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 72,878 complaints — component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
Car acceleration literally jumping from 30-50mph this is all something that can be felt happening car accelerating when braking is occurring so when slowing the car down it does a speed up then it will begin slowing down then we have the car not wanting to accelerate at all almost like it is stuttering to go this occurs when I get to a red light and it goes green and I press that gas I acts as if ... Read more
Incident date: May 23, 2026
Unsure of the part or system that failed, however the auxiliary battery and power distribution system part was replaced previously and did not correct the problem. My safety was at risk when the speed and steering were affected. An independent service center worked on it and reproduced it. The car electronic system went through every warning light system while driving. "Stop/start not ready", "en... Read more
Incident date: May 10, 2026
My 2014 Ford F-150 is exhibiting symptoms consistent with the Ford transmission molded lead frame safety recall 24S37. While driving approximately 55 mph late at night on a five-lane roadway, the vehicle suddenly and violently jerked, downshifted and came to a complete stop becoming stalled out as I was approaching a major traffic intersection. The truck was disabled in traffic and would not resta... Read more
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The ABS control module and Hydraulic Control module are faulty and available for inspection. My safety is at risk because the vehicle will go into a skid upon hard braking (ABS not fuctioning), the vehicle will spin tires upon acceleration (traction control inoperative). The above listed components have been determined faulty by both the dealership and an independent service center. The component ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
I was going down the bridge on settlers landing road the yellow school bus was in the right turning lane with right turning signal on .as I approached the light in the middle straight lane to keep toward the landing (hotel) on settlers landing Hampton va the bus some what merged back towards the middle lane and that when the bus crashed into the car it went under the bus it’s totaled the winds... Read more
Crash
5 injured
Incident date: May 15, 2026
We lease a 2026 Palisade with only 4k miles. Several weeks ago I was going through a toll plaza, car would not accelerate after slowing down, as if it was in neutral. All of a sudden it kicked into gear and car lunged forward. 10 min later at a traffic light car failed to accelerate after a complete stop. Press the accelerator sluggish response, then kicked back into gear. Very Scary. I pulled ... Read more
Incident date: May 30, 2026
On 05/30/2026 approximately 12:15. My Jeep radio screen prompted "service needed, no phone connected" and a few other words I did not have an opportunity to memorize. The check engine light came on and he oil light appeared. This all happened within a minute. It was very quick and scared both of us. As my mother was driving, she smelled heat, then the radio quit working, the air conditioning shut... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
After getting gas and attempting to turn around in the parking lot the vehicle on its own accord while my foot was holding the brake attempted to speed up like cruise control was taking over on its on
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
There has been an extreme loss of power after the 68c recall making it very unsafe when trying to accelerate. Eventually the car just died and was towed to the dealer.
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
Engine shuts off without warning while driving. First reported to the dealer on XXX (approximately 12,000 miles) and has continued for 2.5+ years despite repeated repair attempts. Shutoffs typically occur at low speed while decelerating, such as turning into neighborhoods or approaching stops, but have also occurred while coasting at 33 mph on a busy road with cruise control active (August 8, 2025... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2022) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 10, 2026
Incident date: Apr 4, 2026
Highway Incident: While traveling at highway speeds, a sudden evasive braking maneuver caused the truck to drop power. Upon attempting to re-accelerate, the throttle pedal went to the floor with zero response, and the vehicle continued to decelerate on an active highway. Multiple trailing vehicles had to make emergency maneuvers to swerve around the decelerating truck to avoid a high-speed, rear-e... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2024
2022 Kia Sorento failed to increase speed when accelerator was depressed , engine RPMs increased, but no subsequent speed increase. The Amber ISG light was flashing, with no other warning lights. The car was driven to a safe pull out, placed in park, turned off and restarted, no flashing light. The car accelerated satisfactorily afterwards. This has happened several times in the last two years. Bo... Read more
Incident date: May 26, 2026
This is my daughters vehicle. She was driving home from work with my [XXX] and [XXX] grandchildren in the car. The car suddenly wouldn't drive at a safe speed and was chugging along. She almost got into an accident because she couldn't go faster than about 12 mph. She as finally able to pull over in a safe location and called AAA. My son in law met her and picked her and the children up. The vehic... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
AMG G63
(2025) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 10, 2026
Incident date: Apr 28, 2026
While driving on a California freeway at highway speed, the vehicle unexpectedly decelerated and the seatbelts tightened as though a collision avoidance or emergency safety system had activated. There was no apparent vehicle, obstacle, or roadway hazard present that would explain the event. The incident occurred while family members, including a child passenger, were in the vehicle. The unexpecte... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2019) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 10, 2026
Incident date: Jun 9, 2026
Multiple times we have received Powertrain Failure warnings. These warnings typically happen when driving in cruise control but also happens in normal driving. The car has trouble shifting gears, gets stuck in gears, and has trouble downshifting. This creates unsafe and unstable driving especially at high speeds. Repeated visits to the dealer have yielded no results and the dealer has not mentio... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2026
Not due to recalls. My entire car was malfunctioning over the backup camera. Every system was being displayed on my dashboard as all lights were on. Turning signals and four ways would not work, my steering became tight and hard to turn.
