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 73,546 complaints - component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
Instrumental Cluster has went completely out. The only light that’s on is the seatbelt light on my 2022 Kia K5. That’s is strange for a brand new car unless there could be a recall which is for the late 2022 / 2023 model cars. I contacted every Kia dealership near me and would not tell me what the issue could be that I needed to bring it in. The amount just to do a diagnostic was not in my bud... Read more
Incident date: Sep 25, 2022
At 9,040 miles, display reads “Service Antilock Brake System” along with warning lights for abs and traction control and a loud dinging. It goes off, then back on multiple times until serviced when the dealership replaced the faulty HCU Sept. 2020 under warranty. Diagnostic code C0020-01 ABS pump motor general electrical failure 2023 the problem comes back but nothing done. 2024 after much re... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2022
The main screen on my Tesla Model Y flickers while driving, as well as charging. I have a video of it happening, if you slow the video down it completely shuts the screen down for a millisecond and then turns back on. I have sent this video to Tesla, as well as Tesla technicians has confirmed the issue happening when they had the vehicle. I have had the vehicle into Tesla 3 separate times for serv... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2018) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 2, 2024
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
TRANSMISSION.SLIPPING .WILL NOT DRIVE ANYMORE CONCERNED AND DANGEROUS .IT HAPPENS WHEN NOT EXSPECTING DROP GEAR AND JUMP BACK .
Incident date: Sep 8, 2023
Air ride suspension warning light came on with the ABS electrical warning and lost of cruise control. At the same time the truck became almost uncontrollable.
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
ABS/Traction control unit disabled (light on). diagnosed by dealer in October of 2023 as ABS pump and module as bad. No part available from dealer (dealer only part and ETA of 3/24). Advised to park truck until part came in 6 months. Called Dodge customer care on 5/2 to ask for update. was told no part available and no ETA in the future. I am driving an unsafe vehicle due to faulty brake system de... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2019) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 2, 2024
Incident date: May 1, 2024
When moving from Park to Drive, vehicle surges forward at full throttle. I have had the truck for 18 months and it has happened 4 times over the past 18 months and has been witnessed by a passenger.
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2016) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 2, 2024
Incident date: Nov 18, 2022
Engine power reduced indicated on dash and engine light came on while i was driving
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
I have my phone mounted to the back of the computer screen, and I also have the phone power cord running from the center console 12V plug up to my phone. I have found that if the power cord comes in contact with the computer screen, it can inadvertently put the car in Neutral (it acts like a finger touch). This could be extremely dangerous if, for example, the car is making a left turn in front ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 6, 2024
I am reaching out on behalf of my wife who met with accident on 3/24/2024.She was driving Tesla Y model and this accident occurred due to System failure of Vehicle , brakes and Steering wheel get locked and she was not able to do anything and car hit the couple of trees on other side of parking lot . She was not using Autopilot feature and it vehicle didn't stop after applying the brake instead o... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 1, 2024
Vehicle became very hard to steer and warning lights came on warning of steering module failure.
Incident date: Dec 4, 2023
Twice, when I have been backing up a hill I have stalled the vehicle. After each time I have re started the vehicle, but shortly realized that I could not accelerate past 40 mph. I can get the rpms up and shift through the gears but speed does not increase. There are no warning lights or anything on the dash. I was able to pull over and shut the vehicle off for around 15 minutes after which I star... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2015 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the mother was driving at a slow rate of speed while in a parking lot and when the brake pedal was pressed the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose control of the vehicle and crash into a tree. During the incident, the driver sustained a right leg and right arm injury and was transported to the ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
I have encountered two types of brake issues: 1) my vehicle seems to flash BRAKE occasionally when oncoming vehicles pass by for no reason - they are not entering my lane or doing anything that should cause the message to flash. The vehicle type does not seem to matter - they have been old and new models, and have been both cars and trucks. My vehicle has only visually warned, but does not enga... Read more
Incident date: Apr 8, 2024
The contact owned a 2022 Subaru Legacy. The contact stated that while driving into their driveway at unknown speeds, the vehicle independently accelerated forward. The contact placed the vehicle in reverse, however, the vehicle continued to accelerate independently, and the contact's rear bumper crashed into the neighbor's garage. No injuries were sustained. The neighbor's garage was damaged. The ... Read more
Crash
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2018) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 1, 2024
Incident date: Apr 5, 2024
The digital gauge on this vehicle has intermittent faults. The gauge goes totally blank, sometimes the digits appear scrambled, other times not at all. This gauge includes odometer as well as the fuel gauge, (and other analytical information that is perhaps not as critical). The lack of a reliable working fuel gauge on this vehicle is concerning and may cause driver to unknowingly run out of fu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2024
Unknown I was driving to st. Louis on the highway and was going 70 mph and then I hear a winding noise and loss acceleration and had my foot all the way down on the gas pedal and it would not speed up I was only going 40 on a highway that I was going 70 mph on and kept losing speed
