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.

2,245,377 Total Complaints

140,173 Reported Crashes

56,794 Reported Fires

8,580 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›

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Showing 73,546 complaints - component: VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

Incident date: Mar 1, 2025

On February 24, 2026, I had the 9C2 software update. My vehicle was being checked for oil consumption. Since then I have had issues with it hard shifting when first starting to drive and sometimes after I've been driving a while. This has continued miles down the road, sometimes over thirty minutes after driving. It also just feels continuously like it is not driving smooth. This only started afte... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

On XXX; I drove to [XXX] from [XXX], with a friend for a luncheon. I pulled into the restaurant parking lot to park my car. It was a sunny day and the parking lot was paved. I made a right turn into a parking space, I was applying the brakes and coasting into the space. I was about 1/3 of the way into the space when I felt the loss of brake tension. Then the car revs loudly; suddenly and unexpe... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

The screen goes blank not only in the middle where the maps, air conditioning and radio is but the screen where the speed gas tank are as well. We have taken the car in at least 5 times stayed the issue and were told there’s no recall yet for the car. I see here that there is. The car was a Richmond Mercedes today the screen went down amd I was told there’s no fix but maybe I could look on the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 6, 2026

I have a 2026 BMW X5 50E. I experienced the same malfunction twice in the same day. The first occurrence was when I was taking my husband to a doctors appointment. While parking the car and when I was almost at a stop the vehicle lurched forward and was stopped by the concrete curb. My husband asked me what happened and I said I don’t know. The second occurrence was about two hours later after ... Read more

Crash 8 injured

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

On Saturday July 25th, while driving at 70 mph on the highway, my van lost the ability to accelerate or maintain velocity. There was no warning or indication that this was going to happen. There was a beep and the screen flashed to a screen that said to pull over immediately and safely. Surprised and scared, I had to cut across 3 lanes of traffic while losing velocity cutting off a tractor trai... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2026

After the recent "important service campaign" involving the THETA II Emissions Logic Improvement my vehicle no longer safety shifts into the lower gears. It will not shift into gear. I am unable to safely get up to a normal speed and the engine and vehicle start shaking. This is isolated to the initial start of the vehicle and any low speed driving after. The issue is resolved after restarting the... Read more

Incident date: Jul 18, 2026

ABS, Traction controle and 4 wheel drive system shut down. the truck is sending code- C0031-1D directly related to C4B recall. The dealerships have no fix and offered no support or guidance but did agree that the truck is unsafe to drive as is.

Incident date: Jul 15, 2024

U.S. registered Tesla operating in [XXX]. Full Self-Driving engaged. Dark, nighttime conditions. Vehicle was traveling toward low traffic zones near the edge of [XXX] when the system made a severe mistake. The car went off the main road. Driver was forced to take control off-road after the system lost control. Damage to the rims occurred. At the time of this incident, manual speed control was sti... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jan 29, 2026

Tesla software update 2026.20.6.11 v14 Lite NA-2025.44 removed manual speed control for Full Self-Driving. The driver can no longer set a maximum speed. The vehicle chooses its own speed and it is frequently wrong and dangerous. Curves are the worst failure. The car enters curves too fast. It accelerates through curves. It does not slow to a safe speed before the curve begins. The driver has no w... Read more

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

My 2022 Honda Pilot Black Edition (VIN [XXX], 62,900 miles) has multiple intermittent safety‑critical failures involving the transmission, acceleration, adaptive cruise control, and HVAC blower. These issues occur without warning and without diagnostic trouble codes. Transmission/Acceleration Failure: Most recent incident was XXX on Highway 71 during heavy traffic. The vehicle twice experienc... Read more

Incident date: Feb 23, 2024

Transmission shutter caused by faulty torque converter. Vehicle hesitates at times leading to unsafe conditions when merging or pulling out into traffic.

