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: Jul 27, 2021
When driving on the highway, my vehicle accelerated very suddenly despite me not having put additional pressure on the gas pedal, as I was at a cruising speed of about 65 mph. Immediately after accelerating, my vehicle began to quickly decelerate, so much so that I had to veer over to the shoulder so as not to cause a collision with other vehicles on the road. It decelerated despite my foot still ... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2022
I have used the self driving feature of my 2022 Tesla Model S on several highway trips, most recently a round trip between Seattle and Palm Springs. The following problems with the Tesla self driving feature were noted. (My car has only the basic self driving feature, not the full self driving upgrade) 1. Random “phantom braking” where the car, without apparent reason, suddenly braked. 2.... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2022
I’m having problems with accelerating and jerking. I bought the car about 2 months ago and had to take it back to the dealer for jerking. They changed the tires and it helped with the jerk, but it still vibrates when it turns on. It also very slow when I accelerate. It can be dangerous when I’m turning in a intersection or freeway.
Incident date: Apr 1, 2022
The contact owns a 2015 Hyundai Sonata. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle failed to accelerate while the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the throttle control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired however, two weeks later the check engine warning light illuminated. The v... Read more
Incident date: May 4, 2022
Went to pass someone car wouldn’t shift or pick up in speed several times, on interstate as well as on highways. Expressed concern to dealer, didn’t perform testing, cleared codes. Getting gas, vehicle didn’t recognize shut off gas spilled everywhere all over the vehicle and the parking lot Today shut off 4x while driving. 2 times jeep threw vehicle into park via the emergency break while d... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2022
I was stopped at a traffic light, on an uphill grade, for roughly thirty seconds when my 2016 Toyota Camry Hybrid just started slowly accelerating. I looked down and my foot was still on the brake. The car then accelerated quickly. I turned into the left hand turn lane in order to avoid hitting the vehicle in front of me. The car then jumped the center divider and slam in the curb on the other... Read more
Incident date: May 3, 2022
Tuesday, 5/3, I was parking my car in the New Leaf Grocery parking lot in Aptos, CA. I pulled into the lot and made slow right into an available space. I had my foot on the accelerator, tapped down on it gently to ease into the space. My car lurched forward at such high speed that I was unable to remove my foot from the accelerator. I swerved to the right as the car went over a partition and hit... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 26, 2022
The car was parked and idling for a few minutes as a passenger exited the vehicle. While parked, the car began to shake slightly, it was then placed in reverse to get out of the parking space. Still shaking. When it was put in gear to go forward, the car began to accelerate on its own. The driver was able to use the brake to stop the vehicle but, when she took her foot off the brake to make a left... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2021
The BRAKE & ABS lights started coming on although there was no apparent problem. Then, when those lights illuminate on the instrument panel, the speedometer & tachometer stop working. Often, the needles will bounce or they will just set at zero. This can occur at any speed & on all road conditions. This does not affect cruise control in anyway. I can set & stop the cruise control at any time. Even... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2022
Autopilot Phantom Braking while using cruise control, adaptive speed control. Occurred 9 times on a single drive. Often with no other cars, or anything in sight - in Death Valley to be specific. Instant breaking would occur, sometimes drastic, at times might have brought car to a complete stop if I'd not taken over control. We are now very reluctant to even use cruise control. This occurs wit... Read more
Incident date: Apr 30, 2022
While driving at low speed lost all power steering . Was able to get it back home . When checked again later power steering was working . While driving later that day brakes engaged to a sudden slamming stop , red abs engaged light flashed then went away . Both incidents could’ve caused accidents. I’m scared to drive this car anymore. A week prior I thought the gears weren’t engaging / t... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
EOS
(2014) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
May 3, 2022
Incident date: May 3, 2022
Clock spring failure causing complete disconnect of all steering wheel electrical components as well as disabling the airbag
Incident date: May 2, 2022
CMS - collision mitigation system stops working completely. 2 warning lamps on dash. Cruise control completely inoperative. Vehicle was initially inspected by dealer on 11/19/21with DTC U0401-92 - Temporary stop of integrated driver support system (rejected control request), also found U0416-68 VSA system malfunction. This issue happens every 1-3 thousand miles. Also with the CMS/braking syste... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2021
Electrical wiring mess with air for air or heating up I was trying to make it work while driving and then all of suddenly dashboard light went out, car slowed down and stopped. Turned the car off then turned back on dashboard light wouldn't work, windshield wipers stop working. Got stuck middle of nowhere after I pulled over to check with the car won't turn back on till fuse change and engine star... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
