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 384,293 complaints for FORD
Incident date: Nov 1, 2020
The contact owns a 2015 Dodge Dart. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter was shifted to neutral(N); however, the transmission failed to shift as intended. The contact inspected under the hood of the vehicle and became aware that the transmission shifter cable had detached. The contact was able to reattach the transmission shifter cable bushing using medical tape a... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Transmission started "clunking" and shifting erratically over a two week period before warning light came on that said "powertrain needs attention...contact dealer" Took the car to Monticello Ford in Monticello NY and they tested it based on diagnostic code and replaced filter and fluid. They reset the computer and told me to drive it for a week so computer could "relearn" driving habits. Drove tr... Read more
Incident date: Aug 9, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while reversing, the brake pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to stop as intended. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed to the floorboard and the brake system malfunction message displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle drove onto a hilly grass embankment before coming to a complete stop. The contact s... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Chevrolet Silverado 2500. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds and towing a trailer, the message "Trailer Brake Disconnected" was displayed with an audible chime. The vehicle was inspected by the dealer, but no fault was found with the vehicle. Upon investigation, the contact discovered Service Update Program: N232414840; and associated the failure wi... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2024
Parked car and engaged the push button keyless ignition system to shut the car down, SUV would not shut down, no recourse available to power down vehicle. We immediately drove to the local Honda dealership, Braham Honda 7000 Coral Way, Miami Florida for assistance with the issue. Was advised that even disengaging the battery would have still left the alternator engaged which eventually may have ca... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Jul 16, 2025
In June 2026 I took my vehicle to Hyundai for a recall to the ECM module. After that my vehicle would lose power and hesitate to shift gears, and overall does not feel safe. Took vehicle back to dealer and they have told me that I have to wait for them to issue a recall fix for this now .
Incident date: May 15, 2022
This is an update to my original NHTSA complaint (ID 11755209) regarding an intermittent no-start/no-crank defect on my 2023 Kia Telluride (VIN [XXX]). Since my original filing, the identical defect has recurred twice more, on XXX — once at approximately 1:01–1:30 PM EST and again at approximately 5:03–5:17 PM EST, the same day. In both incidents, the dashboard and infotainment system powere... Read more
Incident date: Jul 8, 2026
Vehicle is repeatedly losing functionality of features controlled by what is referred to as the infotainment system, included lane departure warning, sound associated with turn signals, sound associated with GPS, use of hands-free calling system, etc. Upon reset, functionality resumes but the reset takes a few minutes and must be performed again and again as the issue is recurring. The main proble... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2025
The contact owns a 2008 Ford Ranger. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V158000 (Air Bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that parts were unavailable for the recall repair. In addition, the contact stated that several attempts were made to have the recall repair performed. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experie... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
I own a 2024 Honda Prologue (VIN: [XXX]). Since approximately XXX, the vehicle has experienced recurring failures involving critical driver-assistance and safety systems. The problems include: • "Forward Collision System Unavailable" warnings • "Adaptive Cruise Control Temporarily Unavailable" warnings • Automatic braking while reversing when no obstacle is present • Repeated loss of confi... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2022) - POWER TRAIN
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Sep 19, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford F-150. While the contact’s wife was driving at various speeds, the transmission unexpectedly downshifted to 1st gear. During the failure, the vehicle abruptly decelerated and failed to exceed 20 MPH. The contact stated the failure had occurred while driving at undisclosed speeds. The failure also occurred while the vehicle was idling at a stop light. During the failu... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact's daughter owns a 2015 Ford Focus. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while the transmission was in reverse(R), and the vehicle rolled backwards downhill while depressing the brake pedal. The vehicle came to a stop once the vehicle was steered over into the grass, and the vehicle rolled into bushes and stopped. During the failure, the contact’s nephew exited the vehicle in a... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 GMC Acadia. The contact stated that while parking the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted into park(P); however, the message “Shift to Park” was displayed. The gear shifter was moved back and forth, then shifted into park (P) before the proper gear was recognized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the gear shifter was replaced, but the failure reoccurred. The v... Read more
Incident date: Jul 20, 2026
The car has a blown head gasket at 72k miles the odometer. This seems to be a major problem with 2018-2022 honda accords with the 1.5 turbo engine. it also has a bad fuel pump.
Incident date: Jun 20, 2026
The electric power steering assembly has failed. I will be driving and my power steering will cut out with no warning, the sensor light is on constantly. Turning it off will sometimes fix it but not for long. It will affect my cruise control at times as well
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Warning light SVC 4WD and dashboard message 4WD System Unavailable Service Required. Jeep Dealer found diagnostic code C14A7. Dealer checked Power Transfer Unit (PTU) operation and PTU fails to acuate. Needs to be replaced and part ordered. Time for repair could not be determined. I was told at least two months, possibly longer. In researching this issue I found there is a safety recall for ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
While driving at highway speeds, my steering wheel physically binds, catches and then suddenly jerks when trying to make normal adjustments. This creates an unpredictable control hazard. This is similar to NHTSA Recall 24V-744 and Honda TSB 24-011. The internal steering gearbox is binding due to the same design & manufacturing tolerances.
