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: 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
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
- What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The rearview backup camera system seems to be misaligned or improperly calibrated or connecting to the wrong camera when put into reverse. When the vehicle is placed in reverse, the camera image points downward and primarily shows the rear bumper rather than the area behind the vehicle. This signif... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The vehicle is a 2025 Ford Maverick. The engine experienced a major internal failure that was later diagnosed by the dealership as a gouge in the #4 cylinder wall. This defect caused significant engine malfunction and required major repair/replacement. This issue which triggered a CEL created a serious safety concern because a failure of this type can result in sudden loss of engine power while ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2023 Kia K5. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact observed that the trim below the rear windshield and the trunk lid trim had partially detached. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and it was determined that the trunk lid trim needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. Th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 7, 2026
While operating the vehicle in reverse at a low speed (under 5 mph), the Advanced Driver Assistance System (ADAS) failed to provide any audible or visual alerts regarding a stationary vehicle positioned directly behind my path. The vehicle is equipped with a Rearview Video System and Rear Proximity/Parking Sensors, both of which were active. Despite a clear line of sight and the secondary vehic... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The transmission shift cable bushing at the transmission end of the shifter cable has completely degraded and detached, which is a component available for inspection upon request. This failure caused a significant safety risk as the gear shifter inside the cabin moved freely while the transmission remained in its last gear, creating an immediate rollaway risk and preventing the vehicle from being ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Dodge Journey. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V552000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manuf... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2019) — SERVICE BRAKES
Mar 9, 2026
Incident date: Nov 13, 2025
On [XXX], I received a warning on my 2023 IONIQ 5 that said “stop vehicle and check braking system” and the car went into “turtle mode”. I took it into the dealer for repairs and they said the issue was related to the 12V battery and returned the car to me as repaired. Then, on [XXX], I was driving the car and I got the same error message but this time the car’s brakes didn’t work. Tha... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
on 2/27/26 I heard a knocking sound in my car, no warning lights came on, took it to local car place and was told there was no oil in the tank. I immediately made an appt to take it to River View Ford dealership for service. They looked at it on 3/2 and found the engine to be damaged from the turbos pulling oil out of the oil tank and sucking it into the engine. They informed me nothing was being... Read more
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
1. The exact component that failed is unknown at this time. The fire appeared to originate in the driver-side front area of the engine compartment near the headlight. Prior to the fire the vehicle experienced engine shaking and a check engine light. The vehicle has been towed to a Hyundai dealership and is available for inspection by insurance investigators, the manufacturer, or safety investigato... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Feb 23, 2026
1. The exact component that failed is unknown at this time. The fire appeared to originate in the driver-side front area of the engine compartment near the headlight. Prior to the fire the vehicle experienced engine shaking and a check engine light. The vehicle has been towed to a Hyundai dealership and is available for inspection by insurance investigators, the manufacturer, or safety investigato... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 4, 2026
The oil cooler line is leaking, and the vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This safety concern is addressed under GM Program N192220080. The Hazard is Present: The leak is active. The risk of total line detachment and engine seizure is the same in Texas as it is in Alaska (the US state the GMC recalled the exact same part). An engine seizure and loss of propulsion is an immediate da... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE IQL
(2026) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
Vehicle: 2026 Cadillac Escalade IQL (battery-electric SUV). At approximately 4,500 miles the vehicle began displaying battery/high-voltage system warnings and charging system errors. An earlier incident involved a critical battery warning instructing service. When presented to the dealership, the vehicle was initially described as potentially requiring extensive diagnostic disassembly. The deale... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE IQL
(2026) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
When applying the brake slowly all of a sudden the car went full acceleration and crashed 500ft away at high speed. The car is crashed but available for inspection for a short period of time until the insurance company takes full posession. There are not open recalls. The only lights on the dash were for TPMS sensor.
Crash
2 injured
CADILLAC
ESCALADE IQL
(2026) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Mar 5, 2026
Incident date: Mar 3, 2026
When applying the brake slowly all of a sudden the car went full acceleration and crashed 500ft away at high speed. The car is crashed but available for inspection for a short period of time until the insurance company takes full posession. There are not open recalls. The only lights on the dash were for TPMS sensor.
