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 21,107 complaints for CADILLAC
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Vehicle: 2023 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [XXX] ) Dealer: Cadillac Pasadena Case Number (GM Corporate): XXX Refusal to perform a mandatory Federal Safety Recall remedy. Details: 1. My vehicle is currently under Safety Recall XXX(L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion). I experienced a loss of propulsion and brought the vehicle to Cadillac Pasadena. 2 The dealership technician confirmed the engine is exhibi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Vehicle: 2023 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [XXX] ) Dealer: Cadillac Pasadena Case Number (GM Corporate): XXX Refusal to perform a mandatory Federal Safety Recall remedy. Details: 1. My vehicle is currently under Safety Recall XXX(L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion). I experienced a loss of propulsion and brought the vehicle to Cadillac Pasadena. 2 The dealership technician confirmed the engine is exhibi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 17, 2026
Vehicle: 2023 Cadillac Escalade (VIN: [XXX] ) Dealer: Cadillac Pasadena Case Number (GM Corporate): XXX Refusal to perform a mandatory Federal Safety Recall remedy. Details: 1. My vehicle is currently under Safety Recall XXX(L87 Engine Loss of Propulsion). I experienced a loss of propulsion and brought the vehicle to Cadillac Pasadena. 2 The dealership technician confirmed the engine is exhibi... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
There was a recall on the L87 propulsion. The dealer changed the oil and said it was fixed. I left the dealer and the issue still persists. They refuse to address it.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2024
There was a recall on the L87 propulsion. The dealer changed the oil and said it was fixed. I left the dealer and the issue still persists. They refuse to address it.
Incident date: Aug 12, 2023
We own a 2024 Cadillac Lyriq EV. We began experiencing safety concerns related to battery performance and overall vehicle reliability during the active bumper-to-bumper warranty period. These concerns were reported to an authorized GM dealer, Napleton Cadillac, prior to warranty expiration. Service records at Napleton Cadillac document the history of these complaints. The vehicle has been unable ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
COMPONENT: Vehicle Speed Control — Automatic Emergency Braking / Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) COMPLAINT: I am filing this complaint to report a POST-REMEDY FAILURE of the repair performed under NHTSA Safety Recall 24V589 (GM Program #N242453471) on my 2024 Cadillac Lyriq AWD. RECALL REMEDY COMPLETED: My vehicle received the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software update on August 13, 2... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 15, 2026
COMPONENT: Vehicle Speed Control — Automatic Emergency Braking / Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) COMPLAINT: I am filing this complaint to report a POST-REMEDY FAILURE of the repair performed under NHTSA Safety Recall 24V589 (GM Program #N242453471) on my 2024 Cadillac Lyriq AWD. RECALL REMEDY COMPLETED: My vehicle received the Electronic Brake Control Module (EBCM) software update on August 13, 2... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
On Oct 14,2025 Dealer did a GM safety recall under N252494000 On March 14th 2026 the motor with out, the dealership is now going to replace the motor under the Recall
Incident date: Dec 31, 1969
The headlights don’t work very well when they are dimmed. To the point that one has to use high beams all the time.
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
After having the initial engine failure recall completed by the dealership by switching to a different viscosity oil… While traveling at 45 mph the motor made a knocking or ticking sound with a squeal and then “hiccuped “ and immediately lost all power. I was only able to steer the vehicle onto a busy sidestreet. The vehicle had recently been serviced by Cadillac. Once stopped, the vehicle c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
After having the initial engine failure recall completed by the dealership by switching to a different viscosity oil… While traveling at 45 mph the motor made a knocking or ticking sound with a squeal and then “hiccuped “ and immediately lost all power. I was only able to steer the vehicle onto a busy sidestreet. The vehicle had recently been serviced by Cadillac. Once stopped, the vehicle c... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
On March 19, 2026 around 830AM EST, the vehicle turned off while I was driving around ~40mph. I lost all power while on a busy street and I was unable to move the car to the side of the road. The car would not shift into drive or neutral, and therefore remained in the middle of the road until a tow truck had to flatbed it to the Cadillac dealership. The L87 recall on this vehicle was performed in... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
On March 19, 2026 around 830AM EST, the vehicle turned off while I was driving around ~40mph. I lost all power while on a busy street and I was unable to move the car to the side of the road. The car would not shift into drive or neutral, and therefore remained in the middle of the road until a tow truck had to flatbed it to the Cadillac dealership. The L87 recall on this vehicle was performed in... Read more
Incident date: Mar 19, 2026
On March 19, 2026 around 830AM EST, the vehicle turned off while I was driving around ~40mph. I lost all power while on a busy street and I was unable to move the car to the side of the road. The car would not shift into drive or neutral, and therefore remained in the middle of the road until a tow truck had to flatbed it to the Cadillac dealership. The L87 recall on this vehicle was performed in... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The vehicle was recently purchased, and while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 MPH with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified and sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to diagnose the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Cadillac XT5. The vehicle was recently purchased, and while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate above 5 MPH with several unknown warning lights illuminated. The dealer was notified and sent a mobile mechanic to the residence to diagnose the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Mar 6, 2026