Have a 2021 Pacifica Hybrid Pinnacle purchased 01/2021. Since getting the vehicle randomly the car will not start, the gear selector flashes and will not drive. Have to continually restart the vehicle to get it to move. Then randomly while driving the car would display a check engine light and message Service Charging System. This would occur 1-2x a month. When you plug the car in the indicator li... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2022
While driving on the MA Route 90 on April 29, 2022, the vehicle stopped accelerating and became unsafe drive. I brought the car to Midas and was told that the car needed a new engine. I contacted a Hyundai dealer and was told that they could not look at the car as they had over a hundred Hyundai engines to replace. Prior to this incident, there were no warning lights or messages. I have learned t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 7, 2022
https://www.700r4transmissionhq.com/service-stabilitrak-cadillac-srx/ While driving to Chicago the car lost acceleration in the midst of expressway driving at the same time the StabilityTrac sensor came one, the speedometer started acting wonky. This happen going and coming from Chicago.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2022
My 2021 Toyota Corolla, with 3000 miles and less than a year on it, is repeatedly exhibiting a "check gas cap" warning message followed a day or two later by a "check engine, visit your dealer" warning. This has happened twice. I have returned to the dealer once to have the system reset, after which the same sequence of warning messages recurred. This message wipes out my dashboard display and kee... Read more
Incident date: Apr 13, 2022
On April 13th 2022, me and my wife were returning home. We were at a complete stop on a left only turn intersection red light (Spring-Cypress Rd & Telge Rd in Cypress, TX. Coordinates: 29.985660988461188, -95.65465736615674). There was a vehicle ahead of us and also behind us at the light. It was raining lightly and the roads were wet. When the light turned green we started slowly accelerating mak... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 29, 2022
I purchased my vechile Dec 28 2021, after driving it exactly one month, as I was driving on the high way my vechile shut off it was the scariest thing that has happened to me the car couldn't brake turn on nor accelerate I had to pull over on the break from being in the middle lane i had to be cautious due to vechile passing fast. Once the car stopped. Had to pay for towing due a state police show... Read more
Incident date: Apr 26, 2022
I have a 2013 F150 3.5 L V6. I can be driving down the road and a truck will Stick and first second and third gear pull off the road park and turn it off then turn it back on then it’ll be fine Happens periodically but no warning lights come on and then I drove it the other day and it was stuck in third gear ,speedometer quit working ,mileage quit ,working the wrench light ,come on and then the ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2022
We were driving on the freeway at 69 mph and suddenly with no warning the center console main screen froze. All electronic functions of the car stopped and the car was stuck at 69 mph. Speedometer And turn signals did not work. We managed to get to the side of the road (mechanical brakes and steering were unaffected). The car could not be put in Park so a manual reboot was not possible. The car re... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2006) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 30, 2022
Incident date: Apr 15, 2022
UNKNOWN
Incident date: Apr 29, 2022
Starting around 20,000 miles, my car started to majorly hesitate when I would step on the pedal trying to accelerate. Over time the problem became increasingly worse to the point where the car would slip into neutral causing a major hazard driving on the tollway when my car would decelerate when stepping on the gas pedal. This has caused me to have several very close near accidents. The dealership... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2022
Yes my son bought this car last year I have been checking since January there has still been no recalls on his particular car he was in a car accident and unfortunately him and his passengers were all killed. I have contacted an attorney who has sent an inspector they said initial look it look like something to do with a rod in the engine and it catching fire but from other things it’s possible ... Read more
Crash
Fire
3 deaths
Incident date: Oct 14, 2020
The enhanced autopilot failed to recognize a divider/Jersey barrier or alert the driver of the obstacle, as the software is advertised and was relied on to do, at an exit ramp and ran into the barrier without any type of maneuver or breaking to avoid the collision causing substantial injury to the driver. This exit is a very busy exit on I-95 with many commuters going to work at this time. It was ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2022
Check engine and VSA light on. Vehicle jerks and shakes/ rough when slowing down. Diagnosis Misfire in cylinder two- foul plug ( that was just replaced), burning up oil rapidly. Piston rings are defective on a car with 75000 k miles. The repair is $5k after I just spent $2k on plugs, coils, replaced again, alternator. Undsafe and feels like car will crash. This was recall on 2013 and class action ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2022
First incident happened 3/10/2022. Went to start my 2021 Ridgeline (12k miles) in the morning, started traveling down my driveway when all warning lights flashed. Truck went into limp mode rendering it unable to drive. Towed it to Honda dealership where I was told a rodent chewed threw my harness wires. Honda repaired it and I went on my way. Second incident happened 4/27/22. I am traveling down I... Read more
Incident date: Mar 16, 2022
The is a code that states service transmission, software update needed.
