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: Aug 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2014 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40-50 MPH, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver. The contact pulled over to the side of the road. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the toe links and the suspension needed to be replaced. The vehicle was... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2026

FAILED COMPONENT & AVAILABILITY: 2023 Tesla Model Y front suspension (suspected lower lateral link detachment), steering system, and airbag system (failed to deploy). Preserved intact, but will be at Hendrick Collision ([XXX]; POC: Dendi [XXX]) under Allstate Claim #XXX. Available for immediate NHTSA inspection. SAFETY RISK: At highway speed on Aviation Parkway, the car suffered an unprompted, vi... Read more

Crash

Incident date: May 20, 2026

Intermittent 'Service Power Steering' and LaneSense warnings first appeared in May 2026. Repair shop found Diagnostic trouble code C1593-49 - Steering torque sensor circuit/internal electronic failure. The repair shop found water intrusion and corrosion at steering electrical connector(s). Cleaning did not resolve the fault. Diagnosis: Internal steering torque sensor failure. Sensor is integral to... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2026

I am filing a complaint against Capital Auto Mall Premier regarding the sale of a 2019 Ford F\-250 Lariat $VIN [XXX]$ that I purchased on XXX. The vehicle was represented as being in good working condition at the time of sale. However, almost immediately after taking possession of the vehicle, I began discovering numerous mechanical, electrical, and safety\-related defects. Due to the number of... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

Power steering electrical connector(s) completely corroded from moisture intrusion, while driving ps shut down and warning light flashed. Had to suddenly correct in a corner without ps, almost had an accident. It is available for inspection, as I cannot afford to fix this yet. Dealer inspected problem, ps rack and harness need replacement at a cost of appr. CAD $4000-5000. Have not contacted manu... Read more

Incident date: Mar 26, 2026

I am the original owner of a 2023 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid Limited. At approximately 114,719 miles, the vehicle began exhibiting intermittent shaking, rumbling, swaying, wobbling, and lateral instability. The condition is most noticeable at highway speeds and after bumps or other road disturbances, although it has also occurred at lower speeds. At times, the vehicle continues swaying after the initi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2011 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic, who diagnosed that the steering torque sensor had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local deal... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

I am submitting this complaint regarding a serious safety defect involving my 2015 Chevrolet Colorado. While I was driving the vehicle, it suddenly lost power steering assist. The steering wheel immediately became extremely heavy and difficult to turn, requiring significantly more physical effort to control the vehicle. This sudden loss of steering assistance created a dangerous situation for me,... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that the steering wheel was sticking intermittently while turning, causing the steering wheel to overcorrect after being turned. The TPMS warning light was illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in Self-Driving Mode and driving approximately 5-8 MPH, the vehicle suddenly turned towards the left into oncoming traffic. The contact immediately manually started steering the vehicle. The contact stated that there was an abnormal popping and snapping sound coming from the steering wheel. The vehicle eventually ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Audi Q3. 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 seized. The " Steering Failure " message was displayed. The vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact's two minor children were seated in the rear seat of the vehicle during the fail... Read more

Incident date: Aug 8, 2025

The contact owns a 2016 Land Rover Range Rover Sport. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V514000 (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 three times, and each time parts were not available. The manufacturer was m... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

I am experiencing an intermittent steering problem with my 2019 Chrysler Pacifica Limited. While driving, particularly when making slight turns or small steering corrections, the steering wheel sometimes feels as though it sticks or binds in the turned position instead of smoothly returning toward center. When this occurs, I have to apply additional force to the steering wheel to correct the vehi... Read more

Incident date: Mar 12, 2026

When engine auto-restarts after Auto Start-Stop has started engine, steering wheel jerks violently if it is not completely straight, dislocated my 5th finger.

1 injured

Incident date: Apr 22, 2026

This vehicle recieved the [XXX] recall treatment in 2019 but the crossmember snapped anyway in april 2026. It snapped all the way through on the driverside causing the wheel to go completely sideways pulling out the cv axle with it, smashing into the wheel well and fender making the driverside door inoperable, and causing the TOTAL loss of control and needed emergency towing off the roadway. INFOR... Read more

Incident date: Jan 1, 2026

I have a 2018 Chrysler Pacifica. At approximately 110,000–115,000 miles, I began experiencing an intermittent sticking sensation in the steering while driving. When traveling straight and then making a gradual steering correction or beginning a turn, the steering wheel sometimes feels like it sticks in the straight-ahead position. It requires noticeably more effort, or an extra push, to get the ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 8, 2026

Fuse box Power steering hose

Incident date: Aug 16, 2026

Driving at speeds above 50 mph the steering wheel sticks or catches when I’m trying to turn. If you check subreddits and other places online, this is a very well known issue that needs to be addressed. It could be very dangerous if you couldn’t correct it while in a curve. I’m surprised this isn’t a recall already being that it happens at high speeds and deal with the steering rack.