Incident date: May 26, 2026
I was driving my Tesla in self drive mode, and ibecause it started raining. I reduce the speed to standard. I had a notification on the screen, an alert in red. That the tesla reached the maximum speed in that mode “standard”. I was surprised and decided ti canceled the FSD feature and took control of the vehicle. Then when I was driving in the expressway very close to my exit on the right lan... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 6, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to request an investigation into a serious safety defect involving my Tesla vehicle. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has experienced a significant and unexpected loss of acceleration when I attempted to enter or cross intersections. Despite pressing the accelerator, the vehicle failed to respond as expected, leaving me unable to accelerate normally while entering ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
This vehicle was purchased from toothman and sowers Ford in west Virginia as certified pre owned. It has never run correctly. The transmission has a cdf drum failure which causes it to lurch forward randomly with several near miss accidents. It is completely unsafe to drive. It hangs up on gears and accelerates on its own with no press of the accelerator. Ford says it's $10000 to fix it but ... Read more
Incident date: May 13, 2026
REDUCED ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON TICKING NOISE STOPPED 2 TIMES ON THE HIGHWAY REPAIR LOT RAN A DIAGNOSTIC UNABLE TO FIND THE ISSUE CAR IS NOT WORKING FOUND MANY CODES STILLUNABLE TO FIX THE ISSUE
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Four times in the last month or so, the accelerator pedal has stuck while driving. I take my foot off the gas but the engine continues racing, and the car keeps increasing in speed. The last time it happened I almost ran into the car in front of me. I slammed hard on the brakes to try and stop the momentum. I heard a loud pop and the accelerator eventually returned to normal, but it took 4 or ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
I am having a lead frame issue. At various speeds, the vehicle will just down shift, locking the tires and causing a hazard for other drivers which could be a very dangerous situation. I was impacted from the rear due to this occurrence. It causes extreme jerkiness when doing this which is also injurious to my back and neck and shoulders.
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The vehicle is stalling in the acceleration process. I can feel and hear the stall by the air conditioner going out or fading out when it happens while driving. Pressing the gas and it barely moves at times. Makes a noise now while running. Unknown to whether it's electrical or engine or transmission. Pull out in the traffic accelerating but the car wasn't moving at the pace it should have. Could ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 9, 2026
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
Check Engine has been triggered by faulty TCM. Vehicle is a 2023. Dealership says they have repaired a few others.
Incident date: May 27, 2026
Idle stop and go system randomly auto disabled on start, unable to enable. Causes vehicle to be unable to accelerate faster than 25mph.
