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: Jul 26, 2025
While driving vehicle goes into limp mode I lose acceleration but RPMs on dashboard jump into the red zone and various warning lights show up I coast off to the side and put vehicle in park and shut off engine. When I restart everything clears and vehicle is normal again. This happened 3 times so far and dealer had the car 12 days and cannot duplicate the problem saying no codes show up show up o... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2025
The car just slowed down super fast on freeway almost got rear ended. It would not go past 3rd gear. Poor acceleration. Could have caused a huge accident. I got it diagnosed and they said it is valve body/speed sensor/tcm and they said this is a COMMON problem for 2015 Q50. I replaced this part 2 years ago and here we go again. Shop diagnosed and said this tcm (transmission control module which i... Read more
Incident date: Aug 12, 2024
The vehicle experiences a recurring drivetrain shuddering or slipping sensation at low speeds, especially when accelerating from a stop or while cornering. The issue originates from the transfer case, which has been identified as the malfunctioning component. The transfer case was previously serviced according to the manufacturer's official technical bulletin, but the problem returned after the pr... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Tucson. The contact stated that while stopped at a red light with five vehicles in front of her, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into several unknown vehicles. The driver swerved and crashed into a cement truck to stop. There were no warning lights illuminated. A woman occupying another unknown vehicle sustained head injuries. The vehicle was towed to ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 15, 2025
Vehicle has a vibrating shake when you go about 26 to 40 miles per hour like it does not know on what gear to be me I took the car multiple times to the dealership, and after charging me hundreds of dollars they had the face to say it is what it is. That the design of the car. I even called the corporate and no one really cared. I am always scarred that engine or transmission will fail and cause a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
The instrument cluster failed to operate
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Niro. The contact stated that while driving in slow traffic, the vehicle accelerated unintentionally and crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact stated that while reversing, the failure recurred and the rear end of the vehicle crashed into the front end of another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning light illuminated. None of the veh... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
I am a [XXX] and owner of a 2018 Buick Enclave that suffered a catastrophic transmission failure which nearly killed me and my child. On Friday, [XXX], while driving westbound on [XXX] from Edison, NJ to my home in Easton, PA, my vehicle suddenly and without warning came to a complete halt in the fast lane. A driver tailgating me swerved at the last second to avoid impact. Moments later, when I tr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The throttle and engine. Car is available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The vehicle will lose ability to accelerate when crossing busy intersections or traveling on highways, resulting in the car slowing down significantly and not allowing me to accelerat... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
While driving, the car hesitates changing gears. Sometimes the car will not go in gear or go into Park. Had a recall in 2022 for some bushings and cable shifter. The car is too dangerous to drive and mechanics have stated a new transmission is needed.
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that while making a turn from a complete stop, the vehicle temporarily stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact attempted to contact the local dealer several times, but the dealer was unreachable... Read more
CHEVROLET
EQUINOX EV
(2024) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 25, 2025
Incident date: Jun 24, 2025
I have a 2023 Nissan Titan XD 4x4. Recently I have experienced a major malfunction with the automatic braking system. While driving the vehicle I have experienced several times that the front left wheel is locking up briefly and pulling me sharply to the left. I have almost slid into other vehicles and guardrails during this malfunction. I immediately brought it to my local Nissan dealer,(Coggin N... Read more
Incident date: Jul 29, 2025
Instrument panel cluster loss power. No prior warning signs before loss of power.
Incident date: Jul 27, 2025
I am writing to bring to your attention a pressing safety concern regarding my 2019 Volkswagen Tiguan, with VIN [XXX] . Despite reaching out to Volkswagen of America on August 18th, 2025, and visiting my local dealership multiple times, the issue remains unresolved. The problem is with the gas pedal, which fails to accelerate properly when starting from a standstill, such as when reversing or dri... Read more
VOLKSWAGEN
PASSAT
(2015) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 24, 2025
Incident date: Nov 22, 2022
The vehicle radiator fan clutch engaged all the time and slowed acceleration responsiveness. This could cause safety issues when the vehicle responds to gas differently. This seemed to be a common component that goes out on Armada.
Incident date: Aug 24, 2025
Automatic braking and crash detection alarm failed causing collision with another vehicle, totaling the car. That was the third time it happened. The first two times I was able to get the vehicle under control before collision. Problem was never addressed at a dealership due to scheduling issues. Problem first appeared in May 2025, then in July 2025. Collision totaling the vehicle occurred on Augu... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 6, 2025
While driving on a couple occasions the traction control light kicked in and wouldn’t allow me to turn I had to come to almost a complete stop, I thought it had gone away and a few days later I had a death wobble that occurred on a very busy hwy and had to pull into the middle lane to prevent an accident. I could not let go completely of the wheel but I also couldn’t really control the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
When break to slow down the car it accelerate instead.