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

I am writing to formally report a serious vehicle safety concern involving a 2015 Hyundai Elantra, VIN [XXX], which is owned by my mother. The vehicle experienced a sudden loss of power steering assistance, creating an immediate and significant safety concern. This could have caused a series issue to myself and others on the road. Following the incident, I took the vehicle to a Hyundai dealers... Read more

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

2018 Honda Civics have a steering defect. This was recalled in 202q2 to 2023 in NHTSA Campaign Number 23V704. This is the exact problem I experience in my vehicle. The steering wheel gets sticky at freeway speeds, and it feels unsafe. As of now no recall exists. Drivers experience a momentary "sticky", "notchy", or catching feel in the steering wheel. This requires unexpected extra force... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Electronic power steering suddenly went out while driving

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

during a routine trip thru the [XXX]/[XXX] section of [XXX] our 2025 Honda Pilot suddenly lost power steering capability, we could hardly control the vehicle and had to manage an exist to a side street. We received a message on the dash board of a lost of power steering assistance and to notify the dealer. We shut the car off, restarted and gained control of the vehicle less the lane departure f... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2020

While driving at highway speeds (approx. 55–70 mph) in a straight line, the vehicle's electronic power steering experiences a dangerous 'binding' or 'sticky' sensation. The steering wheel feels momentarily caught or locked into place when attempting to make minor lane corrections. Breaking the steering wheel free requires a sudden application of manual force, which causes the vehicle to jerk or ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2025

The car makes clicking sound when I make a left or a right turn. The sound is getting louder and more obvious. I took it Honda dealership twice and was told it doesn’t interfere with the driving then they wouldn’t fix it. They will investigate it further. It has been a year and the dealer or the manufacturer hasn’t said anything else.

Incident date: Aug 6, 2026

My 2018 Ram 1500 suddenly lost power steering assistance while I was driving, making the steering extremely difficult to turn and creating a significant safety hazard. The power steering stopped working without adequate warning, and I am concerned about the known issues involving the electric power steering system on these vehicles. I am reporting this failure to NHTSA because a sudden loss of ste... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

On August 15, 2026, while driving my 2022 Hyundai Veloster N, the electric power steering assist intermittently became noticeably heavier than normal. The vehicle’s steering remained mechanically controllable, but the increased steering effort was noticeable and raised a safety concern because the loss or reduction of steering assist occurred while the vehicle was being driven. I scanned the ve... Read more

Incident date: Aug 7, 2026

Hello! I am writing to report an urgent and serious safety failure involving my 2025 Acura MDX A-Spec and to request immediate investigation and action. The vehicle’s driver-assist systems - specifically the lane departure warning and forward collision warning - failed to operate. In addition, both the steering wheel and the accelerator became stuck, causing my vehicle to collide head‑on with... Read more

Crash 4 injured

Incident date: Aug 5, 2026

I am writing to report a severe, premature safety defect in the steering system of my 2018 Honda CR-V.While attempting to turn the vehicle,I noticed an audible grinding sound accompanied by a distinct feeling of "stickiness" and resistance in the steering wheel. Despite being a low-mileage vehicle with approximately 54,412 miles,the vehicle's steering has experienced a significant mechanical failu... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

While driving my 2018 Chrysler Pacifica Limited, the steering intermittently sticks or binds slightly when traveling through gradual curves. When exiting the curve, the steering wheel does not naturally return to center and requires additional manual input to straighten the vehicle. The issue is most noticeable during gradual turns and creates concern about potentially overcorrecting when returnin... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

Suspect faulty EPS module / rack and pinion. Was driving down the road, went to make a right turn and my steering wheel went stiff / hard, the "Power Steering Unavailable" light popped up on the dash, and I had to crank my wheel to the right as hard as I could to avoid scraping the person waiting to turn left in front of me! I ensured my battery has proper voltage, checked the fuse, and ensured... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

The car has developed an unsmooth turning sensation that I noticed at highway speeds causing over / understeering curve turning. It is gradually becoming worse over the last few months, but it is not a daily driven vehicle, maybe once a week or so.

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Seemingly at random whenever the truck goes over a bump at about 25MPH to 65MPH the whole truck will start to shake violently and uncontrollably like an earthquake is happening and the steering wheel will shake back and fourth and not stop until the truck comes to a complete stop. I've had it happen at least fifty to a hundred times since I bought it on 3-6-2026 and it only has 155,000 miles on it... Read more

Incident date: Aug 15, 2026

At random any time the truck goes over a bump in the road at about 25MPH to 65MPH the whole truck will start to shake violently and uncontrollably like an earthquake is happening and the steering wheel will shake back and fourth and not stop until the truck comes to a complete stop. I've had it happen at least fifty to a hundred times since I bought it on 3/6/2026 and the truck only has 155,000 Mi... Read more

Incident date: Feb 5, 2025

The front-left CV joint/drive axle system malfunctioned. A loud repetitive clicking began during turns at approximately 1,050 miles. The vehicle and components are available for inspection.The condition creates safety concerns because the vehicle sometimes feels unstable while turning and the steering/drivability regularly feels abnormal. The tires have also developed uneven wear, raising concerns... Read more

Incident date: Jul 8, 2025

Sticky steering at center position" Notchy/Clicking feeling when turning past center point"。（"A noticeable catch and clicking noise when steering wheel passes through the center position"）。"This failure causes inconsistent steering effort and poses a potential safety risk, especially for high-mileage commercial drivers like Uber."