Incident date: Apr 10, 2022
i was driving my 2014 nisaan sentra sv and when merging into traffic from the off ramp as i turned and accelerated in that second the car downshifted and accelerated enough to put me in danger due to the oncoming vehicles it then shook and i had the gas pedal depressed completely the vehicle then jerked real hard and would not go thankfully the vehicles that were oncoming seen me with just enough ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2022
The warning chirp occurred and the ABS and ESC lights came on the first two times. The incident happened so quickly I could not clearly determine which warning lights illuminated. On April 18 with just over 39,000 miles on the vehicle the chirping alarm and the ABS and ESC light illuminated. In addition two warnings appeared in the dash: "Service Antilock Brake System" and "Service Electronic Brak... Read more
Incident date: Apr 3, 2022
Defected transmissions were installed on these cars. Ford recalled the least number with the least loss, but they kept the rest with their defected transmissions which cost more money than the car’s value. Ford sold their cars with defected transmissions and they knew it!
Incident date: Apr 25, 2022
The transmission is going out and the car is less than 10 years old and it just hit 119,817 miles. I looked at the information on the Nissan Rogue's and it states that the manufacturer had a extended warranty on some of their Rogue's transmissions but not all of them for transmission repair, only some of their Rogues, because they apparently build a crappy transmission. I've looked up this exten... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2022
The transmission started shifting down and up uncontrollably while traveling down the highway at 75 MPH. It would bounce between 9 and 10 gear and then down to 5 and 6, all within seconds. Was not towing anything, and it’s not the first time it’s happened. A wrench icon appeared, saying “see manual”. Transmission temp showed 240 degrees. Within 5 minutes we’d pulled over and turned... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2022
Was driving home on a rather busy highway, had my cruise control set at 65 mph, then the cruise control just shut off, no warning indications, no alerts, just poof off. It caused my car to lose speed instantly and caused a great deal of concern for both myself and everyone around me, this is now the second time this has happened within a month. Have not had time to take it to a dealership yet g... Read more
Incident date: Apr 28, 2022
I was about to park the car in my garage and stopped midway down my driveway to take a phone call. After the phone call, I changed it from park to to drive by stepping on the brake and lightly stepped on the accelerator to ease it into the garage. It quickly accelerated. I stepped on the brake to stop it but it failed to stop. It crashed into my refrigerator in the garage. A video is available for... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 21, 2022
It started off with just a little jerking when I would be in stop and go traffic then it progressed to whenever I was driving below 35mph, the car would completely cut off and the doors would unlock. The check engine light came on and I took it to be repaired. They stated there was a hole in my exhaust which a GM service employee repaired. Two days later the check engine light came on again and... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2022
When applying the brake to slow down on an exit ramp, the car unexpectedly accelerated despite the brake pedal being pressed hard. The driver was able to avoid a collision with a stopped vehicle in front by shifting the gear into neutral. The engine revved up for a couple a seconds, but returned to a normal rate of revolution with the gear still in neutral and the car practically stopped.