The engine in my 2015 Cadillac Escalade failed unexpectedly at approximately 53,000 miles. Immediately prior to the failure, the engine developed a noticeable knocking noise, indicating a potential internal issue. While attempting to park in a public parking garage, the vehicle suddenly lost power and the engine shut down without any warning lights or alerts. This created a hazardous situation in... Read more
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
Engine has been making a knocking sound and shaking and vibrating very loud loudly. The engine light has been on as well as the traction light and it is acts like it’s going to stall every time I turn on the engine. Because of safety concerns, especially on the very busy highway, where I do a lot of driving, I have been afraid to drive the car. Sewell Cadillac is aware of the engine problem ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2026
I took my car is for service at the Cadillac dealership and they stated there was an oil leak from the camshaft carrier. When I asked more questions they stated it was a fairly common problem with the XT4 and a few other models where there was a faulty seal at the "T-joint" (cam carrier T-joint). My car is no longer under warranty, but had under 26000 miles at the time. There were no warnings or s... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2019) — POWER TRAIN
Mar 18, 2026
Incident date: Mar 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Cadillac Escalade ESV. The contact stated while driving approximately 65 MPH, the rear wheels locked up and the vehicle stopped moving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence, and the vehicle was not driven. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
I had to replace the thermostat which is a well known, documented defect/issue for this vehicle/Cadillac. I would like reimbursement from Cadillac.
Incident date: Mar 13, 2026
The engine suffered catastrophic failure, piston number six 6and connecting rod broke in pieces and made a hole on the block. This is a L 87 engine 6.2 L.
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2020) — ENGINE
Mar 17, 2026
Incident date: Nov 3, 2025
The colling system is not working properly and damage the engine
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
I SCHEDULED SERVICE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL. AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE AS SCHEDULED THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SAFETY COVERED RECALLS AND STATED DUE TO THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A BRANDED TITLE.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
I SCHEDULED SERVICE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL. AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE AS SCHEDULED THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SAFETY COVERED RECALLS AND STATED DUE TO THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A BRANDED TITLE.
Incident date: Mar 16, 2026
I SCHEDULED SERVICE A SERVICE APPOINTMENT WITH RICK HENDRICK CHEVROLET IN NAPLES, FL. AFTER LEAVING THE VEHICLE AS SCHEDULED THE SERVICE MANAGER REFUSED TO PERFORM THE SAFETY COVERED RECALLS AND STATED DUE TO THE ISSUE OF THE VEHICLE HAVING A BRANDED TITLE.
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 16, 2026
Incident date: Feb 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Dodge Grand Caravan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal, and the vehicle stalled. The contact was unable to pull over to the side of the road. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was left on the side of the road. The contact returned and towed the vehi... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
Similar to the issues that were on the gas version of this engine and the recall associated with it. The engine seized on the expressway. When it was towed to the dealership, they said it was catastrophic engine failure. They found a lot metal shavings in the oil pan. They did not diagnose any further due to cost. At the time it happened, there were no warning lights or check engine lights on.
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2013 Nissan Frontier. The contact stated that the air bag warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the air bag sensor located in front of the radiator had failed and needed to be replaced; however, the vehicle was not repaired because the Part Number: 98581-9BD8A; had been on backorder for approximately 6-12 mon... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
Driving around a winding turn incline , tacoma hesitated at 40 mph while going down incline. Tacoma rpms fluctuates at 40 mph as if the engine is having difficulty accelerating. You can hear the engine stalling or shuttering to catch up to speed. This is occurred driving at a steady 40mph. The Tacoma seems to be stalling out at a certain speed limit and rpm at 40 mph. It only has this symptom at 4... Read more
Incident date: Mar 14, 2026
Driving around a winding turn incline , tacoma hesitated at 40 mph while going down incline. Tacoma rpms fluctuates at 40 mph as if the engine is having difficulty accelerating. You can hear the engine stalling or shuttering to catch up to speed. This is occurred driving at a steady 40mph. The Tacoma seems to be stalling out at a certain speed limit and rpm at 40 mph. It only has this symptom at 4... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
We were at a complete stop, with foot on break when my jeep lunged forward twice , second lunge hit the vehicle in front of me, also that car was at a complete stop. It has lunged 2 other times while at a complete stop .
Crash
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
We were at a complete stop, with foot on break when my jeep lunged forward twice , second lunge hit the vehicle in front of me, also that car was at a complete stop. It has lunged 2 other times while at a complete stop .
