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
FREIGHTLINER
CASCADIA
(2024) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 30, 2024
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
Complaint 1 When using cruise control in 2024 Freightliner Cascadia trucks with level 2 autonomous driving features, there is no option to turn off the autonomous driving features (and use standard cruise control); the driver is forced to use the system if he wants or needs to use cruise control. This apparently is a software setting that is available in some versions, but is not available in mod... Read more
FREIGHTLINER
CASCADIA
(2024) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 30, 2024
Incident date: Aug 19, 2024
These trucks have a non-adjustable default setting for Over and Under cruise control speed setting. This means, in the case of the truck I drove, that the cruise control will allow the truck to go 5 mph over the set speed before engaging the engine brake, or 4 mph under the setting before accelerating. The problem is that when set for the speed limit, the truck will climb to 7 mph over the set s... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2008) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 30, 2024
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
When a vehicle is merging into my lane, the truck will often not detect or react to the encroaching vehicle; this happens even when there is plenty of space, and the encroaching vehicle is halfway into my lane. I have had to intervene several times, since the truck was accelerating toward the previous vehicle in my headway, and ingoring the intervening merging vehicle. In contrast, the senso... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2022
When driving in highway traffic at moderate to high speeds (as well as low speeds), the truck will often accelerate with (and towards) a vehicle that is less than 1 second ahead of the truck. Certainly this often happens when there is not a safe distance between the truck and the next vehicle. The trucks systems in no way seem to expect that the next vehicle could slam on brakes at any moment. ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 1, 2024
The cruise control (level 2 autonomous) will turn itself off without any warning sometimes. This happens any time the truck is set for above the speed limit by more than 2 mph. The truck uses a speed limit map, independent of actual posted speed limits. When the truck detects a speed limit drop to below the cruise setting, either real or imagined, the cruise control disengages without any warni... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
Vehicles accelerates aggressively to no limit (95+) when adaptive cruise control is set and there is no leading vehicle within following range.
Incident date: Nov 21, 2024
While driving, my cruise control got stuck at 110 miles per hour. Three times I turned it off and on and each time the 'cruise' speed was set at 110mph. I took it to the local dealer and they were unable to replicate the issue.
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
I was driving the car and suddenly the car started accelerating on it's own. No cruise control was on . My wife was in the passenger seat and it was lucky as I did not panic , just taped on the brakes to slow down. This happened many times until we got home and it is dangerous and scary, also this is a know problem with this model car. No lights or warnings came on. We could have easily crashed in... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2024
[XXX], driving home, dark at [XXX] in Airway Heights WA. About 10 mins to home, lights in dashboard suddenly lit (brake, check engine, battery icon, water temp icon, 2 yellow colored pictures that had the word “off”, park, ABS, exclamation point next to a circle that had a symbol in circle like a Mercedes Benz, and another symbol colored yellow). I kept driving with very little power in the ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 28, 2024
the car consistently has phantom braking. the speed will drop around 15 miles of speed immediately. it also will slow on rolling hills and random long turns on cruise control. most recent date listed
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
FIRST THE ENGINE BROKE (CRITICAL DAMAGE) WAS REPLACED SECOND THE TURBOS WERE JAMMED, WEREREPLACED THIRD THE THROTTLE WAS INOPERATIVE STIL UNATTENDED FOURTH THE TRANSMISSION AILED STIL UNATTENDED
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
Update to complaint #11631235 At time of original complaint submission, I was unable to figure out how to share the video documentation of the vehicle speedomoter defect. Having since figured it out, I want to share this evidence with the NHTSA
Incident date: Nov 22, 2024
On multiple occasions while driving, vehicle gear blinked from Drive and told me place the vehicle in park. Unable to do so because I was in traffic, vehicle would no longer accelerate and completely stopped. I could not shift to Park and had to turn off the entire car. Once restarted, brake system was engaged and I could not turn it off until I restarted the vehicle again. I have had my children ... Read more
MERCEDES-BENZ
C300
(2016) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 28, 2024
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
The Stibilitrack in the truck went out just after 20 minutes of driving in 34 degree rainy weather at 65 mph. Found out that it was the passenger front bearing reluctor had chipped away, which is what the wheel speed sensor reads. Once one those go out, you lose Stibilitrack and ABS. I believe that this is a significant safety issue, and a poorly engineered/designed system. The rear system reads g... Read more
GMC
SIERRA 1500
(2015) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 28, 2024
Incident date: Oct 16, 2024
I was at a stoplight behind a Toyota Tacoma. I must have stopped around 8 feet behind it. I was not using FSD and I was not one-pedal driving. My foot was on the brake. I must have been at a complete stop for approximately 10 seconds when my Model 3 suddenly accelerated full throttle on its own and rear ended the Tacoma, directly hitting its trailer hitch, causing my car's driver-side airbags to d... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Nov 29, 2024
I was driving on the high way and the car loose power completely have to do change oil every two weeks and can’t find a solution
Incident date: Jan 6, 2024
While driving at highway speeds the vehicle will suddenly decelerate forcing vehicles behind said vehicle to make defensive maneuvers to avoid hitting our vehicle. We have taken the vehicle to the dealership twice for this condition. This time we were told it was the EGR valve, but it was on backorder. We are now forced to drive this vehicle until it is repaired.
