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 379,511 complaints for FORD
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Hello: I own a 2007 Lexus IS250. My vehicle has had an ongoing engine misfire issue and has run extremely rough. In addition, my SRS light and there is an issue with the driver's side knee air bag inflator connector. Finally, my dashboard, front and rear door panels have been sticky and melted over time when it is hot and there is no reason why this is occurring. The dashboard and door panels be... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 29, 2025
Hello: I own a 2007 Lexus IS250. My vehicle has had an ongoing engine misfire issue and has run extremely rough. In addition, my SRS light and there is an issue with the driver's side knee air bag inflator connector. Finally, my dashboard, front and rear door panels have been sticky and melted over time when it is hot and there is no reason why this is occurring. The dashboard and door panels be... Read more
Crash
Incident date: May 8, 2023
The contact owns a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was able to be restarted immediately, but the failure persisted twice, causing the contact to wait for the vehicle to restart. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the engine had failed and... Read more
Incident date: Oct 13, 2025
Rear shock absorbers failed with only 8009 miles on vehicle
Incident date: May 15, 2025
The idle stop system frequently fails to restart the car after shutting down the engine at a stop light. In some cases the car is difficult to restart using the starter button. In other instances the car restarts and then dangerously lurches forward.
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MULTIPLE DRIVER AID FUNCATIONS IN-OP. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE ANY LOCKS, PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE, SEAT MEMORY WILL NOT SAVE, REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL NOT AUTO DIM AND THERE IS NO MANUAL OPTION TO ADJUST THE MIRROR RESULTI... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? MULTIPLE DRIVER AID FUNCATIONS IN-OP. DRIVER DOOR LOCKS WILL NOT LOCK OR UNLOCK, DRIVER DOOR LOCK AND UNLOCK SWITCH WILL NOT OPERATE ANY LOCKS, PASSENGER DOOR MIRROR WILL NOT MOVE, SEAT MEMORY WILL NOT SAVE, REAR VIEW MIRROR WILL NOT AUTO DIM AND THERE IS NO MANUAL OPTION TO ADJUST THE MIRROR RESULTI... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Nissan Sentra. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the lane assist feature caused the vehicle to switch lanes independently without a cause and the front collision avoidance system was inoperative while activated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 300.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
when towing the rear end bounce you in on coming lanes! I saw oil on shock took to dealer they fought me on replacing it then they said they will replace 1 and want to send me down the road 1/2 fixed ! No dealer will replace 1 always in pairs because it will cause un even braking and safety issues ! This was at Auburn jeep [XXX] ! If they do this type of work jeperdizing peoples safety they shou... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
Transmission suddenly jerks into another gear and has randomly downshifted at highway speeds to lower gear including 1st gear, then fails to get back into 10th gear.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
The contact stated while driving on the highway at approximately 65 mph, the vehicle shifted from 6th to 3rd gear unexpectedly. The vehicle will skip around shifting into to various gears. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the issue. The approximate failure milea... Read more
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I was on my way home from work approaching a red light coasting to a stop, I tried to slow down then I realized the car was accelerating and I pushed the brakes and pulled into a parking lot by the time I got in the parking lot the car was surging, really trying to takeoff. It went all the way to 5,000 rpm’s while I was in park.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
I was on my way home from work approaching a red light coasting to a stop, I tried to slow down then I realized the car was accelerating and I pushed the brakes and pulled into a parking lot by the time I got in the parking lot the car was surging, really trying to takeoff. It went all the way to 5,000 rpm’s while I was in park.
Incident date: May 7, 2026
The vehicle started stalling out randomly on the highway even with it being automatic, after getting home and parking it , it would not back up or drive . Took it to Toyota dealership and they said it’s an internal failure of the transmission which is a UA80 model , it only has 92,000 miles on it they can’t figure out what caused it . There are lawsuits with this vehicle already from other peo... Read more
Incident date: Mar 4, 2026
Unexpected PCS2 failure and loss of AC charging. This unable to charge battery where supercharger is not available. Risks of being stranded. Limits current use. Repair unavailable and no estimated time per service center!
Incident date: May 4, 2026
Unexpected PCS2 failure and loss of AC charging. This unable to charge battery where supercharger is not available. Risks of being stranded. Limits current use. Repair unavailable and no estimated time per service center!
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The "shift tower" typically refers to the external mechanism on top of the transmission where the shifter cables connect. Problems with this part, which is a broken internal pin, result in a shifter that moves freely without engaging any gears. The gear become in operatable when driving down the highway, which is a hazard on the road. There were no warning light just not ale to change gears.
Incident date: May 4, 2026
The "shift tower" typically refers to the external mechanism on top of the transmission where the shifter cables connect. Problems with this part, which is a broken internal pin, result in a shifter that moves freely without engaging any gears. The gear become in operatable when driving down the highway, which is a hazard on the road. There were no warning light just not ale to change gears.