Incident date: Jun 30, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E. While the contact's daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle independently accelerated. The brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. No warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure occurred while the vehicle was being parked in the residence driveway. The vehicle crashed into th... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 30, 2026

I was backing up the vechial accelerated the steering wheel was turning rapid & a grinding noise causing me too hit another vechial about a month before my husband was driving & the vechial accelerated going toward also we had had some issues with back camera not doing a warning signal with a object behind vechial when the accident happened my vechial has braking system that stops you if something... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 17, 2026

My car was in Clarksburg Crown, Mitsubishi, and a lot that had no monitoring, and it was a sticker saying the car was not ready to be sold, and I still went with it trusting the crown Mitsubishi Car associate however there are fuses added to my car weather from them or from car auto tunes in Morgantown I’m not sure but my car has the ability to run without my foot on the gas or things happening ... Read more

Incident date: May 18, 2026

Vehicle accelerated without action . To dangerous speeding causing flipping of vehicle and harm to driver

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jul 9, 2024

Last night I was stopped at a light with my foot on the brake waiting for the light to turn green. The car suddenly wanted to move forward and was fighting the brake. I'm not a two-footed driver, so only my right foot was on the brake. I took my foot off the brake for a second and the car lurched forward on its own, so I had to apply the brake to stay stopped or the car would have entered a very b... Read more

Incident date: Jun 30, 2025

while driving, vehicle issued alerts for inoperative active brake assist, inoperative distance control, inoperative blind spot assist, and inoperative active stop and go assist. with all those alerts it was very concerning and I felt apprehensive to operate the vehicle further, as it may crash. Mercedes Benz dealer technician confirmed that the Distronic and Cruise control unit was defective/fau... Read more

Incident date: Jul 31, 2026

On XXX, at approximately 12:19 PM, I was in the drive-through lane at a Chick-fil-A in [XXX], with my child as a passenger. I was using one-pedal driving mode and had come to a complete stop with my foot off the accelerator. I turned briefly to hand my child an ice cream cup, and when I looked back at the road, the vehicle was accelerating at full power with no contact from either pedal. To avoid ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

Driving home on the highway this evening, my vehicle sounded a couple of alarms and said driver assistance systems (which I wasn’t using) stopped working, and my accelerator completely stopped working. I was forced to unsafely cut across several lanes of traffic to an upcoming exit and coast until I could pull-off into a zone for “authorized vehicles only.” After coming to a complete stop, I... Read more

Incident date: May 9, 2026

On 7/28 while driving my vehicle, the ABS and traction control light came on unexpectedly (the symbol with the car and squiggly line in front of it). Nothing is wrong with the vehicle for these lights to come on as I keep up with all maintenance and repairs to this suv seeing that im the only owner. Then the next day, I noticed my truck keeps accelerating uncontrollably and then out of nowhere, th... Read more

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

A software error in 1.5L turbo model disable fuel injectors, preventing the engine from starting or causing a sudden stall while driving. It’s been confirmed to be an previously opened recall that was fixed by previous owner. But, is happening again to me. Yet I’m being told It has been closed and cannot be fixed unless I pay out of pocket. There are warning signs that pop up like reduced spee... Read more

Incident date: Jul 23, 2026

While driving my 2026 Mercedes-Benz E350 (rear-wheel drive) at approximately 40 mph, I began slowing for a traffic light. As I approached the intersection, the vehicle suddenly experienced what appeared to be a catastrophic electronic failure. Without warning, the vehicle became almost completely inoperable while the engine continued to run. The vehicle abruptly came to a stop and became immobil... Read more

Incident date: Oct 9, 2025

In the process of parking, vehicle was stopped in the parking spot and vehicle suddenly accelerated to a high speed and crashed into a brick column. Air bags did go off. The warning sound and diagram that indicates you may have gotten too close to the curb in front did not go off. Police were called and inspected the vehicle before it was towed.

