Consumer Safety Complaints
Search 2,215,138 safety complaints filed by vehicle owners with NHTSA — including 138,663 crashes, 56,255 fires, and 8,561 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 2,215,138 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 48,554 complaints — component: SUSPENSION
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the front end of the vehicle drove over a bump on the road and the contact almost lost control of the vehicle. Additionally, the vehicle would shake while driving. The dealer was made aware of the failure and scheduled an upcoming appointment to replace the steering damper. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failu... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2021
While driving down the highway at approximately 60 mph hit a rough area that had just been patched by the highway department and the front end started shaking violently. Could not steer the truck and had to brake to 25mph for the shaking to stop. This has happened four times. The truck was bought in Dec 2019 and has 12,000 miles on it. It has been serviced by the Ford dealership and has all origin... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
JETTA
(2010) — SUSPENSION
Nov 15, 2021
Incident date: Aug 13, 2020
Abs and stability control became inoperative at around 50mph. It's a 55mph road thats heavily trafficked since its near a port. I had to stop the car on the side of the road since we almost crashed into an 18 wheeler. Fortunately we were close to home I drove the car at a reasonable speed just to get home. After that incident we have stopped using this vehicle since it gets even more dangerous eve... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2021
I experienced a vibration in the front steering and suspension of my 2014 F250 Lariat Super Duty 4X4 after hitting a bump in the road. I was traveling between 45 – 50 miles per hour, hit a bump that cannot be avoided in my lane. On October 28, 2021 after hitting the bump as described above, it started vibrating so violently in the front end I had difficulty controlling it and keep it in my lan... Read more
Incident date: Nov 15, 2021
My frame is broke . Right at the passenger front tire
Incident date: Oct 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2019 Ford F-250. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the front end of the vehicle suddenly began to violently shake and vibrate causing the driver to lose control of the steering wheel and drive off the road. On a separate occasion, the failure occurred while pulling a trailer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2014 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the traction control and stability control warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was later serviced under NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) however, the failure recurred. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and dealer were notified of the failure. The approximate failur... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The frame on my tundra has rusted out so bad that the engine mounts are rusted through, my truck only has 86k miles please help this is our daily driver to get to work and take the kids to school
Incident date: Nov 13, 2021
8000 miles on new purchase, never off road, this Jeep goes into a violent shimmy/wobble 60-70 when in an ever so slight off of center steering angle on the freeway after crossing an expansion joint or other sharp road irregularity. Coasting down is the only way it goes away. Full Throttle acceleration out doesn't help, nor hard braking. It's NOT consistent, but it's happened to me three times in ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2021
We are experiencing the death wobble. Had some repairs done and still having the same issue, just worse. The front end shakes violently when we hit a pot hole or a dip in the road. Couldn't keep hold of steering wheel and started to fish tail. Yes. Our diesel mechanic has looked at it and fixed some of the work. No warning lamps or anything prior to it happening was evident. The first time it happ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
Driving on smooth highway at 65mph experienced violent shaking of front suspension almost losing control of vehicle. Had to rapidly decelerate and move shoulder before it would stop shaking. This is a known problem but no recall as yet. Nickname is ‘Death Wobble’. Afraid to drive this vehicle. I understand that action lawsuits so far have not forced Ford to recall these vehicles.
Incident date: Nov 14, 2021
Break like when out and only solution iam being given is to replace the whole housing at 800$ and it seems this a faulty component.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
2125 miles on this Type R, fresh off the show room floor. At low speed turning into the slight dip in my driveway, the suspension in Sports Mode flexed enough for the driver side tin rotor back plate at the driver front wheel to get caught on the lower control arm. Drove it to Honda, and yes, they confirmed that this had happened, that the thin tin plate had indeed become stuck on the LCA! Screech... Read more
Incident date: Nov 12, 2021
2016 Ford F-250 death wobble. this has happened multiple times drive at speeds of around 50 to 60. Just hitting groves in road cause my truck to shake uncontrolably have to back down to 20 to get control almost caused accedent yesterday.