Crash
2 injured
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
The contact's wife owns a 2018 Mercedes-Benz C300. The contact stated that while washing the vehicle, a part of the panoramic roof started moving while depressing the glass. The contact stated that there was water leaking into the vehicle from the glass. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V854000 (Structure); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The veh... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
In several separate unreplicable instances, the vehicle has turned off while driving, once on the highway, once on my street, once turning across heavy traffic, and others. I've almost died a couple times and I've taken it to the dealership several times, they have Not been able to find anything wrong with it and have been unable to replicate the issue. The engine has been replaced, and it was ha... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
In several separate unreplicable instances, the vehicle has turned off while driving, once on the highway, once on my street, once turning across heavy traffic, and others. I've almost died a couple times and I've taken it to the dealership several times, they have Not been able to find anything wrong with it and have been unable to replicate the issue. The engine has been replaced, and it was ha... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2023) — AIR BAGS
Mar 4, 2026
Incident date: Feb 14, 2026
The airbag system failed to deploy during a side-impact collision. The vehicle is a 2013 Chevrolet Camaro LS. The vehicle was declared totaled after the accident and may be available for inspection through the insurance company if requested. Description of the Incident and Safety Risk: While driving down the street and coming around a curve, another vehicle experienced a tire blowout and lost con... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
ICCU failure. Pulled out of driveway, heard a pop, received warning to pull over and check vehicle power. Car had to be towed to dealership but they are experiencing so many of these failures that they are extremely backed up on even being able to check out the car.
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2025) — SUSPENSION
Mar 3, 2026
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
My 2025 Cadillac Escalade ESV went into the dealership for routine maintenance and several software updates were applied to vehicle along with an oil and filter change on 17 February. The software took multiple times to load and I took the vehicle home on 20 February. Later that day after picking up my children from school an error popped up on the dash that stated Service Leveling System and Ve... Read more
Incident date: Mar 3, 2022
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac CT5. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shuddered and experienced hard shifts intermittently. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure progressively worsened, and the vehicle made an abnormally loud sound while driving. The check engine warning light and the traction control warning light were ill... Read more
Incident date: Feb 16, 2026
Component: Electronic Stability Control / Navigation / GPS Complaint: Since the February 2026 over-the-air software update, the built-in Google Maps GPS has been severely malfunctioning. The system consistently fails to update my vehicle’s location, showing me as stationary at my home address even after driving for 30+ minutes and 20+ miles away. This is not an intermittent glitch — it renders... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
The radiator had a leak that required replacement in my 2020 Cadillac XT5. The car only had 30,000 miles. Because of that GM replaced the radiator for $600 instead of the standard cost of $2,000. This is the 3rd Cadillac of my relatives of similar age that had a radiator leak. The service manager admitted they are replacing at least 7 of these every week. In my opinion this is a manufacturing... Read more
Incident date: Feb 17, 2026
The radiator had a leak that required replacement in my 2020 Cadillac XT5. The car only had 30,000 miles. Because of that GM replaced the radiator for $600 instead of the standard cost of $2,000. This is the 3rd Cadillac of my relatives of similar age that had a radiator leak. The service manager admitted they are replacing at least 7 of these every week. In my opinion this is a manufacturing... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
My 2022 Cadillac Escalade Sports Platinum has shut down several times while I'm driving, and recently it started shifting into neutral on its own. I have three kids, and my whole family was in the car when this happened. Once, it shut down and shifted to neutral as I was crossing a busy street at night. I was really scared that someone might hit us because it was hard to see. I will take the SUV t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
My 2022 Cadillac Escalade Sports Platinum has shut down several times while I'm driving, and recently it started shifting into neutral on its own. I have three kids, and my whole family was in the car when this happened. Once, it shut down and shifted to neutral as I was crossing a busy street at night. I was really scared that someone might hit us because it was hard to see. I will take the SUV t... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Completely lost power because battery ran out, and since Cadillac only provided a digital owner's manual, not a printed one, it could only be accessed if the vehicle had power. We were stranded in an area without cell service and could not consult a manual to determine what to do. Cadillac's own website throws an error when trying to access the digital PDF at https://www.cadillac.com/support/vehic... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
While driving down the freeway at approx. 65 miles per hour, I heard a very loud sound like an explosion, or a huge balloon exploding, and then heard crackling of glass. It was very scary and dangerous. I had to slow down immediately, and was able to get off the freeway. I pulled into a gas station, and tried to figure out where it came from. I realized that my sunroof was either hit with somethin... Read more
Incident date: Feb 21, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac XT5. The contact stated that while in drive and attempting to shift into reverse (R), the gear shifter knob fractured. The gear shifter shifted into park(P) and failed to respond as needed. The contact held the fractured piece in place to move the gear shifter. The message "Gear Conditions not Met" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where DTC: P07B4,... Read more
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
The low beams make it impossible to see at night. I replaced the bulbs to high visibility LED and still nothing. It's so dim and bad I have to drive with high beams on. It's terrible that it's been like this for 4 years and still we have no recall on the headlights when they now there's a problem with the reflective material and/or condensation on the inside of the headlight.
