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 67,531 complaints for CHRYSLER
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
Driving down the highway at 80 mph, the engine suddenly quit. The check engine light and battery light illuminated after the engine had quit. I was able to coast to the shoulder. Once stopped the ignition could not be turned off to try to restart the van. It would only move from Run to ACC. After sitting without touching anything for 4-5 minutes, the Ignition indicator moved to Off and then was ab... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Oct 28, 2022
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
I was driving on a local road and car suddenly stopped running; accelarator unresponsive; power steering not working either. I was able to pull to side. Car said shift P to start , gear change didn't do anything and blinking, check engine light came up. And “check charging system” light came on. It was very dangerous. After 3-4 minutes I was able to get my car turn off and on and then it dr... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - STEERING
Oct 28, 2022
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
I was driving on a local road and car suddenly stopped running; accelarator unresponsive; power steering not working either. I was able to pull to side. Car said shift P to start , gear change didn't do anything and blinking, check engine light came up. And “check charging system” light came on. It was very dangerous. After 3-4 minutes I was able to get my car turn off and on and then it dr... Read more
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Oct 28, 2022
Incident date: Sep 29, 2022
I was driving on a local road and car suddenly stopped running; accelarator unresponsive; power steering not working either. I was able to pull to side. Car said shift P to start , gear change didn't do anything and blinking, check engine light came up. And “check charging system” light came on. It was very dangerous. After 3-4 minutes I was able to get my car turn off and on and then it dr... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a Bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy, it sat for a week, & I finally said forget it(I would have been too costly) & I needed my vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a Bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy, it sat for a week, & I finally said forget it(I would have been too costly) & I needed my vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2022
I was driving my car & listening to music. All of a sudden my passenger side dash speaker started smoking, then was shooting fire. I had a Bubbler drink & splashed it across the dash onto the speaker. It was scary, as I thought my engine might blow up. I took it to the shop, but they were so busy, it sat for a week, & I finally said forget it(I would have been too costly) & I needed my vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Jun 20, 2022
My 300 has a glitch that causes me to put in neutral then back in drive I'm guessing because of a limp mode, I've had it worked on many times at the dealer in the 3 years I've owned it and spent thousands of dollars and not fix the problem. It done what 06V341000 said but my Vin is not effected they say
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2022) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Oct 27, 2022
Incident date: Oct 27, 2022
Twice while driving on the highway the accelerator stopped working and the dash acted as if the car was off - it instructed to hold the brake and press the start button to turn it on. After coasting over to the side of the road I was able to put it in park, but pressing the power button did not turn it off. The check engine light and battery light were both on (they turned on as soon as the car ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 27, 2022
When the vehicle is preparing to shift gears it almost stops like it is going to stall, then when it finally does shift gears the entire car jolts. It started off only doing it occasionally but now does this multiple times in a short 15 minute drive.
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
Same issue as the existing complaint PE22008 on 10/24/2022, South-bound I-95 in Maryland, driving around 65-70 MPH. The van completely stopped excelling. Luckily I had enough speed/inertia to cross the 2-3 lanes to pull-off onto the shoulder. I put the car in PARK and then turned the car in off and then on again, was able to continue driving afterwards. Dashboard screen read "Service charging sys... Read more
Incident date: Oct 26, 2022
Same issue as the existing complaint PE22008 on 10/24/2022, South-bound I-95 in Maryland, driving around 65-70 MPH. The van completely stopped excelling. Luckily I had enough speed/inertia to cross the 2-3 lanes to pull-off onto the shoulder. I put the car in PARK and then turned the car in off and then on again, was able to continue driving afterwards. Dashboard screen read "Service charging sys... Read more
Incident date: Oct 12, 2022
Check engine light p0303 cylinder 3 misfire. Dealership mechanic diagnosed as blown head gasket.
Incident date: Oct 12, 2022
Check engine light p0303 cylinder 3 misfire. Dealership mechanic diagnosed as blown head gasket.
Incident date: Feb 1, 2022
The Large Control Screen appears to have "delaminated". At first it only affected radio controls causing loss of function and random acts. It eventually progressed to fail other functions controlled by this unit including seat and communications functions which caused the unit to intermittently adjust seat and more seriously call emergency numbers randomly. The random adjustments significantly ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 1, 2022
The Large Control Screen appears to have "delaminated". At first it only affected radio controls causing loss of function and random acts. It eventually progressed to fail other functions controlled by this unit including seat and communications functions which caused the unit to intermittently adjust seat and more seriously call emergency numbers randomly. The random adjustments significantly ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
The sunroof spontaneously shattered while driving down the road.