Incident date: Apr 6, 2026
My 12 Volt plug does not work. My infatainment system stopped workin
Incident date: May 1, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Airstream Basecamp. The contact received notice of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V932000 (Visibility, Equipment). The contact stated that while parked in storage, he observed the rear entry glass window was shattered but was still holding together. The contact added that when he opened the rear entry door the glass window separated and fell to the floor shattering in pieces. Th... Read more
Incident date: Mar 26, 2026
Purchased a 2020 Cadillac Escalade Suburban about three months ago from GMC dealership at 8155 Interstate 35, San Antonio, Texas 78224. This vehicle had about 50,000 miles when we bought it. We were not driving the Escalade everyday, we use it occasionally and about a month after we purchased it the battery went dead. Before the battery went completely dead we were on the road one day and we rol... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
Over the last 1.5 months, the liftgate system on the vehicle has failed to fully close and latch. The vehicle shows the liftgate as unsecured and the liftgate has play despite being partially latched. Investigation of the vehicle shows that the tailgate damper drive unit wiring harness is designed in a way that the wires pinch and short to ground. This design flaw causes the vehicle to lose commun... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
Odometer Fraud. The contact purchased a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact stated it was discovered that there was a mileage discrepancy. The vehicle was a dealer sale. The contact was provided a report at the time of the purchase by the dealer. At the time of purchase, the vehicle mileage was 55717. After obtaining the Carfax report, it was discovered that the mileage was 80,758. No other agency was... Read more
Incident date: Apr 29, 2026
The contact's son-in-law owns a 2016 Ford Transit. The contact stated that while her son-in-law was driving at highway speeds, an abnormal, popping sound began to emit from the vehicle. The contact also stated that white steam began to emit from the engine as her son-in-law pulled over and had the vehicle towed to an independent mechanic. The mechanic performed an inspection and determined that th... Read more
Incident date: Aug 1, 2025
The center high-mounted stop lamp (CHMSL / third brake light) fails on 2021 and newer Tesla Model S vehicles (including Plaid). This is a common issue reported by many owners, particularly as vehicles exit the warranty period. No redesigned or corrected replacement part has been made available by Tesla. Pre-2021 CHMSL units are incompatible and will not fit. Repair requires removal and replacement... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
The contact owns a 1998 Ford F-150. The contact stated that while The vehicle was park in the son's driveway the neighbor alerted the son that the vehicle on fire. The son rushed to the vehicle and discovered flames coming from the cabin of the vehicle. The Fire Department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the incident the vehicle was destroyed. The cause of t... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 12, 2024
The contact's husband owns a 2025 BMW X3. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while retrieving items out of the vehicle's liftgate, the liftgate door would independently shut while an individual was there. The contact stated that on one occasion, the liftgate door had pinned her against the vehicle and the contact used excessive force to open the liftgate. The contact had taken the vehic... Read more
Incident date: Apr 19, 2026
The 2.0L engine catastrophically failed during normal highway driving, consistent with a thrown connecting rod. The vehicle suddenly lost power on a roadway with tractor-trailer traffic. The driver and a child passenger narrowly avoided being struck by a semi-truck before the vehicle could be brought to a safe stop. No prior warning lamps, no check engine light, no abnormal noises, and no indicati... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
The 2.0L engine catastrophically failed during normal highway driving, consistent with a thrown connecting rod. The vehicle suddenly lost power on a roadway with tractor-trailer traffic. The driver and a child passenger narrowly avoided being struck by a semi-truck before the vehicle could be brought to a safe stop. No prior warning lamps, no check engine light, no abnormal noises, and no indicati... Read more
Incident date: Feb 3, 2026
There has not been an actual incident, door lock actuator stopped working prematurely.
Incident date: May 8, 2026
Vehicle was driven for 5 minutes before alerting that it was overheating. While attempting to pull into a safe location off of a main road, the vehicle would not allow me to accelerate. This left our family stranded in the turn lane. I was unable to restart the engine or shift into drive.
Incident date: May 1, 2026
On April 28 the automatic seat has broken and has been stuck all the way in the back position. This is making the vehicle unsafe to drive because me or my wife can't reach the petals. We have contacted our local Hyundai dealership and Hyundai Corporate multiple times, but are not getting any calls or emails returned. Al I have is a case number is hyundai corporate who stated a case manager would ... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
The contact owns a 2024 Hyundai Tuscon. The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH the vehicle rear of a second vehicle during the failure the no safety features had activated including the airbag, collision avoidance features. During the incident the vehicle collided with the same vehicle twice although the brake pedal was pressed. During incident the driver sustained neck, shoulder and back in... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
Loud Static/Screeching Noise: A major, widely reported issue is sudden, extremely loud static, often described as max-volume screeching from all speakers. It often triggers during hot weather or when the car heats up. This is dangerous because it is extremely loud even if you have the volume on your radio completely off. Causes your ears to bleed as some say. After looking into it more. I realiz... Read more
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
Low coolant warning came on. Battery car didn’t start , had it jump. Low coolant warning came on again. Passenger seat belt warning is on.