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
The sensor was replaced but the light engine light still came back on now the speed sensor is causing the issue. The abs light comes on while accelerating it jumps and jerks
Incident date: Apr 6, 2024
Since purchasing the vehicle, I've had several incidents where my safety and those inside my vehicle are compromised due to the loss of drive power and stalling of the vehicle while driving. I've complained to the dealer for which they continued to assure me that there was no problem detected during the safety inspections. Recently I received the recall notice to replace the fuel pump module which... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2019 GMC Sierra. The contact stated that while driving on the highway at 40 MPH the vehicle proceeded to jerk and shift into the lower gears, the vehicle's acceleration speed was reduced to 15 MPH. The service parking brake and the ESC light were illuminated. The contact proceeded to drive to their residence, whereupon parking the vehicle the contact proceeded to inspect the veh... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
Dec 23 took mine in for recall service. Had no issues prior to having this done. Pick up the same day. Was told passed the drive test. Drove to work Dec 24th (26 miles round trip) no issues. Did not drive on Christmas. Placed it to charge that night, for drive to work the 26th. Noticed it did not charge completely. On the way in to work service light came on. Time to leave work, it would not st... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Automobile approached and stopped at stop sign. When accelerator pressed to continue, car remained in place, shuddering (as if transmission were slipping),and making significant noise. Car would not shift out of gear, nor move. Operator shut off car and then restarted car. Car started normally and was in park without shuddering. Expectations at busy intersection was that it was my turn to mov... Read more
Incident date: Nov 27, 2024
While travelling at highway speed, attempted to accelerate to pass slow traffic. Rather than accelerating, the car hunted for a gear, and wouldn't shift properly. The car downshifted but engine would not go beyond 4000 RPM and speed remained the same. This has happened multiple times. By unexpectedly not accelerating, this created a risky situation by not allowing car to pass slower traffic as... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2022
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Civic. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally hesitated while accelerating. The failure has progressed over time. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V858000 (Fuel System, Gasoline); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact ... Read more
CHEVROLET
SILVERADO 1500
(2024) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 27, 2024
Incident date: Nov 21, 2024
I was making a left turn and the vehicle abruptly stopped blocking both lanes of an arterial highway. The emergency brake came on . The vehicle would not shift into neutral so I couldn’t move it off the road. The vehicle was towed in. Had this happened on the expressway or at higher speed both my family and I could have been badly hurt.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Good morning and thank you for providing an online form for issues with motor vehicles. The vehicle in question is a new motorcycle. I have found that I am often tailgated or followed closely by other motor vehicles on local roads and the interstate. I drive at, or near, the speed limit at these times. While no crashes have occurred, this problem has always occurred with this vehicle. I note that... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Subaru Outback. The contact stated that while driving 60-75 MPH, the vehicle experienced unintended acceleration. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving downhill with adaptive cruise mode activated. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The dealer and the manufacturer were not no... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
When I would come to a complete stop at a stop sign it would stall battery light and oil light would come on. I would need to put it in park then turn it off and turn it back on. It also would suck up oil like crazy I would need to replace the oil every few days otherwise it wouldn't start. I took it to the shop and 2 of the 4 pistons blew and all the timing stuff stopped working.
Incident date: Dec 11, 2023
Multiple occasions the start/stop malfunction has turned on. The brakes grind and screech horribly and I’ll get breaking malfunction warning. It has been checked by vw and they state that the brakes are fine and they’ve had several come in with same issue but there’s no recall that has been issued. They stated it is the material that was used to manufacture brake parts that cause this proble... Read more
Incident date: Dec 21, 2024
The Engine Auto Idle Stop system causes the vehicle to intermittently drift backward (without power) for 1-2 seconds, until restart, when at certain types of intersections (extremely minimal incline or near-level intersections). This has caused numerous unsafe situations during normal driving involving the backward drift. Furthermore, the drift and restart delay cause significant hesitation duri... Read more
Incident date: Nov 26, 2024
On June 13 2023, I received an alert on my dashboard that my cruise control was unable to be used due to an issue with the front sensor. The alert went away soon after but then reappeared on August 27th, 2023 the error appeared again. Specifically error code C162078. I wasn't able to get the issue repaired until November 2023, which is also where they replaced my faulty backup camera.
Incident date: Nov 4, 2024
My abs control warning goes on and off and will not allow me to use cruise control and is constantly beeping at me.