Incident date: Oct 28, 2021
Brakes, tires, transmission went out, suspension craked licking oil Car steering wheel vibration, car pulling, brakes didn’t respond, i pulled to side before hitting a car Yes 2 different shops currently at express transmission Currently under inspection because of transmission going out while driving on freeway No warning lights, air bags are off I don’t know why bought car 4 months ago D... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
I have a 2005 Jeep Liberty Sport. I was backing out of my driveway when I heard a crunching sound. I got out of the car and saw that the passenger side of my car was much lower than the driver's side. I noticed that their was windshield wiper fluid pouring out of the front end. Upon inspection, I noticed that the ball joint had snapped and the control arm was almost on the ground. Had I been able ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2021
I was driving on the freeway when the driver side rear control arm broke. Car suddenly pulled across my lane and began violently shaking. I was able to regain control and safely slow down and stop. Upon investigating, I found the left rear control arm broke at the weld joint near the base. Car was unable to drive and needed to be towed. Repair costs are pending at this time. Had there been a car i... Read more
Incident date: Oct 18, 2021
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Front suspension failed while driving on highway at about 60MPH. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Car was hard to steer on highway when the the front suspension failed. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes. Tesla... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2021
OVER THE PAST TWO WEEKS OF TRAVEL - APPROXIMATELY 3000 MILES - THIS F350 EXPERIENCED A VIOLENT SHIMMY AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS (CRUISING BETWEEN 55 - 68MPH - MAX) SEVEN SEPARATE TIMES, WITH THE LAST 4 EVENTS OCCURRING 11/9/2021 IN IMMEDIATE SUCCESSION (WITHIN 10 MINUTES OF EACH OTHER) WHEN LEAVING KINGMAN AZ - HEADING WEST ON I40. EACH TIME THIS VIOLENT SHIMMY SEEMED TO BE PRECIPITATED BY RUNNING OVER RO... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2021
Front end of vehicle wobbles violently on interstate after hitting a potholes and uneven pavement.It made the vehicle hard to control.I had to slow the vehicle down to 50mph to come out of the wobble.
Incident date: Oct 23, 2021
One of the Front Swivel bar ends fell off.
Incident date: Jul 7, 2021
I own a 2014 Ford F250 Crew Cab 4X4. I have had the "Death Wobble" happen 3 times in the past 4 months. Each time happened while I was driving over 50 MPH on the highway. It feels like the truck is going to fall apart. When it happens I have to slow the truck down to almost a stop to get the wobbling stop. Having to quickly slow down on a highway that is 80 MPH is not only dangerous to myself and ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 10, 2021
At Highway speeds if I hit a small bump in the road it causes the front suspension to shake or Wobble to the point where I cannot stear. This has happened many many times.
Incident date: Nov 8, 2021
Driving on the freeway at apps 65 miles per hour, the truck hit a numb in the road and started to shaking causing the truck to shake violently. I was able to get to the side of the road and slow down which eased the shaking. I started driving again and after reaching speeds this happened two more times, then I got off the freeway and drove backroads home under 40 miles per hour.
Incident date: Apr 15, 2020
If I hit a bump or grooved part of the road the front of the truck starts shaking violently. I have to slow way down or come to a near complete stop. This has terrifying while on the interstate towing my 5th wheel or 24 foot enclosed car trailer. I have taken it to the dealer for a "recall repair" the only thing the dealership did was replace the steering damper. This is a mask for a severe issue!... Read more
Incident date: Nov 2, 2021
First of all I know there is a break in period. The stering seems to be loose at times almost to loose when I’m turning , especially a more sharper turn. The brakes are loud at a stop almost like they are warped but it only has 300 miles.the suspension, brakes,,underneath the front end, and the steering do not feel like they are one unit.
Incident date: Nov 10, 2021
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-350. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle experienced the "death wobble" after driving over a bump in the roadway. The contact stated that the steering wheel began to violently shake, and he lost control of the vehicle. The contact took his foot off the accelerator pedal until the shaking stopped at 20 MPH and the vehicle resumed normal drivin... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2011 Cadillac SRX. The contact stated the suspension and rear axle service message was displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact called the local dealer who confirmed that parts were not available. The contact was informed that parts were on backorder. The c... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2021
The rear trailing arm cracked in half causing my wife to run off the road11
Crash
Incident date: Oct 29, 2021
Vehicle stalled while driving in the middle of road with on coming traffic. Failed transmission 6 yr Hyundai Elantra with 69,857 miles 2015 purchased in May 2016. Inspected by dealership Wayne Mazda, Wayne NJ. Since early October 2021 jumping, stalling during gear shifting especially drive and neutral Please be advised my 6yr vehicle with 69,867 miles requires a replacement transmission Purchased ... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
While driving 85 MPH in an 85 MPH zone near the 9900 blk of N SH 130 NB a bump in the left hand lane sent the truck into a violent shake. Reducing speed did little to resolve the death wobble. Luckily no traffic was around allowing me to slowly reduce the speed and bring the vehicle to a stop on the shoulder. Only stopping made the violent wobble stop. Immediately drove to the tire shop and repla... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2021
My truck (2019 F250) shakes violently on highway after hitting any bump going over 55mph. Truck had the customer satisfaction program repair (20N04) done in April 2021. Truck is un controllable when it is shaking like this. Truck won’t stop shaking until reduced speed to approx 40-45mph. No accident has occurred to this point. Truck is up repaired at this point.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2021
The contact owns a 2014 Ford Explorer. The contact received notifications of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 19V435000 (Suspension) and 21V537000 (Suspension) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer and another dealer, John Kennedy Ford of Pottstown (3189 W Ridge Pike... Read more
Incident date: Nov 7, 2021
While driving on an interstate highway at a speed of 75 MPH the steering wheel begin to shake violently along with the dash and loose objects in the cab. The violent shaking continued until I came to a complete stop. This happened 3 more times on this day and along the same stretch of highway. This happened at a steady speed with no application of brakes or change in direction.