Incident date: Aug 13, 2025
On long road trip from TX to MA Started before dawn and route initially [XXX] . With sunrise route was into sun and so I used my sun glasses. Within a few minutes a warning gong and light on instrument panel litup. I did not know what the cause was and then unannounced the Adaptive cruise control lane holding and steering shut off and the vehicle seemed to brake quite vigorously. There were a f... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
I rented a motorcycle from EagleRider in the United States and discovered that the speedometer displayed only kilometers per hour (kph), with no miles per hour (mph). This is not just inconvenient — it is illegal under Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 123, which requires that motorcycles in the U.S. display speed in mph, or both mph and kph. Because the bike was non-compliant, I wa... Read more
Incident date: Aug 4, 2025
My 2019 jeep Cherokee latitude only had 25000 miles on it when i bought it. Within a month the emergence break would come on by itself randomly while driving or beginning to accelerate from a parked or stopped state. Vehicle also can be parked completely level and it states the vehicle needs to be returned to park and restarted. Meanwhile all the lights come on on the dash and the shifter lights ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2025
After installing the most recent Tesla software update, my vehicle immediately displayed multiple alerts: traction control disabled, stability control disabled, and reduced steering assist. Cameras were disabled, navigation was disabled and my vehicle location was wrong. The vehicle lost core safety systems that are critical to safe driving The car functioned normally before the update. Immediate... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2025
Unknown awkward 10 speed shift problems.
Incident date: Jul 21, 2025
On April 12th my husband and I were driving our Jeep after it had a recall and update to fix the recall of a battery issue on all 4xE models. We were doing 45 mph down the road and it threw an error code that said “Service Hybrid Electric Vehicle System”, “Service Emergency Braking System” the Jeep then shut off and said for us to push the brake and press start for us to turn the car on in... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2025 Toyota Corolla Cross. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at undisclosed speeds, the vehicle accelerated inadvertently. Additionally, the contact stated that on several occasions while driving at undisclosed speeds, the brakes were inadvertently activated. The contact stated that the driver needed to remain alert while driving the vehicle. The contact... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
The contact owned a 2019 Mercedes-Benz GLC 300. The contact stated that while driving at 15 MPH up and down the street on the fourth trip, the vehicle pulled to the left and suddenly accelerated, traveled over the curb, went through a sign on a pole, vegetation, and crashed into a concrete planter box. There were no warning lights illuminated. The air bag deployed. The contact sustained bruises on... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 12, 2025
I believe the issue is with the transmission by online research. I have had the issue multiple times. The vehicle sometimes hesitates to go when pressing on the gas pedal after being stopped at stop lights. This is a problem mostly when it is very hot outside. I have had multiple close calls when trying to take a right at red lights. I will have plenty of time before another car is coming but I tr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
While driving, the vehicle suddenly lost power and could not accelerate normally. The speed dropped and got stuck around 12–25 mph even when pressing the accelerator. This happened multiple times, usually during hot daytime conditions. It created a serious safety risk, and one time another car almost hit me from behind because my vehicle slowed down so suddenly. The dealer has inspected the car ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
While driving on the freeway complete loss of power, loud sound, visible smoke. Determined by the dealer that an internal engine part failed.
Incident date: Jun 25, 2025
It was a clear day as I arrived at work. While pulling into a parking spot, the Jeep suddenly accelerated over a curb and into a tree. I was able to turn the wheel upon seeing the tree, which helped me avoid hitting other vehicles on the opposite side of the island. I had to depress the brakes multiple times before the vehicle finally stopped just short of another tree. During the incident, I was... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jun 18, 2025
While it may sound bizarre, I can definitively demonstrate that whenever I am present inside a car, the car become very unstable and bouncy and unsafe to operate. Not only does it not steer straight the car also becomes incapable of coasting smoothly and is constantly racing or aggressively slowing down. I can’t be the only anomaly and whatever is causing this could be widespread and is certainl... Read more
Incident date: Aug 21, 2025
Thoratal body and engine light and engine rebbing up on its own.