Incident date: Apr 15, 2024
I was driving down the highway with my wife and baby at about 65 mph. I was using regular cruise control with no one in front of me when all of a sudden, the car braked extremely hard. Luckily, the car behind me was far enough back to switch lanes and pass me. If it was closer, this could have resulted in a highway accident. The car stopped braking maybe around 30 or 40 mph. I may have it recorded... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
ABS and traction control light came on intermittently at first, now they are constantly on. I have lost cruise control as a result.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
My clock spring on my jeep stopped working. I know when I looked online there is a recall on 2015 jeep wrangler clock spring being bad. My horn, steering controls, and air bags aren’t working correctly. If it’s recalled it should be fixed free of charge.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
Loss power, gear selector "D" flashing. Dashboard has check engine light on, displays "service AdvanceTrac and Hill start assist not available. Could have got into an accident if not for fact I was just leaving a light, going maybe 35 MPH. After stopping, I let my foot of the break and it was accelerating on it's own. I pulled over again and now it's just a check engine light. I've had this vehicl... Read more
FORD
FUSION ENERGI
(2016) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
When gas is pressed (even to floor) in drive, vehicle stalls, does not accelerate. Then vehicle jerks into propulsion after revving. Other instances, at deceleration the car will jerk and shake to a stop. I have mentioned the problem at every scheduled maintenance
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while attempting to park and exit the vehicle through the front driver’s side door, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated in reverse. As a result of the failure, the driver's side door struck her arm and leg causing injuries. The contact stated that the vehicle drove off a cliff, and one of the tires experienced a blowout and th... Read more
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 30, 2023
On February 27 2024 I had spend 2300 dollars on car repairs see enclosed then on April 11 2024 while backing out of my driveway, I experienced a sudden acceleration of my vehicle which led to body damage to my car yet Toyota after inspection says that now the car system works perfectly. Prior to this incident I experienced warning light and windshield wiper malfunction .
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Oct 6, 2023
I just bought mach E. [XXX] I was in car line at Macdonalds to get food for my 14 year old son. The speeded itself to full speed. I luckily had both hands on wheel. I turned car to left away from car in front of me. Luckily I was able to put my foot on brakes and able to stop the car but not before killing couple of plants on curb. I manage to stop car just couple of feet away from building. In ... Read more
Crash
HYUNDAI
GENESIS COUPE
(2013) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 30, 2024
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
I am experiencing a delay in acceleration. This can occur when I am completely stopped and press the gas, there is a delay (3-5 seconds) and then the car jerks forward and accelerates quickly. Or, when I've slowed down to almost a stop, begin a turn, step on the gas and it won't accelerate for a couple of seconds, almost causing an accident on several occasions. This occurs about once every 10-15 ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2024
Approximately around [XXX] a.m, [XXX], I was on my way to on the [XXX] . I was going driving around 75-78 mph when all of sudden my 2023 Maverick drop in speed and power suddenly. I looked at my dashboard and saw mph dropped to around 50. I had no knowledge of what was taking place at the time. I tried to press my acceleration pedal and the mph still was dropping, so I managed to get over to the f... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2024
April 8th 2024 jeep was at total stop then car jolted forward and unable to stop the vehicle from driving forward lost control of car until it hit a car then fence then a brick wall total loss both air bags deployed
Crash
Incident date: Apr 22, 2024
Car abruptly switched gear and slowed down while driving. Stepped on the gas but the car did not move while the rpm was spiking
Incident date: Apr 12, 2024
Vehicle drove into traffic cones at night when adaptive cruise engaged. Freeway was reduced to two lanes and car ignored them. Pulled to side of road and car did not go back into gear. Gave errors.
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
Our vehicle is only a few years old and the front camera failed. It will not do any Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Warning, etc. Honda refuses to cover this even though it is a manufacturer defect.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2024
Date: [XXX] | Location [XXX] Leaving Costco 1 ½ after entering entrance headed to Savannah. I was traveling at approximately 60 miles a hour with heavy traffic alongside me and a tractor trailer behind me when I felt my Truck quickly de-accelerate on its on. Then I saw the “Sudden Warning on Dashboard, “Reduced Acceleration – Drive with Care” then the 2nd Warning on Dashboard, “ Serv... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2024
The contact owns a 2012 Kia Soul. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the contact attempted to accelerate; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 40 MPH before inadvertently decelerating to 20 MPH. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The f... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2022) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
The car is not safe to drive. The car enters limp mode, restricting the acceleration and RPMs of the vehicle. Driving on the highway in speed zones of 50-65 MPH puts the driver and other motorists at risk because the car cannot accelerate normally. Driving on back roads in speed zones <50 puts the driver and other motorists at risk because the car lacks the power and speed to climb hills. There a... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2024
Random downshift, loss of engine power, then power comes back at high RPMs then truck recovers. This has happened 3 times. Today, I was driving at approximately 55mph, with no throttle variation, the truck lost power and downshifted. Whatever gear it found it was enough to bark the tires.