Incident date: Aug 7, 2026
The wiring harness for back hatch the coating of the wire are all cracking . The passenger side rear back up light wasn’t working and the harness is cracking the wiring when opening and closing the hatch . I have picture. It looks worse in person
Incident date: Aug 6, 2026
"Service Electronic Braking System", "Service Antilock Brake System" and "Service Trailer Brake" system lights coming on - affecting antilock brakes, traction control and cruise control. Appears to be a common issue and the parts to repair are not available.
Incident date: Jul 10, 2026
The vehicle was parked stationary in the driveway with the engine running for 3-5 minutes with the A/C on. The vehicle then accelerated forward into my garage causing damage. Once I entered the vehicle, both the dash and shifter displayed park. Current TCU system internal failures have been reported from the pulling of data from Mazda.
Crash
Incident date: Jul 10, 2026
I suspect an electrical problem/short is causing my passenger side window to open and close about half an inch uncontrollably. This has been a minor inconvenience but last time it happened, it triggered the passenger door to open when driving. I had to pull over to manually secure the door. Very troubling safety issue.
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Hyundai Santa Fe Sport. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH and attempting to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle lost automotive power and decelerated with the check engine, battery, and oil warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was parked on the shoulder of the highway, and smoke was coming from under the hood of the vehicle. The contact stated ... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Apr 25, 2026
UNKNOWN When pulling into a parking space at the [XXX] diner my 2016 OUTBACK suddenly accelerated while I was ready to shift from drive to park. It was as if I put the gas peddle to the floor. There was a car about 6feet in front of me which I hit. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Expedition. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V402000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while attempting to drive from a complete stop, the vehicle hesitated to respond. The contact stated that while driving 70 MPH on the interstate, the vehicle felt like the parking brake... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2019) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2023 Ford Explorer ST and my inability to obtain the remedy for NHTSA Campaign 26V123 / Ford Recall 26C11, involving a rearview-camera/SYNC display condition that may reduce rear visibility and increase crash risk. RCAK-26V123-1258 2.pdf Kendall Ford of Anchorage has notified me in writing that it will no longer perform any work on my vehicle, including... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2026
I was on the freeway in the fast lane approaching a tunnel and vehicle came with warning vehicle shutting down. Code DL_a063. Vehicle stopped in fast lane would not move to shoulder. No prior warning there was any issue. State police came and had vehicle towed. Lucky the car behind me was able to stop in time.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
On April 7, 2026 I was driving my daughter to school when my 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Frunk (Front Trunk) opening while driving. This renders the EV completely inoperable and disables the vehicle. I pulled over and contacted Road Side assistance and had my vehicle towed to Cadillac of Beverly Hills. It was repaired over the course of 3 days and I was assured it was fixed. Today, on August 9, ... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - ENGINE
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
On April 7, 2026 I was driving my daughter to school when my 2025 Cadillac Escalade IQ Frunk (Front Trunk) opening while driving. This renders the EV completely inoperable and disables the vehicle. I pulled over and contacted Road Side assistance and had my vehicle towed to Cadillac of Beverly Hills. It was repaired over the course of 3 days and I was assured it was fixed. Today, on August 9, ... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Aug 10, 2026
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
Component failed: The vehicle's structural front subframe assembly has suffered severe, catastrophic rust perforation and deterioration. Safety risk: The subframe holds the engine and front suspension. It is structurally compromised and at imminent risk of snapping or collapsing at highway speeds, which would cause a total loss of steering and vehicle control, risking a fatal high-speed crash. D... Read more
Incident date: Nov 30, 2025
On XXX, my 2010 Hyundai Elantra Touring experienced a severe fire in the engine compartment. I observed burning material/flames dripping from underneath the engine compartment before the fire spread upward. The fire caused extensive damage to the engine compartment and the vehicle is no longer drivable. After the incident, I checked the vehicle's VIN ([XXX]) on Hyundai's recall website and found t... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
Driving and the steering assistance warning goes off cuts off my cruise control and my lane keep assistance causing my car deceleration on highway promptly while going 70 mph.