Crash

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The contact owns a 2021 Ford Escape. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle suddenly decelerated and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was parked on the side of the road and was later towed to the local dealer. The vehicle was serviced by the dealer. No further information was available. The contact stated that after ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 26, 2026

The contact owns a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander. The contact stated that while at a stoplight and attempting to drive forward, while making a left turn, the vehicle experienced a momentary unintended acceleration and lurched forward. The contact immediately depressed the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were notifie... Read more

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

While driving on an interstate during a heavy summer thunderstorm, the vehicle suddenly displayed a warning stating, "There may be a problem with the Battery Management System," along with a "Check Hybrid System" message. At the same time, the check engine light illuminated and the hybrid system stopped functioning without any prior warning. Approximately 10–15 minutes before the incident, I had... Read more

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

Subject: Vehicle Safety Incident Report – Fuel Pump Disconnection and Oil Leak To: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Date: July 27, 2026 I am submitting this report to detail a recent vehicle malfunction that posed significant risks to my safety and that of others on the road. While driving to work, I experienced a situation where my vehicle was unable to shift gears properly or... Read more

Incident date: May 1, 2026

Got error message that said "Forward Smart City Brake Support Malfunction" slso fot "smart brake malfunction" while driving. The ac stopped, the car speedometer kept going from 50 to zero. The car died and couldn't open doors, windows. Lost steering while driving. We were able to get off road and restart and fine for 2 weeks. While at still light tonight, the car turned off. Windows were up, coul... Read more

Incident date: Dec 3, 2024

When I accelerate the vehicle, the gears shifts every 10mph when it shouldn’t. It does it all the way up to 60mph. It has been an on going problem since we got the truck

Incident date: Jul 29, 2026

battery pack control module, telematic box module, brake system control module, driver and passenger door latch module, ADAS camera module. I was driving on the freeway and all of a sudden, I lost all power (limp mode), a turtle light came on the dash then alot of other lights came on. Then as I'm trying to get off the freeway, I am on my brakes and it sounds like I was throttling and the power wa... Read more

Incident date: Feb 8, 2026

On February 17, 2026, around 4:20 pm, as I was departing my agency's parking garage structure, my 2023 Tesla Y uncontrollably and un-prompted accelerated at a very high speed. I applied the brake and it would not stop. I nearly killed the security guard at the garage who was trying to direct my vehicle to the correct exit lane. The vehicle ran across a sidewalk adjacent to the garage, ran across ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 28, 2026

Incident date: Dec 22, 2023

Our 2025 BMW X5 50e was involved in an accident while slowly pulling into a parking spot at Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. While turning right into the striped parking spot, the car suddenly accelerated, swiping the car parked to the right and continued on to break through a rung of the log fence barrier before manual hard braking stopped it from plunging into the canyon below. There was no a... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 23, 2025

The 10R80 10-speed automatic transmission and the gear-shift linkage module are defective, and the truck remains available for inspection. Our safety is constantly put at risk because the transmission exhibits an extremely violent, highly intermittent powertrain lunging jolt during deceleration and stopping. The impact is so severe that it sounds and feels like a loud gunshot firing right next to ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 28, 2026

The contact owned a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power while approaching a stop. The contact depressed the brake pedal; however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated and crashed into a Chevrolet Tahoe. The wrench symbol warning light was illuminated. There were no reported injuries. The air bags deployed as intended. A Poli... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 10, 2026

I was making a right turn from the parking lot onto the street, a maneuver I have made hundreds of times previously without any issue. My foot was on the accelerator pedal as normal for this turn. The vehicle accelerated far faster than intended for this maneuver, with tires screeching, and continued across the width of the street. The vehicle's front left wheel struck the curb on the opposite si... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jun 20, 2026

To the Office of Defects Investigation:I am writing to formally report a critical data reporting error on NHTSA.gov involving a 2017 Ford F-150 (VIN: [XXX]).This vehicle is covered under NHTSA Campaign 26V370000 (Ford Recall 26S28) for the transmission downshift defect. I hold the physical manufacturer recall notification letter sent by Ford Motor Company confirming my truck's inclusion.The vehicl... Read more