Incident date: Apr 11, 2023
1. car is unsafe starting from a stop and after slowing down to accelerate out of a turn. in both instances there is a significant lack of response w/ the accelerator where it won't actually respond until there's about 2-3k RPMs. this makes it extremely dangerous at intersections because you can't trust that it will accelerate in a responsive manner. many times, the car will respond as if you've d... Read more
FOREST RIVER
ROCKWOOD
(2023) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 29, 2024
Incident date: Mar 24, 2024
The accelerator pedal broke off completely while driving on the highway (this is the second time this has happened). Accelerator pedal felt as if it were stuck when going from full self driving to manual and pedal broke off when more pressure was applied. The car began coming to a rapid stop on the highway due to regenerative braking and I was forced to quickly get to emergency lane, narrowly avo... Read more
Incident date: Apr 10, 2024
The cruise control can be easily and accidentally activated and can be activated at any speed. Once activated, it has a minimum established speed of 15mph. If traveling at low parking lot speeds of under 5mph, this will result in a sudden surge as the truck attempts to hit the minimum 15mph speed. The sudden surge is a surprise to many and can be dangerous as it typically occurs in low speed ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
The FEB system is braking when not necessary, causing potential serious damage/injury. The sensor is also affecting my ICC/cruise control. An orange light comes on while using cruise control and the cruise control stops/fails and will not reengage until I stop the vehicle and turn it off, then on again.
Incident date: Apr 28, 2024
This car is scary to drive. When I go over bumps in the road (man hole cover, railroad tracks, damaged road, etc) and hit my brakes, the car speeds up. When I'm using cruise control and I go over some kind of bump, the cruise will disengage and the regenerative braking kick on instantly. These events only happen over certain bumps and make it hard to expect. I've almost gotten rear ended on... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
The component in question is the powertrain control module for my Maverick. After having the relevant powertrain recall reprogramming done (23E09), I was driving down the highway when I received a rapid series of warnings from my car including "Pre-Collision Assist Not Available", "Service Engine Soon", and "Service AdvanceTrac" [sic]. I lost all engine power at that point, and was steadily decele... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Vehicle immediately accelerated as I was attempting to pull out of the house garage. I pressed hard on the breaks to halt it. I then returned the gear knob to park (“P”) mode. I tried again to place the gear knob on drive and the vehicle started raving on high as if it was about to take off at full speed. I waited for a few minutes while it was on park “P” mode, with the engine still i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 20, 2024
Electronic Braking System failure. ABS lights come on the dash, chimes constantly and disengages the cruise control. The vehicle looses ability to use ABS. Ability to control vehicle safely when ABS disengages is a critical failure. I'm told by the dealer that NO parts available from the manufacture to cure this issue. This is an unacceptable answer to a known issue for years. Many RAM owners h... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
False acceleration
Crash
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2022) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 27, 2024
Incident date: Mar 28, 2024
My 2018 Sentra recently stop driving in forward gear. It only drive in reverse and I’m over the mileage and Nissan refuses to fix it. I need help 😭
Incident date: Apr 19, 2024
Me and my daughter was pulling out onto a bypass highway and the car wouldn't go anywhere and we were stuck in the middle of the highway with cars coming towards us. So I had to jump out and while it was still in drive I had to push it out of the highway so we wouldn't get hit by the on coming traffic. I finally pushed it fast enough and jumped back into the car and pressed the gas pedal and it ca... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2024
Was sitting in a drive through and car started smoking. It stopped after I shut everything down. Then another time it overheated after driving for seven minutes had to stop. Air conditioning doesn’t work . Engine light on. Just bought from dealer with 20000 miles like a lemon. So not right.
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
Vehicle started stalling repeatedly for brief moments, cruise control began to "stick" on. Vehicle does not "die" in these instances but all electrical components shut down for a very brief moment then come back on. This happens frequently and for no apparent reason associated with road/driving conditions. Cruise control also wouldn't turn off when problems started. Haven't tried to use cruise con... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2024
While cruising at 70 mph the speed limit. I went over their minor bumps. It dropped into first gear digitally. (i.g. the gear sensor stopped working.) Which made my cruise control stop working. Another time, same spot but going 75 mph it killed my engine and gave me a trouble code. I found out it is rather common with this specific motorcycle. Here is a few people who have the same issue [XXX]... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2024
The propulsion battery has so much degradation that when I drive on the freeway the "turtle" mode activated not allowing me to do freeway speeds with cars around me. It forced me to slow unsafely while cars were behind me, I had to react quickly to turn on my hazards and try to get the vehicle to speed up. If I was too slow or another driver was inattentive we would have been hit from behind by a ... Read more