Incident date: May 6, 2026
My 2019 Jaguar E-PACE is showing code P26CB related to coolant pump performance. The vehicle is experiencing the same coolant/water pump failure symptoms reported in similar Jaguar vehicles, but my VIN was excluded from coverage. This issue creates risk of overheating, engine damage, and possible loss of power while driving. I believe additional affected VINs may not have been included because my ... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
May 7, 2026 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Safety Defect Complaint – Brake System / Vehicle Control Concerns 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding persistent braking and vehicle control issues involving my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Prior to December 31, 2025, the vehicle exhibited jerk... Read more
Incident date: Mar 23, 2026
May 7, 2026 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE Washington, DC 20590 RE: Safety Defect Complaint – Brake System / Vehicle Control Concerns 2020 Chevrolet Malibu Dear NHTSA, I am submitting a safety complaint regarding persistent braking and vehicle control issues involving my 2020 Chevrolet Malibu. Prior to December 31, 2025, the vehicle exhibited jerk... Read more
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) — STRUCTURE:BODY
May 8, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The accident occurred while I was driving south on Highway 38 at approximately 45 mph. Another driver pulled forward into my path and did not appear to see my vehicle. I attempted to swerve to avoid a more serious collision and protect both drivers, but the front driver-side area of my vehicle struck the rear driver-side area of the other vehicle. The impact caused significant front-end damage to... Read more
Crash
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2022) — AIR BAGS
May 8, 2026
Incident date: Apr 1, 2026
The accident occurred while I was driving south on Highway 38 at approximately 45 mph. Another driver pulled forward into my path and did not appear to see my vehicle. I attempted to swerve to avoid a more serious collision and protect both drivers, but the front driver-side area of my vehicle struck the rear driver-side area of the other vehicle. The impact caused significant front-end damage to... Read more
Crash
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
I have been having issues related to my transmission. It is similar to the issue with the current open recall where I jump back and forwardl. I had it inspected by a transmisson company, and they stated I needed a transmission overhaul possibly releated to the issue. Ford wants me to pay for a diagnostic fee. I thought they are supposed to pay for the repair for the recall.
Incident date: Apr 24, 2026
recall C4B hydraulic control unit still not addressed as of may 7 2026 recall received on
Incident date: May 6, 2026
While driving at highway speeds (55–65 mph), the steering intermittently sticks or resists movement during turns. It feels like the steering binds or hesitates before responding, requiring additional force to correct the turn. This occurred multiple times on a Reno–Sacramento trip on 5/7/2026. This is a serious safety concern because it affects the ability to maintain lane control at highway s... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Phone calls constantly get dropped using hands free Android Auto, requiring me to use my phone manually on the call. This is a major safety issue requiring attention to be pulled away from the road. I see online in numerous forums and in other NHTSA complaints that this is an issue with Solterra models and the use of CarPlay and Android Auto. It is not my phone as the situation does not occur in o... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
I was driving out of a parking lot into the feeder road of a highway with the intent of immediately getting on the highway. When I attempted to accelerate the car would not go any faster. I was traveling perhaps 5-10 miles per hour as cars on the feeder road were approaching at 45-50 miles per hour. The lag time before the car would accelerate was about 20 seconds. Luckily, I had not entered the ... Read more
Incident date: May 2, 2026
Component/system failed: Passenger seat occupant classification/seat weight sensor associated with the Supplemental Restraint System (SRS). Repair facility stated moisture or prior moisture intrusion likely affected the sensor. The failed component should be available for inspection upon request. Safety risk: The airbag/SRS system may not properly detect or classify a passenger, which could affect... Read more
Incident date: May 6, 2026
Dealer sold vehicle with open safety recall. They said it has been fixed but Hyundai confirmed recall is still there. This vehicle even had stop sale from Hyundai. I was informed it has no issues.
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — ENGINE
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
NHTSA Safety Complaint — Narrative [XXX] ) Vehicle: 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT Component: Engine — Oil Leak / Stator Cover Incident Date: April 2025 Mileage at Incident: 5,700 NARRATIVE: In late April 2025, I discovered engine oil leaking from the stator cover of my 2022 Honda Rebel 1100 DCT, specifically at the alternator wire grommet where the wires exit the engine case. The bike had been ... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — POWER TRAIN
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
the sound of the front axel is unbearable, the CLIK that produces when rotating the direction of the steering wheel is very strong. ... like the sound of the wind since it has not been It seals correctly and you can feel the sound of the wind The backup camera is completely dysfunctional at night; you can't see anything clearly at all.
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) — ENGINE
May 7, 2026
Incident date: Apr 20, 2026
I have the same model and year for GMC as bulletin 25NA-185, Engine Coolant Control Valve Failures on 3.0L Duramax (Dec 4, 2025), and am experiencing the same exact issue. Apparently my VIN is not included and I can't get an answer from GMC or the local dealer why it's not covered or how to have it reviewed to be added.