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
Driving a Honda 2024 crv hybrid ,I was pulling into a front row parking spot and braking and as the car just about was going to stop it surged forward turning in the direction I had just pulled in from and accelerated instead of continuing to brake . I kept my foot on the brake hoping it was stopping , but continued to accelerate running over a sign, then a light post and then through the plate ... Read more
Crash
KIA
SPORTAGE HYBRID
(2023) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 9, 2026
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
Over the past 11 weeks, my 2023 Kia Sportage has experienced sudden, complete loss of acceleration on at least three separate occasions while driving at highway speeds. Each incident is accompanied by the battery gauge dropping to zero. I was forced to stop on the highway to restart my vehicle in order to drive it again. No error codes are stored because the fault clears on restart. I have taken ... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
SUBJECT: Formal Safety Defect Complaint: 2016 Subaru Outback – Manufacturing Nondisclosure of Latent "Day 1" Design Flaw Causing Ignition Key Entrapment, Uncommanded Steering Column Lockout, and Severe Family Safety Risk I am writing to formally report a severe, unaddressed safety defect and a deceptive corporate practice by Subaru of America, Inc. affecting my 2016 Subaru Outback. This vehicle ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2021
Currently, there are 30,564 miles on my vehicle and I am the original owner of the vehicle since early 2021. This is a continuous intermittent problem that can occur at any time when trying to accelerate the vehicle. The vehicle could be moving down the road and you go to accelerate and the RPM's drop dramatically, giving you no power. The same thing has happened when trying to accelerate from ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
I own a 2019 Honda Odyssey equipped with Honda Sensing. The vehicle has repeatedly displayed multiple driver-assistance system failure warnings, including “Adaptive Cruise Control Problem,” “Lane Keeping Assist Problem,” “Collision Mitigation Braking System Problem,” “Road Departure Mitigation System Problem,” and “Auto High Beam Problem.” The warnings initially appeared inter... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned? Seatbelt sensor system and cruise control system. The seatbelt sensor prevents cruise control activation unless the belt is fastened. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? A driver who cannot wear a seatbelt for a valid medical reason (recognized by state law) is forced to drive without cruise control. Manually maintaining speed... Read more
BMWI
IX XDRIVE60
(2026) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 9, 2026
Incident date: Jun 8, 2026
My BMW's Head-Up Display (HUD) and Speed Limit Information system displays incorrect speed limits that do not match posted roadway signs. The HUD frequently shows "LTM" or an incorrect speed such as "25 mph" instead of the actual posted speed limit. This is a serious safety concern. Drivers rely on HUD speed limit information while driving. Inaccurate readings can lead to unsafe driving decisions,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
I am reporting a recurring safety hazard involving my 2019 Kia Optima following a repair for diagnostic code P064A (Fuel Pump Control Module). Despite the dealership attempting to repair the fuel system, the vehicle remains in a 'limp mode' state. While driving, the vehicle began shaking violently and lost significant power, refusing to accelerate above 50 mph. This creates an immediate safety ris... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2026
On 05/31/2026, while Tesla Full Self-Driving (FSD) was actively engaged, the vehicle was taking the La Brea Avenue entrance ramp onto the I-10 freeway in Los Angeles, CA. FSD suddenly accelerated aggressively and the vehicle drifted hard to the left without any driver steering input. The driver was forced to hit the brakes and manually override steering to prevent a serious accident. The behavior ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 3, 2026
Due to defective LIN BUS 2 failure to read mass air flow sensor, vehicle suddenly goes into limp mode. This speed control issue is documented in GM Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) #22-NA-008 and PIP5934, 2022.
Incident date: May 18, 2026
-I was driving down into an indoor basement level garage very slowly as there is a steep incline. It descends from street level to basement level within a distance of approximately 30 to 35 ft. At the end of the incline is a sharp curve to the right, followed by a sharp left turn to proceed straight. -While on the incline, the car was slowing to a stop. I gently tapped the accelerator to keep i... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 25, 2026
Was operating the vehicle around a slight bend at about 45mph. The brakes and steering then stopped working and was non responsive. The vehicle was sliding off the road toward a parked dump truck. After about 2 or 3 seconds the steering and brakes started working again and I regained control of the vehicle. I then fishtailed across 2 lanes of traffic and managed to keep the vehicle straight. Immed... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2026
Purchased vehicle 1/18/2025; first and only owner. Occurrence = Engine Shut off, alarm sounded and warning lights flashed; Error: "Engine off, shift to N or P, Then start engine." Had to shift to Neutral and Push Start to restart engine. -During March: occurred 2 times, both times worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/1-4/3: occurred 1 time, worked after shifting to Neutral. -4/16: occurred 1 ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
I am writing to report a severe safety defect regarding my 2018 Jeep Renegade. The vehicle suffers from an extreme internal oil consumption defect, burning 1 quart of oil every 1,000 miles. According to certified automotive diagnostics, this is five times the normal operating rate. This rapid oil depletion causes the vehicle to abruptly lose power, stall, and completely shut down while driving in ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 18, 2026
While driving at highway speeds, the vehicle displays a "Drive Train Malfunction" warning message and the traction control warning light illuminates. Shortly after the warning appears, the vehicle loses power and may enter a reduced-power mode or stall, creating a serious safety hazard in traffic. This has occurred while traveling on the highway, forcing sudden deceleration and creating the risk o... Read more
Incident date: Feb 19, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2022 Hyundai Tucson equipped with the 2.5L engine. The vehicle has experienced multiple incidents of severe engine misfiring while driving. During these events, the engine begins to shake violently, the entire vehicle vibrates, and engine power is significantly reduced. The vehicle becomes unable to accelerate normally, creating a serious safety hazard,... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2026
Driver was making a left hand turn and as the turn was initiated the driver had no control of the vehicle. The vehicle system took over driving, causing substantial damage to the vehicle. Weeks leading up to the incident, the display and certain systems were not responding or provided errors. Following a reset each time, the vehicle would be operational.
