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: Dec 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2015 BMW X4. The contact stated that while his wife was at a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly accelerated to approximately 90 mph and crashed into a garage door that was twenty feet away. There were no reported injuries, but the driver and rear-seat child occupant went to the hospital for medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to a collision center. There was no reported fire.... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 27, 2023
No ABS function. Cruise control inoperative. Codes set for ABS module and ABS pump failure.
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2023) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 27, 2023
Incident date: Dec 6, 2023
I was at a stop light, when I went to accelerate, the car would not move past 20 MPH. I pressed down on the pedal, and the gauge did not go past 20 MPH. After a few seconds, the car started to accurate, but it happened again at a second stop light a few minutes later.
Incident date: Oct 16, 2023
I have complained several times with Ford Dealers to fix the issues involving my vehicle accelerating on its own. The vehicle within a week will accelerate on its own 4-6 times when exiting a parking spot or my driveway.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2023
On two separate occasions the VW ID4 screens have gone blank (main display and heads up display). While the car continued to steer, we lost all indication of speed, navigation, heating, and air conditioning. The pictures we have (unable to attach via this webpage), proves the display does not come back up during driving. Further, holding down the on-off power switch by the steering column or t... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2023
Under multiple conditions, both intercity highways and two-lane country highways the cars adaptive cruise control with randomly slowdown/brakes extremely hard. In one specific instance I was driving home in the middle of the night with a vehicle behind me and with no other oncoming traffic or cars in passing lanes and the adaptive cruise "brake checked" the car behind me, I was able to react and c... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
CLA 250
(2018) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 26, 2023
Incident date: Jul 4, 2023
Dealing with intermittent service brake system messages for over a year now. Light is constant now which means my ABS / anti skid/ and cruise control no longer function. Believe this is the ongoing HCU / ABS module known issue. Frustrating going into the winter months with such a heavy vehicle and loss of safety feature with no fix from Ram.
Incident date: Dec 26, 2023
The contact owns a 2023 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that the vehicle was experiencing unintended acceleration. The contact stated while pulling into his driveway and slightly depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle speed increased continuously. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that he depressed the brake pedal and the vehicle responded as needed. Th... Read more
Incident date: Dec 8, 2022
Car without obstacle will without warning execute a hard slowdown/stop. We have received the latest OTA update and have disabled auto steering and fsd. These unplanned stops are incredibly dangerous when driving in traffic. They charged a substantial fee to enable FSD and we are afraid to use it which sucks but the fact that basic cruise control is so dangerous is criminal.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2023
On December 18, 2023, on the Masspike, inbound, at the morning rush hour, the traffic was in a hard stop for more than 1 hour (moving very slow bumper to bumper), after the Brighton exit, whatever the reason of the traffic jam cleared and all the car speeded up... My Nissan Rogue Sport accelerated a bit but them came to a very low speed (~ 10 mph). I checked whether I was in the right gear (it was... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
Started engine and had no power steering plus all warning lights on dash
Incident date: Dec 29, 2022
The contact owns a 2022 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle started to shake abnormally. While driving, the vehicle lunged forward without the accelerator pedal being depressed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the transmission needed to be rebuilt. The software was reprog... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
While operating TACC with lane keeping assist, I experienced multiple iterations of phantom braking when the road and weather was clear ahead. This phantom braking could potentially cause other drivers to collide with the vehicle that unexpectedly braked in the middle of the highway. This problem has been a common issue with multiple people taking their cars to the service center to get checked ou... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2023
Traction control and abs lights have been coming on randomly while driving over the past several years. Seems worse and more frequent in cold temperatures. Scanner reads code C0020. Cruise control suddenly shuts off when this happens causing a safety hazard especially to those traveling behind. Dash lights and constant chimes are very distracting while driving. No abs makes winter driving more da... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2023
When driving the car at interstate speeds the transmission overheats after just a few minutes. When this happens it triggers the car’s information system to send a message stating “Transmission Fault Service Engine Now.” Just a moment or two later it sends another message stating “Speeds Reduced To Lower Engine Temperature.” Once that message is received you no longer have any throttle c... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Driving normal when i lost control of the throttle jeep went into limp mode, the ETC , traction control, and check engine lights came on, got a uo4o1 code, if i was on the interstate could have been bad when it went into limp mode, the electronic throttle control was bad
HONDA
ACCORD HYBRID
(2023) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 24, 2023
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
Adaptive cruise failed just over 2k miles following another vehicle under 60mph and sped up to set cruise of 75 and would have hit the truck if I didn’t stop it, I took video of failure directly after the incident. First bolt EUV camera failed more than once even after it was replaced, that car was bought back under battery recall. My point is, it’s a continued issue. With lane keep assist you... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2020