Incident date: Dec 11, 2024
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH and while attempting to stop depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact confirmed that the accelerator pedal was not depressed accidentally. No air bags deployed. The contact crashed into unknown private property in a parking lot. No injuries were sustained. No police report was fil... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
The light up display for the odometer, fuel gauge, and speedometer does not always light up. When it is not lit, the cruise control and any warning and informative alarms/lights also do not work. This is a well-known issue among owners of these cars, related to the capacitors on the circuit board for the display being defective, and there is extensive documentation of it online. It may also have h... Read more
DODGE
GRAND CARAVAN
(2018) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 26, 2024
Incident date: Jun 26, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ford F-150. The contact stated that the transmission was shifted hard. While driving at approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle shifted from tenth gear to first and then back to tenth. The vehicle revved up. The contact stated that the vehicle seemed to be in neutral. The vehicle was suddenly accelerated. The powertrain malfunction warning light was illuminated. The local dealer ... Read more
HONDA
CR-V HYBRID
(2023) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 26, 2024
Incident date: Oct 3, 2024
On [XXX] numerous brake system warning dash lamps came on on your truck. I also noticed that once this happened the cruise control no longer works. The local RAM dealer could not inspect my truck for several days so I had an independent service center test it and he confirmed the anti-lock brake module had stopped working. I believe he also noted that error code(s) were detected. yes, it can be in... Read more
Incident date: Dec 26, 2024
While driving down the highway, the vehicle significantly lost power while going up a hill, so much so that I had to downshift into 2nd gear in order to maintain and not lose speed. This is incredibly dangerous as I was only able to climb the hill at about 20 mph while the flow over traffic was 55 mph.
Incident date: Dec 10, 2024
For the second time in this car, I experienced sudden acceleration while parking (turning right). I had to slam the brakes to prevent hitting a parked vehicle, causing whiplash. No warning or safety features engaged. See NHTSA crash incident report 11593929. There are sufficient similar reports to warrant an investigation and hold VW accountable.
Incident date: Dec 17, 2024
New QX80 should be taken off the road. The Infotainment system is the central computer system to the car. Countless times where the system reboots WHILE DRIVING yielding electronics cluster (Speed control, Heads up Display, etc) blacked out. Upon "reboot", the stereo system is blaring loud, without ability to turn down volume, creating a dangerous driving environment. Only resolution, to date,... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
Pressure switch on the brake master cylinder is leaking brake fluid while braking.with brake fluid being introduced into the engine bay while running could cause a fire.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
Hyundai Distracted Driver feature is FAULTY and VERY hazardous! If someone puts on sunglasses to drive SAFELY, the vehicle says you ARE distracted; and cuts the cruise control and starts braking on its own. VERY BAD!!! The vehicle is almost undrivable. Many others are having their dealerships buy their Hyundai Santa Fes back because they are nearly undrivable and are a general US roadway hazard... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
Cruise control will not hold lock. Suddenly without warning and with no manual input the speed will surge to well over 80MPH and continues to accelerate until the cruise control is manually disengaged. Also sometimes it will go the other way dropping Suddenly to under 50 MPH after being running at 65MPH. This will happen without warning even on an empty highway with no other cars in front. I t... Read more
Incident date: Nov 25, 2023
Ford has a "safety compliance" which has an expiration date of 10 years or 150,000 whichever was first. How is that even allowed? A major issue with the transmission range sensor which doesn't show a driver what gear there in...the lights all disappear so driver doesn't know if there in P, R, D, N, etc...its extremely dangerous! It also forces my truck to go into limp mode which is very dangerous ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 28, 2024
I exclusively use one pedal drive (OPD) for my 2022 Volvo C40 EV. I have a log of about a dozen incidents in 2.5yrs where OPD has malfunctioned. Sometimes failing at speed, other times lurching quickly forward after stopping. I have contacted Volvo and they installed a flight data recorder. I can provide a description of all my events upon request. I'll detail just the most dangerous incident her... Read more
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
While driving Dec 10, 2024 my VW Taos failed to accelerate after slowing at an intersection. If this happens when I’m turning, on coming traffic has to slow down unexpectedly. The EPC light and check engine light came on. Car would not go above 15-20 mph. Called dealer and cautiously drove car to dealer. The mechanic said a popped fuse was reason the lights came on and car wouldn’t accelerate.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
The contact rented a 2024 Ford F-150 Lightning. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH and attempting to slow the vehicle, the RPMs suddenly increased, after which the contact became aware that the vehicle was accelerating independently. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard however, the vehicle failed to stop as needed. The contact shifted to park(P) to bring th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 11, 2024
Description of Incident: The engine has experienced a failure that causes oil to blow back from the engine, covering components both under and outside of the engine cover. This has resulted in oil accumulating on the exhaust and other hot components, creating a significant fire hazard. Safety Risks: This malfunction poses a serious risk to my safety and the safety of others, as the oil leakage c... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jul 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Kia Telluride. The contact stated that while driving with the vehicle in Snow Mode and depressing the accelerator pedal while making a left turn, the vehicle stopped. The contact stated that after taking the vehicle out of Snow Mode, the vehicle worked as designed. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who was unable to duplica... Read more
Incident date: Dec 11, 2024
My truck has been diagnosed with a faulty ABS control module over a year ago. I have made countless efforts to remedy this to no avail. The demand is so high for these and the supply is zero. The vehicle will go into limp mode every time i drive it. This poses a serious threat to my safety by not being able to get up to speed on the highway and constantly having to pull over. This is my only vehic... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2023) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Dec 22, 2024
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
Continually gets abs stability error. Unit has been replaced once less than year ago. Comes on if vehicle sits or hits a bump. Lose of abs cruise and continual dinging.