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — SUSPENSION
Nov 10, 2021
Incident date: Nov 9, 2021
Vehicle subframe has rusted through and parts of left rear suspension components are free, and one is about to poke a hole in the fuel tank. The right side is about to do the same. Everyone’s safety is at high risk with this problem. The car abruptly pulls to the left when applying the brakes as well as causing the car to shimmy on the interstate. I took it to my mechanic who to.d me what has h... Read more
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
Minor imperfections on highway , going 55-70 mph,causing violent shaking .Have to slow almost to stop to get shaking to stop.Shaking is serious enough to get someone killed.(perfect description is death wobble).PRoblem has been occurring since approximately 5000 miles,bought vehicle new.
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
11/6/21 driving 65 mph on interstate. After hitting a bump in the road the truck experienced a severe shaking in the steering to the point that the truck wasn't maneuverable. I had to slow down to 45 mph for it to go away. It happened again about 20 minutes later and I had to go off the interstate to drop the speed below 55 mph. Supposedly this is a known problem but has never been recalled.
Incident date: Aug 22, 2021
The contact owns a 2012 Buick LaCrosse. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the dealer informed the contact that the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rear end of the vehicle seemed loosened whenever the vehicle hit a bump while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the manufa... Read more
Incident date: Nov 9, 2021
Driving on highway at 65 slight bump in road & steering wheel went crazy violent vibrating in front end. Had to reduce speed to 20 to get it to stop shaking. Continued down road same thing happened. Shaking is uncontrollable almost crashed. Vehicle can be inspected it does it if I hit a bump or go over 65. No warning lights.
Incident date: Jul 25, 2018
My back rear control arms/suspension/alignment were recalled, I had them replaced. Now My front control arms/suspension/alignment are very unsafe to drive. Wobbly, unstable, loose, noises, screeching. It Feels like it’s going to break/snap/fall off. Yes my vehicle is available for inspection. I feel unsafe on turns especially. It could snap at any moment and my Jeep could roll injuring me or o... Read more
Crash
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2009) — SUSPENSION
Nov 8, 2021
Incident date: Nov 8, 2021
Brought in vehicle for problem when braking, car would pull to one side. Repair shop said rear sub assembly was rusted and they were aware of others like my vehicle with the same problem. Looked up some Mercedes Benz forums online and discovered many of the same problems with the C300 model (2008 and newer) my vehicle is a 2009 Mercedes C300 4Matic. I do live in Minnesota
Incident date: Oct 25, 2021
Front end of the vehicle violent shakes after hitting a small bump on the highway. Unable to get the truck to stop shaking until I stop the vehicle.
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
Rear subframe is completely rusted out making the vehicle unsafe to drive. Extremely dangerous.
Incident date: Nov 8, 2021
The contact owns a 2012 Cadillac SRX. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V473000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer had not returned the contact's calls regarding the recall repair. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was n... Read more
Incident date: Sep 13, 2020
The contact owns a 2012 Buick Lacrosse. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V764000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The local dealer and the manufacturer were made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failu... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
I went over a bridge joint on the highway and the truck started shaking uncontrollably. I had to slow down under 50mph for it to stop. The windshield cracked in the process. Everyone driving around me slowed down and moved away. There were and still are no warning lamps. I have not taken it to the dealer yet. I feared that the truck was going to roll over because of the uncontrollable steering and... Read more
Incident date: Nov 6, 2021
We were on our way home Saturday and hit a small bump on the bridge and the front end started shaking out of control the whole truck was wobbling. We had to slow down immediately almost to a stop. It was a scary moment I’m glad no other vehicles were around us when this happened!!
Incident date: Nov 7, 2021
loss control of vehicle after hitting a bump on the highway causing truck to bounce into highway barrier. - life threatening causing bodily harm. - just happened , haven't notified dealer yet. - no components inspected yet. -no warnings.
Crash
Incident date: Nov 5, 2021
I received a recall from GM as to the toe links in my vehicle. On November 4th it went into the dealership to have the parts replaced and the following morning my car lost control when something happened between the tires and the steering which caused my car to swerve all over the road, lose control, flip and go into a ditch. There were 3 warning lights on, ABS, traction, and Stabilitrak. The car... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Nov 4, 2021
Hit a bump on the highway while driving. Vehicle started vibrating and shaking uncontrollably. Heavy traffic with Tractor Trailer behind on me was barely able to get vehicle stopped and to the shoulder of the highway. Was in fear for my life and haven’t had the vehicle a month yet after purchasing it from a cord dealership.