On Tuesday evening, December 19, 2023, while driving at highway speeds, the following message appeared on my digital display: BRAKE SYSTEM Brake system problem. Brake performance may be reduced. See your dealer. Other system messages began to appear, including, I believe, concerning the steering. More important, the car immediately went into a “limp mode“ with the speed dropping to 20 mi... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2014) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 24, 2023
Incident date: Aug 20, 2023
No incidents. However, cruise control and rear window wiper are both inoperable.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2023
A Hydraulic Control Unit malfunction resulting in multiple warning lamps flashing on and off intermittently - including the ABS, the EBS, the Traction Control, and the Cruise Control. This is apparently a known issue with this model year truck and is inclusive of a class action lawsuit, yet there has been no recall. This failure results in unpredictable breaking and/or the ability to break and ope... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
It is just like the the service bulletin out for the 2006 and later gmc sierra except it’s for a 2004 gmc Yukon slt 4x4 4.8L. It is going into reduced engine power mode and it has to do with the throttle actuator control module. Throws code P2108
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
No warning lamps were on. Took the car to Honda of Murfreesboro TN I was told I had a blown head gasket fluid around cylinder 2 but my car has never ran out never had a issue I started to hear liquid bubble in dashboard turbo had to be replaced didn't fix the issue spark plugs are being replaced often to keep lamps off and car functions working properly antifreeze is being monitored because it's b... Read more
Incident date: Oct 31, 2023
The piston rings do not seal leading to increased oil consumption and very low oil. My safety was put at risk because when I pulled out into traffic that was going at a high speed I could not accelerate. There was no warning or indication that this was going on prior to this incident. Yes this has been confirmed by a Hyundai dealership and the component was inspected. There was no warning sign be... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
I was pulling into a parking spot. I was riding slowly into the correct position. Immediately the car went into full acceleration. Knocked the parked car in front about 8 feet, turned and knocked another car on the side. I stood on the breaks, it went another 10 feet and engine stopped. I never heard this level of acceleration of engine ever before. The airbags for me and my passenger did not op... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
Truck hesitates, wants to shut of and does shut off. Wrench indicator comes off and on. Truck Shuts off at stop light and needs to be restarted.
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2017) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 22, 2023
Incident date: Dec 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2018 Chevrolet Malibu. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MHP, the message "Engine Power Reduced" was displayed and the vehicle decelerated to 30 MPH. The contact stated that the speed would no longer exceed 30 MPH. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The local dealer was not... Read more
Incident date: Apr 2, 2023
I had a wreck 12/05/2023 the rear ended a commercial truck it didn’t give me any indication ahead it didn’t not slow my vehicle down or brake I just slammed right into the vehicle 23 feet in front with no warning so now the truck is saying crash malfunction it just abs and lane change in dictation nothing
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Dec 22, 2023
As I pulled up behind a car that was stopped at a stop sign, I took my foot off the gas pedal, and put it on the brake pedal. The moment i put my foot on the brake pedal, my car surged forward. I had a moment to think, and I confirmed that my foot was on the brake pedal, I had felt the brakes trying to resist the surge. I put the car into neutral, and it jerked to a stop. No one was hurt, I stop... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
For about a month, the car is pausing for a second or two during acceleration. The car was brought for service to Great Lakes Hyundai of Columbus (Ohio) on 12/19/2023. This is diagnosis and remediation that was offered: Needs immediate attention 1 of 5 services Related requested service [Primary]: 10HYZ06 - C/S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND ADVISE: C/S CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CHECK AND ADVISE CHECK EN... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2013) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 22, 2023
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
The abs light blinks and sounder beeps on and off intermittently while driving and the cruise control does not stay functioning when this occurs.
Incident date: Dec 21, 2023
Originally I started feeling like my brakes weren't stopping as well as they had been. The pedal seemed to feel soft and have further travel than normal. I recently had my brakes inspected by a certified mechanic, so I was confident it wasn't the actual brake pads, rotors, or calipers. After a day of this I started getting intermittent ABS system and traction control lights. About a day or two lat... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
GLK350
(2010) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 21, 2023
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
So thanks to YOUR interference my Autopilot on my Tesla is broken... You guys THINK you are making our cars safer by getting your controlling poorly educated stupid hands into Tesla systems that are DESIGNED TO BE MORE SAFE. On paper Tesla Autopilot is factually proven to be more safe than a human driver, these reports are publicly available perhaps your team was too lazy to read them. My car d... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2023
The "Check Antilock Brake" message appears on the dashboard. The vehicle has been inspected by a mechanic who confirmed that it is either the supplementary brake fluid pump, or the brake pump control unit. Because of the intermittent nature of the problem, the manufacturer requires replacement of both expensive parts, as they do not know the exact problem. Because of the issue, the following vehic... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
When stopping for traffic or at a light and accelerating for take off the car has a delay. It does nothing. It’s a 2sec delay that will be deadly to someone.