Incident date: Jun 25, 2025
I was on my way to a 7-Eleven to get gas once I filled it up. Those engine started sputtering and it did that for a minute until it finally started. I got to my school and then once I needed to go to school to school, my car was not going above 11 mph and when I was trying to reverse, it would not accelerate while reversing.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2022
While driving on the highway my vehicle out of nowhere activated the automatic collision break system. The breaks were activated or pressed automatically and my vehicle had a sudden jerk becase of the quick, sudden drop in speed. The car had an immediate drop in speed about 20-30 mph then resumed to pick up speed to the original speed eventually picking up to normal speeds.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
SERVICE SHIFTER on dashboard. When driving or at the start
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2023) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 20, 2025
Incident date: Aug 6, 2025
The vehicle has grade assist braking, which cannot be disabled. At speeds below 35mph this braking is too strong and cannot be properly controlled with throttle input. The effect is that, when going downhill, if you release pressure from the gas pedal, the vehicle will abruptly decelerate by several mph with no illumination of the brake light. In traffic, in hilly areas, this is extremely dangero... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2025
On August 20, 2025, my 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie was taken to the dealership for diagnosis after showing the warning “Electronic Stability Control system needs service,” along with a flashing check engine light. The dealer pulled diagnostic codes and documented U0403-00 (“Invalid Data Received from Anti-Lock Brake System (ABS) Control Module A”) as well as other communication errors. This is ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
The truck randomly loses power, sometimes after rounding a corner, getting into turn lane, or over a speedbump the accelerator is dead for 1-2 seconds and the truck does not move forward. It has left me in a precarious position in the middle of the road with on coming traffic.
Incident date: Mar 11, 2023
there are eight recalls on my car I do not trust dealerships I do not trust mechanics I work on my own car I have very bad experience with mechanics I would rather return my car to the dealership I want to sell my car do the dealership eight different recalls is too much
Incident date: Aug 20, 2025
I've had consistent issues with the vehicle accelerating and shifting. These include sluggish acceleration, loss of power, sputtering, and limp mode. We've almost been hit by other vehicles almost 10 times because the vehicle has failed to accelerate when pulling into a roadway. The vehicle will start to accelerate slowly, then stop, then 5-10 seconds later will surge forward will the engine re... Read more
Incident date: Aug 11, 2025
A mechanic confirmed the truck has an issue with the speed sensor. On the daily, the truck will experience shifting issues, gets stuck in 3rd, and will not go past 5th. I have to turn off the vehicle and restart and it resets. I've read this is a known issue, and F150s for model years prior to and after 2015 have been recalled for this same thing. I also believe there are already a significant ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2025
Driver Assistant cruise and steering components relating to the warning system. The system notification is turned off in the settings; however, the issue overrides the setting. Cruise control and steering assist shuts off after brief but consistant warning to keep my eyes on the road. My eyes are on the road. I can do nothing to stop it from warning. It may happen up to 20 times in a distance of ... Read more
DORMAN
CONTROL ARM
(9999) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 19, 2025
Incident date: Nov 8, 2024
On August 17th, 2025, my wife was driving our 2017 Chevrolet Bolt EV at low speed, pulling into a parking spot. The vehicle suddenly accelerated forward with enough force to cause significant damage to a fixed barrier. She does not recall pressing the accelerator at that moment. The degree of acceleration was disproportionate for a brief accidental press. Immediately after impact, smoke or dust ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
VOLKSWAGEN
ID.4
(2021) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 19, 2025
Incident date: Feb 1, 2025
i’m reporting issues with the valve body on a 2015 Q50. I have had to replace the valve body already at cost of $1700. Many others have had same issue as this is a common defect with the TMC part. This needs to be addressed as a recall.
Incident date: Jul 13, 2025
P07200 code came up, transmission is no good because of a cheap sensor that's impossible to fix. seems to be very common and very inconvenient
Incident date: May 29, 2025
My car wouldnt start and when it did, it would start shaking and every time I accelerate, The speed wasnt going any faster but only the RPMs were
Incident date: Aug 19, 2025
Transmission randomly down shifts and then shifts back up a gear. Then speed control randomly drops and won’t respond
Incident date: May 18, 2022
The touch screen on the front dashboard and the interior lights get so hot sometimes that you cannot touch them. Definitely an electrical issue causing both of those issues. Part of the air vent next to the touch screen has actually melted from the heat! Also, you cannot drive with the air conditioner on. The car gets no power at all. Just to go 30 mph, you have to go all the way up to almost 5 R... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2025
Kia 2016 died in mid traffic, would not switch out of 1st gear as an automatic, on a major road in Texas, no warning lights etc. Could be Transmission or Catalytic convertor.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
8/4/25 Vehicle was pulling from side road to main highway when lights and warnings came on dash cluster. brakes were very soft and not very responsive, car was slowed down on its own. Was able to pull into a driveway and take photos of some of the messages. One said service traction control, one said service ASC, and one said ‘brake assist fail, press hard to brake, speed reduced. After restar... Read more