Incident date: Nov 15, 2025
While driving on my 2026 Palisade Calligraphy over last 6 months I lost all throttle/ gas response to engine on 12 separate occasions.The 3rd incident nearly resulted in serious crash in 55mph traffic. Went to dealer next day on 11/15 ref# 41788829 service found no codes, reset system and recommended a flight recorder to help diagnose. Filed with NHTSA on 12/3 after next incident ref # 11702738. R... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2026
I was driving on a highway and all of a sudden, I see three warnings appearing on my dashboard - "Emission System Problem", "Blind Spot Info System Problem", "Transmission System Problem". I continued driving but then my vehicle started behaving weird. It started shaking while driving. Luckily, I was close to my exit and l somehow managed to take the exit but I wasn't able to move forward when the... Read more
FORD
POWER TRAIN
(9999) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 7, 2026
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
When the brake is applied, the gas pedal accelerates. It has happened 2 times and I could have went through a stop sign or traffic light. The tool light came on but went off. This has happened a few times starting in April.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
When the brake is applied, the gas pedal accelerates. It has happened 2 times and I could have went through a stop sign or traffic light. The tool light came on but went off. This has happened a few times starting in April.
Incident date: May 29, 2026
2 incidents of Sudden Unintended Acceleration. No warning lights etc in either. Car damaged but available for inspection. Now encountering difficulties initating Toyota investigation. 1st incident (4/18/25; mileage 967) occurred after a hard left turn. After turn onto uphill street, I took my foot from accelerator to slow and maintain distance from a car backing down hill ahead. Instead, car se... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
ATLAS CROSS SPORT
(2025) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Jun 6, 2026
Incident date: Jan 16, 2026
2025 Volkswagen Atlas Cross Sport experienced repeated intermittent electrical and electronic malfunctions while driving. The infotainment screen repeatedly froze, became unresponsive, or turned black/blue while operating the vehicle. Apple CarPlay malfunctioned repeatedly, and multiple USB ports appeared to damage connected electronic devices. Warning messages including “12V battery is not char... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2026
CRUISE CONTROL SURGES BEYOND NORMAL LIMITS, HAS TRIED TO TAKE CURVES ON EXITS SO FAST THE TIRES SLIDE AND I HAVE TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES. ALSO, WHEN PULLING OUT FROM BEHIND A CAR, THE CRUISE CONTROL KICKS IN TOO FAST AND IS FLYING TOWARD STOPPED CARS, AND I HAVE TO USE THE BRAKE TO STOP IT OR REAR-END THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. ALSO, THE FUEL SYSTEM WOULD NOT ALLOW ME TO FILL UP THE GAS TANK, AND I W... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
On XXX at approximately 9:30am, my 2026 Tesla Model Y suddenly accelerated without driver input while parking at The Center at [XXX], [XXX]. Vehicle surged forward unexpectedly. I immediately applied brakes. No warning messages appeared before or during the incident. Vehicle struck parking lot curb. Police responded and vehicle was towed. Physical evidence including tire drag marks and vehicle deb... Read more