Incident date: Apr 16, 2022
On April 16, 2022, around 6:45PM, I drove my new Mazda CX5 (@ 3500 miles) into our church parking lot and turned right down the first row of cars. It was light out and the weather was pleasant. I turned right into a parking space with my foot on the brake. The car was facing and perpendicular to a sidewalk that was about 10 feet away. It was separated by a grassy median. When I depressed the b... Read more
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Apr 23, 2022
In stop and go traffic, when navigating round-abouts, and when accelerating away from controlled intersections (stop signals, stop signs, and yield signs), throttle control of the vehicle is inconsistent and unpredictable at slow speeds (between 1-3 mph). It behaves most poorly when attempting to accelerate after slowing, but not completely stopping. A situation drivers encounter often at yield si... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2022
The car speed decelerating. I was driving on Freeway going 75 miles yellow wrench came on car decelerated to 45 miles an 18 wheeler was behind me and couldn’t stop almost hit me thankful the opposite lane was free and he was able to change lanes in time. Once lane decelerates it shut completely down. This could have cost me my life. The vehicle is in the shop took it before and because the light... Read more
Incident date: Apr 27, 2022
I was merging on to the freeway going about 60mph, with traffic right behind me. Car started decelerated and the dash board lit up. A car behind me had to swerve to avoid hitting me. I put on my hazard lights and tried to move to the shoulder the car was only going about 5mph at the time. I turned the car off and restarted to see if it would move, but it was still going about 5mph. After doing thi... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2017) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 27, 2022
Incident date: Jan 20, 2022
My seat belt unfastens whenever it wants and my cruise control doesn’t work any longer. I also have an issue with the 4th injector which causes the car to accelerate and I had to replace the transmission as well
Incident date: Apr 10, 2022
When you try to accelerate on to highway or try to accelerate to change lanes the engine losses power or the power shuts down. Trying to pass and losing power I had to return to my previous lane and forced several vehicles to slam on their brakes in my previous lane so I could return. Loosing power trying to enter the passing lane forced the vehicle to slam on their brakes that I had just merged i... Read more
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Tesla Model S. The contact stated that while driving down an inclined driveway the vehicle suddenly experienced unintended acceleration causing the driver to lose control of the steering and crash into the nearby RV garage. During the incident, the airbag was deployed and the driver sustained injuries to both knees and left hand. No police report was taken. The cause of the... Read more
Crash
1 injured
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2012) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Apr 26, 2022
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 mph when traffic began to back up. When the contact was attempting to get into the left lane, the vehicle's ahead suddenly stopped. The contact depressed the brake pedal, however, the vehicle suddenly accelerated forward causing them to rear-end the vehicle in front. The air bags did not deploy. The... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Apr 22, 2022
Experienced harsh upshift and downshift causing vehicle to come to rigid stop and eventually loosing the ability to reverse. This is a serious safety concern to not only myself, but others on the road as my vehicle would not accelerate when coming to a complete stop at a stop sign or a red light, thus putting myself and others at risk of an accident. There were no warning lamps or messages that il... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2022
The vehicle accelerates to 5,000 RPM randomly, and unintentionally. This happens when shifting gears(manual transmission), or when in any gear. Braking barely slows the vehicle down. I've nearly crashed due to this issue, multiple times. The floormats are not in the way. This is a case of sudden unintended acceleration.
Incident date: Apr 14, 2022
My air bag, ABS and Brake Lights all gave warnings at about the same time, as well as my speedometer going "haywire" on a cold start. I got a recall notice about my airbag (electrical problems) and took it in to Parkway Kia, and was told that the airbag was not part of the recall, and that it would cost $1000 to repair the lights, as several different sensors had gone out at the same time. Inclu... Read more
Incident date: Apr 25, 2022
Vehicle Speed - Engine while traveling at a speed of 45 MPH the vehicle began to decelerate without warning. The vehicle would not travel more than 35 MPH