Incident date: Dec 15, 2025
The transmission (CVT) in my 2018 Toyota C-HR failed at 101,740 miles, approximately 5,000 miles and 2 months after I purchased the vehicle used. The vehicle began making a whining/rotary noise while driving. I took it to Toyota of Downtown Chicago (RO [XXX], 7/28/2026), where the technician test-drove the vehicle, confirmed the noise originates from the transmission, and recommended full CVT repl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2026
Twice within a month. the Eyesight front collision braking system suddenly activated in traffic while passing through a signal light showing green when the car in front made a right turn onto an adjacent street. My vehicle was clear of the car that had turned right and could continue to proceed through the light without incident. The Eyesiight system activated and caused a near-miss potential r... Read more
Incident date: Jun 24, 2026
Twice within a month. the Eyesight front collision braking system suddenly activated in traffic while passing through a signal light showing green when the car in front made a right turn onto an adjacent street. My vehicle was clear of the car that had turned right and could continue to proceed through the light without incident. The Eyesiight system activated and caused a near-miss potential r... Read more
Incident date: Jul 21, 2026
On the 26th of April 2026, the transfer Case on my 2020 Grand Cherokee (with less 114,000 miles) failed during highway travel. This resulted in a sudden downshift and temporary deceleration followed by illumination of “Service 4wd” display. A short time after, the “Service Electronic Stability Control” indicator displayed followed by another downshift and the unattended transition of t... Read more
FORD
EXPEDITION
(2021) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Aug 9, 2026
Incident date: May 15, 2026
On the 26th of April 2026, the transfer Case on my 2020 Grand Cherokee (with less 114,000 miles) failed during highway travel. This resulted in a sudden downshift and temporary deceleration followed by illumination of “Service 4wd” display. A short time after, the “Service Electronic Stability Control” indicator displayed followed by another downshift and the unattended transition of t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 25, 2025
For the last 17,000 miles, the engine light has been on. We got it checked out and there is coolant and cylinder three we change the cylinder thought it was a misfire, but the problem keeps occurring and we found out information that those engines are bad.
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
Component/system that failed: The audio/infotainment system (radio), rear DVD entertainment system, and backup camera all fail together while driving. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Description of the problem: While driving, the radio works normally for approximately 10-30 minutes, then begins developing static that gradually worsens until the audio cuts out completely. At ... Read more
Incident date: Feb 6, 2026
Component/system that failed: The audio/infotainment system (radio), rear DVD entertainment system, and backup camera all fail together while driving. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Description of the problem: While driving, the radio works normally for approximately 10-30 minutes, then begins developing static that gradually worsens until the audio cuts out completely. At ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 25, 2026
I have a 2026 Hyundai palisade- at the time of the incident, the car has 7,500 or so miles. I had a slow leak in one of the tires and took it to a tire repair shop- he pointed that not one, but all four tires had sidewalk bubbles in them, with some tires having more than one bubble. He said it was highly unusual for that to occur and suggested reaching out to Pirelli and/or the dealer for warranty... Read more
Incident date: Aug 7, 2026
My 2021 Honda Pilot Touring intermittently fails to restart after the Auto Idle Stop system shuts off the engine at a stop. This occurs about 10% of the time. When I release the brake, the engine does not restart, creating a risk of being stranded in traffic. I must shift to Park and press the Start button to restart it. No warning lights or messages were observed. The problem has not yet been ins... Read more
Incident date: Jul 2, 2026
The car has started with an auto high beam, lane assist, lane departure, crash mitigation, adaptive cruise lights coming on one after the other noting there are issues with the systems and they are disabled. Code is U3000 using a scanner noting Multipurpose Camera Unit Internal Electronic Failure. Sometimes the code will clear, and sometimes not. If it clears an entire drive cycle may be comple... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
Catastrophic failure of drivers side rear tire. Complete delamination of tire causing severe vehicle damage. Tire and vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Tire exploded causing serious risk to passengers at highway speeds. Tire has not yet been inspected due to date of incident being on Saturday. Immediately prior to incident a small vibration was noticed in the rear approximately ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 21, 2026
Catastrophic failure of drivers side rear tire. Complete delamination of tire causing severe vehicle damage. Tire and vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Tire exploded causing serious risk to passengers at highway speeds. Tire has not yet been inspected due to date of incident being on Saturday. Immediately prior to incident a small vibration was noticed in the rear approximately ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
While driving, car alerted “Engine Off! Shift to P or N, then start engine”. I had to immediately pull to the side of the road and follow instructions. Due to previous unresolved issues car has had I recorded the message car was giving.
Incident date: Jun 5, 2026
Engine failed 6k miles after inspection and oil type changed to 0w40 from GM dealer Roger Dean Chevy Cape Coral FL
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) - FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Aug 9, 2026
Incident date: Apr 21, 2026
I am exiting the freeway, and the far two right lanes both exit. I’m in the inner exiting lane, and I signal to take the exit. There’s a car to my right, exiting at the same time. As I’m taking the exit, my Gravity Grand Touring seemingly thinks I’m going to turn into the other car exiting near me and engages the collision intervention, whereby it forcibly steers me into the gore point unt... Read more
Incident date: Nov 24, 2025
Vehicle: 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE VIN: [XXX] While driving southbound on [XXX] near exit [XXX], the front upper grille molding/deflector completely detached from my 2023 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE at highway speed and separated from the vehicle, creating a potential road hazard for other motorists. Prior to the complete separation, I noticed that the upper grille molding was becoming loose and lifting ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
The vehicle’s driver‑assist and collision‑avoidance systems began failing simultaneously. Multiple warnings appear on the dashboard every time the vehicle is started, and the cruise control system has stopped functioning entirely. Adaptive Cruise Control cannot be disabled, preventing the use of standard cruise control. Collision Mitigation System Problem Adaptive Cruise Control Problem (A... Read more