Crash 1 injured

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

I am having these problems with my 2021 Honda Pilot Touring causing intermittent sudden braking. The dealership is quoting me a lot of money to fix them. Collision Mitigation System problem Road Departure Mitigation System Problem Auto High Beam Problem Lane Keep Assist Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem These problems should not be occurring to a an expensive vehicle worth over $45,000 for... Read more

Incident date: Jul 20, 2026

While adaptive cruise was engaged, the vehicle read Alabama highway 80 west state road sign and incorrectly interpreted the sign for a speed limit sign which is 55 MPH.The vehicle displayed a “80 MPH” speed limit sign on the instrument cluster and then began to accelerate. When I took it to the dealer for repair, the “turned off safety feature”.

Incident date: Jul 22, 2026

I drive a leased 2024 Porsche Macan that has been serviced exclusively by Porsche of [XXX]. In May 2026, I brought the vehicle in because the engine was revving/racing while I was driving locally at slow to normal speeds. I also reported that the vehicle initiated sudden collision-avoidance braking when no vehicles or obstacles were present. I was told no problem could be found or replicated. On ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Sep 28, 2024

I find the location of the lower gear shifters + and - to be physically far away from a driver's normal reach, making a driving hazard. If you want to change gears as is typical in mountain driving in steep descents, the driver has to lean awkwardly away from all mirrors and standard driving position making it a potentially hazardous situation for the driver and occupants to be in. It has nothing... Read more

Incident date: Jun 1, 2026

On my expedition I started having issues with my transmission staying in gear while driving. I will be going up a hill and all of a sudden boom it starts down shifting or not accelerating at all. I had a few times when me and my wife will be driving, and we would be going through a intersection or a area where you don't want to slow down and then the transmission would forget which gear it would b... Read more

Incident date: Jul 4, 2026

The contact owns a 2025 Subaru Forester. The contact stated that while pulling into a parking space, the brake pedal was slightly released to move the vehicle forward; however, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated, failed to respond upon depression of the brake pedal, and crashed into a brick wall. The impact resulted in damages to the front bumper and caused a body panel to detach. No warning lig... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Jul 24, 2026

The electronic throttle control light and check engine light are on. I took it to a mechanic and had the accelerator pedal replaced. The lights remained on and the truck remains in "limp mode" and will not go over 59mph. The mechanic stated that this is due to the unresolved recall problems with the traction control and anti lock braking system, and the HCU needing replaced. These components a... Read more

Incident date: Jul 1, 2025

The contact owns a 2025 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH and pulling into the neighborhood through the slow-access gate, while the vehicle was approximately one foot from the gate, the brake pedal was depressed and the vehicle unintendedly accelerated. The vehicle crashed into the gate, causing the iron rails to detach. The contact was standing ... Read more

Crash

Incident date: Apr 13, 2026

The contact owns a 2026 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that while driving with the cruise control activated, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated from 50 MPH to 80 MPH. No warning light was illuminated. During the failure, three minor occupants were seated inside the vehicle. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or independent mechanic to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not ... Read more

Incident date: Jul 17, 2026

The Full Self Driving software does not allow the user to limit the maximum speed of the vehicle while in use. The car frequently drives 15-20 MPH over the actual limits in typical driving modes with no ability for the user to safely and precisely restrict its speed to a more safe and appropriate level. The car may begin a journey at an appropriate speed, and continue at that speed for miles, but ... Read more

Incident date: Aug 1, 2025

Vehicles accelerated on its own when going under 10mph and no pressure on pedals.

Incident date: Jul 27, 2026

The 9C2 campaign software update introduced dangerous vehicle hesitation and unpredictable gear changes in active traffic, presenting and immediate crash hazard

Incident date: Mar 15, 2026

The vehicle displayed a check engine light with a message stating an emissions issue. The car would accelerate on its own up to 10-15mph without any input to the throttle. Braking was extremely difficult and the car could not accelerate over 40 mph. My wife was driving and my 6 week old daughter was in the car.

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Consumer Safety Complaints

What is a NHTSA consumer complaint?

How to interpret what you read

If you've experienced a defect

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