Incident date: Aug 4, 2026

After about an hour of driving, the vehicle’s steering wheel required slightly more force to turn when changing direction of travel., almost like it was getting stuck. Once unstuck, the steering wheel would get easier to turn, causing overcorrections in direction of travel. The dealership was unable to recreate the issue, however I experienced the same problem today 8/14/26 after taking a longer... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

The power steering has failed twice recently while driving and the dashboard warning displayed as follows: power steering assist fault. This makes it very hard to steer, dangerous and scary when this happens. Can a recall be issued for my vehicle? I am very disappointed that my 2010 ford fusion hybrid vehicle was left out of the recall even though it was manufactured at the same plant as the 2011... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

The contact owns a 2023 Tesla Model Y. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle became difficult to maneuver and independently veered into the other lane. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately... Read more

Incident date: Aug 14, 2026

Re: NHTSA Action Number PE25009 Steering wheel exhibits a sticking sensation during gradual turns near the 11 o'clock or 1 o'clock position.

Incident date: Aug 9, 2026

I turned on the car after it had been sitting in the hot sun for about 4 hours (after a 180 mile trip). When I turned on the vehicle, about a minute into driving (on a gravel driveway), the car started blaring multiple lights and the steering wheel locked. Notifications were “System Failure" & "Electric Power Steering Malfunction - please contact dealer.” The steering wheel completely locked/u... Read more

Incident date: Aug 13, 2026

Engine turns off while in drive or stopped at a red light/stop sign. It has happened 7-10 times withing the last couple of months, but 3-4 times within the last week. Out of the four times it happened, my family's safety was at risk, because the car was in drive, and could've caused us to get into an accident. During the other occasions, we were moving in reverse and stopped at a stop sign. Compla... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

when driving down the road and sometimes when I first start the 2014 Ram 1500 Laramie I own the electric power steering will quit working, I am being told when speaking with the Dodge dealership that the electric power steering on this vehicle is not covered under the recall NHTSA 19E-077 for 2013-2019 rams with the power steering issues when this vehicle has been showing the same symptoms as the ... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Mazda CX-90. The contact stated that while driving around a long curve, the steering wheel started sticking, requiring the contact to return the steering wheel to center. No warning lights were illuminated. Upon research, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V022000 (Steering); however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was contacted and... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

I love my Honda CRV however, I recently have experienced what I call "Sticky Steering". I purchased this vehicle brand new from Jones Honda in Lancaster and have followed all the service suggestions for the most part to the "T". I used it for my Real Estate job along with filling in the gaps with driving for lyft. About 4 months ago I noticed the steering sorta wanted to stay in the position it wa... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

I had a noise and highway vibration in my 2021 Nissan Kicks. Brought it to the dealer and was told the front axle nut was loose. They said it is a common issue. There is a TSB on it but I believe it is a safety issue due to it being a loose axle nut and vibration

Incident date: Aug 2, 2026

We purchased a used 2014 RAV4 (VIN [XXX]) a few months ago. During a trip to the store my wife all of a sudden found it extremely hard to steer and almost went into a ditch! (thank God she didn't). It was a blessing that she didn't hit anything or anybody when this happened. It was close to home at the time so I came there to help. I was barely able to get the vehicle home because it was so h... Read more

Incident date: Aug 3, 2026

On August 3, 2026, my Tesla Model Y was traveling at approximately 50 mph with Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) engaged. At approximately 4:12:47 PM CDT, FSD became unavailable and then became available again. At 4:12:51.628 PM CDT, FSD was recorded as ACTIVE_FSD again. Approximately 2.36 seconds after FSD was re-engaged, at 4:12:53.987 PM CDT, the vehicle's steering began a sudden and rapid rightw... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jun 1, 2025

COMPONENT: Electric power steering (EPS) and electrical/power distribution. Available for inspection. FAILURE: My 2015 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT (5.3L, 4WD) intermittently loses EPS assist during tight low-speed turns; steering becomes suddenly and severely heavy. On one occasion the engine shut off completely while I was turning - steering went heavy immediately before the stall. The same even... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

On multiple occasions at startup, vehicle made unusual sounds then either stalled shortly after starting or simply wouldn’t start. Vehicle has also stalled multiple times at red lights and stop signs. On these occasions nearly the entire dashboard lit up simultaneously with warning lights across many unrelated systems (“Christmas tree” effect), not a single isolated fault, often while on int... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2026

3 weeks ago all the warning lights went off. The vehicle is still under warranty. I brought it to the dealership. They denied the warranty because of mud that was caked on the undercarriage damaging the wiring and steering assembly. This truck was used on a dirt driveway that gets wet and muddy during the spring. That is what a truck is for. I believe there is a manufacturing defect that caused th... Read more

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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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