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
'Engine failure and needs replacement of head gasket. Never overheated. Also excessive "bucking" feels and sounds like you are being rear ended. Causes car to bang and lunge forward. Was repaired once before , dealer stated it was a software issue. Problem continues and gives you back pain and wiplash type sensation as it is a very abrupt and strong occurance. Now engine has failed and needs head ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
'Engine failure and needs replacement of head gasket. Never overheated. Also excessive "bucking" feels and sounds like you are being rear ended. Causes car to bang and lunge forward. Was repaired once before , dealer stated it was a software issue. Problem continues and gives you back pain and wiplash type sensation as it is a very abrupt and strong occurance. Now engine has failed and needs head ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 5, 2022
'Engine failure and needs replacement of head gasket. Never overheated. Also excessive "bucking" feels and sounds like you are being rear ended. Causes car to bang and lunge forward. Was repaired once before , dealer stated it was a software issue. Problem continues and gives you back pain and wiplash type sensation as it is a very abrupt and strong occurance. Now engine has failed and needs head ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2022
The problem began with an engine light and gave a P0303 code. We made an appointment with the dealer but the starter went out before it could be solved. After repair the service manager noticed a hint of white smoke from the tail pipe. After we received it, we took a short trip on the freeway and had the temperature shoot up and a horrible burning smell came in the cabin. We pulled over and got to... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2022
The problem began with an engine light and gave a P0303 code. We made an appointment with the dealer but the starter went out before it could be solved. After repair the service manager noticed a hint of white smoke from the tail pipe. After we received it, we took a short trip on the freeway and had the temperature shoot up and a horrible burning smell came in the cabin. We pulled over and got to... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2022
Im also contacting the department of transportation in this matter. I had a tune up at. 80,000 mile . Lots of misfires . Head gasket right head leaking. Cracks dripping inside cylinder. Leaking right head gasket.I have to keep refilling the coolant. Im seeing many recalls but when I put in my vin it shows none .
Incident date: Sep 10, 2022
Im also contacting the department of transportation in this matter. I had a tune up at. 80,000 mile . Lots of misfires . Head gasket right head leaking. Cracks dripping inside cylinder. Leaking right head gasket.I have to keep refilling the coolant. Im seeing many recalls but when I put in my vin it shows none .
Incident date: Oct 23, 2022
I was driving for about 10 minutes going 40mph when the car dinged, the accelerator stopped working and the steering wheel became stiff and almost impossible to move. The screen said “shift to P to start”. I was able to pull to steering wheel just enough to pull over, and barely missed being in an accident. I put the car in park turned it off and turned it back on and it started again. 1 week... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2022
I was driving for about 10 minutes going 40mph when the car dinged, the accelerator stopped working and the steering wheel became stiff and almost impossible to move. The screen said “shift to P to start”. I was able to pull to steering wheel just enough to pull over, and barely missed being in an accident. I put the car in park turned it off and turned it back on and it started again. 1 week... Read more
Incident date: Oct 23, 2022
I was driving for about 10 minutes going 40mph when the car dinged, the accelerator stopped working and the steering wheel became stiff and almost impossible to move. The screen said “shift to P to start”. I was able to pull to steering wheel just enough to pull over, and barely missed being in an accident. I put the car in park turned it off and turned it back on and it started again. 1 week... Read more
Incident date: Feb 28, 2022
It would not accelerate and misire when you pressed on the gas pedal. It was finally found after 7 momths of them teying to fix other parts that we would beed a new engine altogether
Incident date: Sep 18, 2022
Was in an accident and airbags did not deploy but the other driver who hit me,hers did
Crash
1 injured
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2008) - ENGINE
Oct 24, 2022
Incident date: Oct 24, 2022
Unknown. Vehicle abruptly shuts off. Usually before full operating temperature is reached. It has happened dozens of times. It most recently happened today. Always when you remove your foot from the throttle at lower speeds. You can watch the tach go to 0 when your foot comes off. No warning, no consistency. It has never occurred while accelerating. Most events happened going around a curve, occ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
i will be driving at the speed limit and the vehicle engine will turn off. power steering and control of the vehicle will stop. the car will not restart leaving me stranded on the road. this appears to be an issue that others are reporting. there is NO check engine light or any notification that the engine is about to stop.
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
i will be driving at the speed limit and the vehicle engine will turn off. power steering and control of the vehicle will stop. the car will not restart leaving me stranded on the road. this appears to be an issue that others are reporting. there is NO check engine light or any notification that the engine is about to stop.
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
i will be driving at the speed limit and the vehicle engine will turn off. power steering and control of the vehicle will stop. the car will not restart leaving me stranded on the road. this appears to be an issue that others are reporting. there is NO check engine light or any notification that the engine is about to stop.
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2015) - SEATS
Oct 22, 2022
Incident date: Oct 22, 2022
The passenger front seat active headrest deployed while car was parked for no reason.
Incident date: Jun 6, 2018
Multiple times, regardless of repairs done. The transmission keeps hard shifting in and out of 5th gear. One time to the point where I couldn't shifts gears (stuck in 4th) and was stuck at speeds under 45 mph on a busy freeway.