Incident date: Dec 19, 2023
Water has been pooling in the wheel well under trunk of my car undetected due to the covering overlap. Water has been leaking due to the rain from outside in. My back seats were wet, my spare tire was flooded, and a smell has began to set in my car. My cars speed has been slower to increase which can put my response time to dangerous situations slower. I have an appointment on the 10th of January ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 30, 2023
Abs light and traction control light will flash and beep intermittently when driving have researched a lot of people have the same issue newer models have been recalled for the same problem.
DODGE
CHALLENGER
(2012) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 20, 2023
Incident date: Aug 1, 2023
Service Electronic braking system. ABS dashboard light illuminated. Traction control symbol illuminated. Dashboard brakelight illuminated. Faulty ABS control module diagnosted by independent repair center.
Incident date: Oct 3, 2023
My Kia Sorento uses roughly 2-4 quarts of oil every week or 2. The smell of oil is so strong in the car it’s almost unbearable. Just this week the the alert about a door being open is going off and the locks are malfunctioning. It locks and unlocks at random and it keeps sayings a door is open when it isn’t. The cruise control also stopped working.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Ford did an update recently, 6.8.0, which obscures the speedometer and moved it to far right of the IPC making it difficult to see now when driving. This is safety issue and I like to have the speed of my vehicle right in front me where it should be.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
About 3 months ago, I took this car in after receiving a recall notice for unexpected acceleration while on adaptive cruise control even though this was an issue I had never experienced before. But on monday, driving in stop and go traffic in light rain (intermittent wipers on slow setting), all of a sudden the car started accelerating directly towards the car 20 feet or so in front of us; the br... Read more
Incident date: Dec 5, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Chevrolet Volt. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost power and decelerated to 35 MPH. During the failure, the message "Reduced Power" was displayed. After turning off and restarting the vehicle, the failure remained, and the vehicle was driven to the residence at a reduced speed. The cause of the failure was not yet determine... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2023
On December 9th, 2023 my 2020 TESLA Model X accelerator pedal broke off while accelerating up a hill. This caused the vehicle to stop and become undrivable on a blind curve uphill. This caused a significant safety risk to me and other drivers. The vehicle had to be towed with police assistance to block traffic due to where the vehicle became inoperable. I had to pay out of pocket about $50... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2023
Problemas con el sistema de precolosion falla del sensor el carro es inseguro e tenido 2 incidentes donde el sistema no responde ni se activa antes del impacto problemas con el motor, estabilidad del carro, conteo de velocidad, frenos, llantas, cruze de carriles, puntos ciegos
Crash
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
This same scenario has happened 3 times since I purchased this vehicle - first event at mileage of 6273, 2nd event @ 7586 miles, and 3rd event @ 12,506 miles. All events were the same - while driving, dash board light start to flash and the vehicle looses all ability to accelerate. For each event, we have been able to coast out of traffic, turn the car off & restart. Once the car is restarted... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2023
DOCUMENTATION OF UNWARRANTED / UNCONTROLLED VEHICLE ACCELERATION: DRIVER STATED THAT WHILE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, VEHICLE ACCELERATED WITHOUT USE OF ACCELERATOR PEDAL. VEHICLE LURCHED FORWARD INTO VEHICLE AHEAD, AND INTO 2ND VEHICLE AHEAD IN TRAFFIC. ENGINE CONTINUED TO RACE AT HIGH SPEED WITH TRANSMISSION IN DRIVE, SPINNING REAR TIRES UNCONTROLLED WITH BOTH FEET DEPRESSING BRAKE PEDAL.... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 6, 2023
I honestly have no idea what system failed but I was doing 80 on the interstate and my car shifted into nuetral . All of the lights came on parking brake , brake and then my car would not drive any longer , luckily I was able to coast onto the shoulder but I literally could have been killed. I had just passed road construction that went from 4 lanes to 2 barracaded lanes. i waited 30 minutes and m... Read more
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
When traveling on the highway, the cruise control system will cut out on random intervals, and not be available to turn back on unless you stop the vehicle, turn it off, and then turn it back on again. This poses an electrical system risk, and may encourage drivers to pull over on the side of the highway to restart their vehicle to regain access to cruise control. There are already many Reddit and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2023
this vehicle has had multiple check engine failures it has been in for service six times in a matter of months. In September I had Service Traction control/StabiliTrack lights come on and the car losses of engine power. I had it serviced again in October for the same issue it was at the dealership for 20 days all they did was clear the code and drove it 38 miles, including the technician driving i... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2022) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 18, 2023
Incident date: Dec 15, 2023
This has been going on since May of 2022 Every time I start my truck I get a warning that my ABS is not working and that my electronic braking needs to be serviced. While these lights are active, I have no ABS, traction control, or cruise control. After about 10 to 15 minutes of driving, the warnings go out. The lights sometimes will stay off for twenty to thirty minutes, but normally flash on be... Read more
Incident date: Dec 17, 2023
I just purchased this vehicle on Saturday.And now my engine light is on.It is blinking.I did my research after getting the car and the code p1326 came up at autozone.after that it showed that code with recalls for 2011 to 2017.