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
While slowly turning into a parking space at approximately 1 mph (?) the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. The vehicle mounted the curb, and struck a a parked car and hit a brick retaining wall, causing damage to both. This all happened within a few seconds and there were no warning lights or messages before or during the accident. I was not injured and there were no other people present. The po... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
While slowly turning into a parking space at approximately 1 mph (?) the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. The vehicle mounted the curb, and struck a a parked car and hit a brick retaining wall, causing damage to both. This all happened within a few seconds and there were no warning lights or messages before or during the accident. I was not injured and there were no other people present. The po... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Feb 18, 2026
While slowly turning into a parking space at approximately 1 mph (?) the vehicle unexpectedly accelerated. The vehicle mounted the curb, and struck a a parked car and hit a brick retaining wall, causing damage to both. This all happened within a few seconds and there were no warning lights or messages before or during the accident. I was not injured and there were no other people present. The po... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Mar 2, 2026
Noticed smoke in rear view mirror while driving at 65 mph. Towed to repair facility. Engine has a piston rod broken and pushed through the block.
Incident date: Feb 24, 2026
My 2017 Acura was involved in a low-speed collision where it failed to stop in a timely manner, resulting in a total loss declaration. This vehicle had open safety recalls (including the fuel pump/rod bearing issues) that remained unrepaired for over 1.5 years. Despite multiple inquiries, the manufacturer failed to provide a repair timeline or remedy. I believe these unresolved defects directly co... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
Started vehicle in morning and no sound from the infotainment system (even if radio screen is on). Noticed turn indicators sound no longer functioned as well as I believe auto stop function also became non-functional. Safety concern while driving. Had to reset by performing a system re-set/re-boot myself to make everything work again. This issue occurred 2 times in 2 seperate days.
Incident date: Jun 15, 2025
Driving on freeway, vehicle in front slowed down and my vehicle detected vehicle in front slowing down only slowed, not stopping), so my vehicle immediately braked to a stop on the freeway. Concern vehicles behind me of rear end collision. Vehicle would not allow me to proceed until until my vehicle was at a complete stop. Very dangerous as this could cause injury or death by other drivers not abl... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Driving on freeway, vehicle in front slowed down and my vehicle detected vehicle in front slowing down only slowed, not stopping), so my vehicle immediately braked to a stop on the freeway. Concern vehicles behind me of rear end collision. Vehicle would not allow me to proceed until until my vehicle was at a complete stop. Very dangerous as this could cause injury or death by other drivers not abl... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2026) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Knock sensor p1326 service code engine light on
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2026) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Mar 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Engine lost power on steep grade hill with kids in the car on our way to Tahoe putting us all at risk
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2026) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Engine lost power on steep grade hill with kids in the car on our way to Tahoe putting us all at risk
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Faulty Fuel injector
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Roads were dry. Sunny conditions. Driving approximately 55 mph in fast lane. Vehicle brakes locked up for approximately one second. There was no collision warning and no vehicle in front of us. We pulled over to disengage all collision and emergency brake functions. Driver and passengers were all shocked and had pain from tension in neck and back. Had roads been icy this could have led to a multip... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2026
Roads were dry. Sunny conditions. Driving approximately 55 mph in fast lane. Vehicle brakes locked up for approximately one second. There was no collision warning and no vehicle in front of us. We pulled over to disengage all collision and emergency brake functions. Driver and passengers were all shocked and had pain from tension in neck and back. Had roads been icy this could have led to a multip... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
I am reporting a safety concern involving BMW vehicles equipped with the B58 Technical Update (B58TU) engine, commonly found in model years 2019–2021. These vehicles utilize a variable-displacement engine oil pump containing an internal thermoplastic adjusting component responsible for regulating oil pressure. Field failures are increasingly being reported in which this internal component fract... Read more
Incident date: Feb 25, 2026
Suspension failed at 50,000 miles. At 56,000 miles one of the valve components inside the engine (a lifter) has collapsed. This part controls the opening of the engine valve, and because it is no longer moving, that cylinder cannot build compression and is causing the misfire. This is an internal mechanical failure inside the engine and cannot be caused by body work, fuel quality, or anything ext... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
My son, [XXX] is currently driving this car. The car only has 29,200 miles so far. Last week, while at the stop light on the hill, he had near fatal accident! Forester suddenly completed shut down. The only functioning part was the brake. My son had to put the car in park and restart the engine. I reported the incident to customer advocate at Subaru and taking the car in for inspection. We never s... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2023) — POWER TRAIN
Feb 26, 2026
Incident date: May 8, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Ford F-150. The contact stated while driving 10 MPH and leaving a parking lot, there was an abnormally loud banging sound coming from the rear end of the vehicle, before the vehicle lost motive power. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road and the vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the rear axle bolts had fractured... Read more
CADILLAC
ESCALADE ESV
(2023) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS
Feb 26, 2026
Incident date: May 8, 2024
On 5/8/2024, at approximately 18,969 miles, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of engine power while driving on the highway in the rain with my family inside. The engine died, the vehicle lost all propulsion creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. Dealer diagnosis revealed a catastrophic crankshaft main bearing failure, requiring a full engine replacement. Since the engine rep... Read more