident date: Aug 30, 2026
Was driving and power steering became difficult to steer and a red steering wheel icon with a exclamation mark came on in the dashboard.
Incident date: Aug 16, 2026
While I was driving my 2019 Honda Civic Sport in active traffic, I suddenly lost control of the vehicle. The car starting jerking violently left to reach right and in a circle , causing me to be pulled and swayed across the freeway. The steering wheel became extremely loose and was spinning freely, and I was unable to control the direction the vehicle was traveling. The vehicle eventually swayed ... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
I had gone into my local Walmart after work and turned the truck off. After I came back out and turned the truck on, my power steering had gone out completely.
Incident date: Aug 29, 2026
Power steering failing intermittently while driving, usually at low speeds.
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
While driving the vehicle, the steering wheel is sticking between the 11 o’clock and 1 o’clock position.
Incident date: Jun 26, 2026
Vehicle was purchased new from Yacht Club Powersports in [XXX] after remaining in its shipping crate since 2024. Yacht Club documented the pre-delivery inspection on XXX. On XXX, before leaving, the front tires visibly appeared very low. A family member and I questioned the salesperson and were told the tires were fine and the vehicle was safe to ride. I then rode more than 160 miles home. During ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2026
My Honda Civic is experiencing multiple serious system warnings, including Check VSA System, Check Power Steering System, Check Brake System, and Check ABS System. This appears to be a recurring issue reported by Honda Civic owners in different places, and I believe Honda needs to investigate the problem and take responsibility for properly addressing it because these systems directly affect vehic... Read more
Incident date: Dec 13, 2024
I am filing this complaint regarding an unresolved steering issue involving my vehicle and the handling of NHTSA Recall 24V-744. My vehicle was subject to Recall 24V-744, which involved a steering-related safety issue. I brought the vehicle to the dealer for the recall repair. The dealer applied grease as part of the recall service and represented that the issue had been addressed. However, the ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
electrical power steering motors, failed. I quickly became unable to turn the vehicle at a rate which was necessary to drive safely. Well seeing how I still turn the vehicle on and it still says power steering failure or loss of power or whatever it is yes. There are warning lamps and messages on the dash it has not been inspected by a manufacturer police or insurance representative No they an... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
Sudden power steering loss