Incident date: Oct 21, 2022
While traveling in the #1 lane at 65mph on the freeway, the engine suddenly lost power and I had to coast to the far right lane amid traffic to enter the emergency stopping area. This has happened 4 times in the last few weeks. The dashboard display says there is a charging system problem. I am able to restart the car after stopping completely and opening the driver's door. This creates a very uns... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2022
While traveling in the #1 lane at 65mph on the freeway, the engine suddenly lost power and I had to coast to the far right lane amid traffic to enter the emergency stopping area. This has happened 4 times in the last few weeks. The dashboard display says there is a charging system problem. I am able to restart the car after stopping completely and opening the driver's door. This creates a very uns... Read more
Incident date: Oct 21, 2022
While traveling in the #1 lane at 65mph on the freeway, the engine suddenly lost power and I had to coast to the far right lane amid traffic to enter the emergency stopping area. This has happened 4 times in the last few weeks. The dashboard display says there is a charging system problem. I am able to restart the car after stopping completely and opening the driver's door. This creates a very uns... Read more
Incident date: Jul 25, 2022
The contact's friend owns a 2015 Chrysler 200. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds and when coming to a stop at a stop signal, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that after several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer however, the failure could not be duplicated. The v... Read more
Incident date: Oct 7, 2022
The contact owns a 1997 Chrysler Sebring. The contact stated while the vehicle was stationary at a traffic light, he was rear-ended by a 2022 Chevrolet Equinox. The contact stated that the driver claimed that the brakes had failed on his vehicle and he was unable to stop. The contact stated that he sustained back and neck injuries but did not seek medical attention. A police report was filed. The ... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The LED strip/portion of my driver-side headlight has stopped functioning. It is all inside a closed headlight unit. When starting the vehicle, the LED strip will pulse about 11 times quickly, then remain off. This has been an unsafe defect, because if I am in a lane that is for "Left Turn OR Keep Straight", a vehicle in the intersection across from me could look briefly, see my left LED strip ou... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2022
The LED strip/portion of my driver-side headlight has stopped functioning. It is all inside a closed headlight unit. When starting the vehicle, the LED strip will pulse about 11 times quickly, then remain off. This has been an unsafe defect, because if I am in a lane that is for "Left Turn OR Keep Straight", a vehicle in the intersection across from me could look briefly, see my left LED strip ou... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
When I pushed the button on the handle to close the back sliding door, my 2 year old suddenly stuck his hand in front of where the door was shutting and the door did not stop. Thankfully I was able to push the button back open almost immediately but his hand bruised immediately. We applied ice and the swelling went down but it could have been much worse hadn't I opened the door back up right away.... Read more
1 injured
CHRYSLER
PACIFICA PLUG-IN HYBRID
(2018) - EXTERIOR LIGHTING
Oct 19, 2022
Incident date: Jan 1, 2019
Many Pacifica vans have issues with the LED running light strips on at least one headlight. Ours acted up under warranty, but the dealer was unable to reproduce it and later quoted us over $600 to replace it. I looked in other Pacifica forums and numerous others are having the same issue, some are being quoted over $1000 for a replacement. This affects the ability to be seen during the daytime,... Read more
Incident date: Jan 22, 2021
The vehicle's LCD screen has become delaminated which causes the control of the radio, air conditioning, navigation, and other features controlled by the "radio" portion of the car to become dysfunctional. The car will randomly beep, change air temperatures, start navigation, cause the loss of hands-free communication. This is a safety hazard as it causes the driver to be distracted in order to at... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
The contact owns a 2017 Chrysler Pacifica. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact stated that the vehicle lost power steering and braking functionality. The contact stated that his wife observed that the shift out of park message was displayed; however, the vehicle was not in park(P) but in drive(D) when the vehicle stalled. The co... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2012) - ENGINE
Oct 19, 2022
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
Starting in 2019 our 2012 Chrysler Town and Country had stalled out while driving. The entire engine cut out with no warning, losing all power steering, and even braking seemed hard. The vehicle would not start and would only crank over. The only solution was to disconnect and reconnect the battery and the vehicle would start. Problem did not happen again until June of 2022 when my wife along wit... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2012) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Oct 19, 2022
Incident date: Oct 1, 2022
Starting in 2019 our 2012 Chrysler Town and Country had stalled out while driving. The entire engine cut out with no warning, losing all power steering, and even braking seemed hard. The vehicle would not start and would only crank over. The only solution was to disconnect and reconnect the battery and the vehicle would start. Problem did not happen again until June of 2022 when my wife along wit... Read more
Incident date: Oct 19, 2022
My Air Conditioning stopped working at 50k miles. The dealership, Sarasota Dodge, charged me $409 to look at the car and wanted $3300 to repair it. I don't have that kind of money and the car is still under warranty. I brought my brand new car to a local garage and they diagnosed the issue for free and charged me a 1/4 of the cost Chrysler did to repair it. The issue is the material used for t... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2022
When in park with engine running indicator comes on and says put car into park before it rolls. Look down and see it shifted into neutral. Always after putting in park I have to engage my emergency brake to make sure it does not roll. Very sluggish when put into drive. Tells me to service transmission and this all started in September. Took it to a repair shop called Xtreme auto repair and was tol... Read more