Crash
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2022) — ENGINE
Mar 13, 2026
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
On February 21, 2026, my 2022 Cadillac Escalade ESV experienced a sudden and complete engine seizure at highway speed at 57,825 miles just 8,613 miles after passing GM's PicoScope inspection under Safety Recall N252494000 (NHTSA Campaign 25V274). After fueling, I entered a highway on-ramp and accelerated to approximately 70 mph. Within 30 seconds, the engine lost power completely with no prior war... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2022) — TIRES:SIDEWALL
Mar 13, 2026
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
size 21545ZR18 93Y. replaced these oem tires with these from costco on feb 27 2025. in dec 5 2025 the tire developed a large bubble. miles bought was 27790. current miles 31212. per tire center steal belting was broken no signs of road hazard or other damage. the belt broke and rubber was stressed with " maybe a 1000 miles regaining before catastrophic failure." wear instrument showed they were ... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2022) — TIRES:SIDEWALL
Mar 13, 2026
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
size 21545ZR18 93Y. replaced these oem tires with these from costco on feb 27 2025. in dec 5 2025 the tire developed a large bubble. miles bought was 27790. current miles 31212. per tire center steal belting was broken no signs of road hazard or other damage. the belt broke and rubber was stressed with " maybe a 1000 miles regaining before catastrophic failure." wear instrument showed they were ... Read more
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
Tubo problema en k a lus derecha delantera l
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
I was driving to work on the freeway about 65 mph and after about 20 minutes the engine made a whirring noise, overheating and slight smell of burnt rubber and delayed to Accelerate luckily I was close to my exit I parked vehicle let it cool down. But still has this issue after about 20-30 minutes of driving more than 60mph
Incident date: Sep 5, 2023
I was driving to work on the freeway about 65 mph and after about 20 minutes the engine made a whirring noise, overheating and slight smell of burnt rubber and delayed to Accelerate luckily I was close to my exit I parked vehicle let it cool down. But still has this issue after about 20-30 minutes of driving more than 60mph
Incident date: Feb 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Lincoln MKX. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V544000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact called the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that there would be another notification when the parts became available. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
Infotainment system freezes and goes black. Braking system makes popping and clicking noises and have to press hard to stop the vehicle. Vehicle has been in the shop now 5 times and over 30+ days. The braking system failure has put my safety and others at risk to due to not being able to brake correctly.
Incident date: Feb 10, 2026
Large crack formed without any projectile involved. Car was sitting in the garage and temperature was around 40 degrees. Crack starts from the bottom of the windshield near the driver's side and extends upward about 12 inches. The car had been sitting in the garage for 4 days without being driven. Vehicle only has 21,455 miles but is out of warranty due to age.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part for the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The dealer confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that the manufactu... Read more
Incident date: Feb 26, 2026
Problem: Engine rod knock that could be related to open investigation NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: PE25008 The vehicle is available for inspection. Risks: Engine stall, loss of power, fire, or total engine failure. The rod knock is reproduced every time the engine is started. It has not been confirmed by a dealership or independent service center. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufac... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
Vehicle: 2026 Chevrolet Silverado 1500 Incident Description: While driving at highway speed, the transmission fluid line failed and transmission fluid rapidly leaked from the vehicle. There were no warning lights, alerts, or messages before the failure occurred. As the fluid was lost, the vehicle began shutting down while still moving in traffic and stopped in the middle of the highway with vehic... Read more
Incident date: Mar 11, 2021
Transmission shuddering at low speeds. Losing acceleration getting on to highway. Hard shifting and slippage.
Incident date: Mar 8, 2026
i WAS TRAVELING ABOUT 50MPH ON A HIGHWAY AS I WAS APPROACHING VEHICLES STOPPED FOR A TRAFFIC LIGHT I APPLIED MY BRAKES NORMALLY AND THE TRUCK WOULD NOT SLOW DOWN SO I PRESSED ON THE BRAKES AS HARD AS I COULD AND THE CAR JUST CONTINUED FORWARD TILL FINALLY I PLOWED INTO THE REAR OF ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAD NO BRAKES, THE ABS NEVER KICKED ON OR THE VSC.
Crash
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
While driving on the highway at approximately 65-70 mph the Automatic Emergency Braking system engaged for no apparent reason, no vehicles were around or near our vehicle. The sudden and unexpected braking could have cause a major accident resulting in serious injuries or worst had our vehicle been rear ended.
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
Just picked up vehicle after having a new battery installed. Was getting pop up on dashboard every few seconds that electrical saving mode was active. Then all of a sudden the truck shut off while driving about 45 mph on a busy road. Dash said switch to neutral to start vehicle which i tried but nothing happened. Truck coasted to a stop and would not start or even shift into neutral to push it of... Read more