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: May 28, 2026
The safety system back up camera has been malfunctioning for 18 months. At times the image will be inverted, at times it will appear to be zoomed in very close, but most of the time it does not work at all. The alerts (beeping) that should be occurring when identifying a hazard do not work. The horn no longer works. Several times the entire electrical system will shut off and then reset. There hav... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
The safety system back up camera has been malfunctioning for 18 months. At times the image will be inverted, at times it will appear to be zoomed in very close, but most of the time it does not work at all. The alerts (beeping) that should be occurring when identifying a hazard do not work. The horn no longer works. Several times the entire electrical system will shut off and then reset. There hav... Read more
Incident date: May 27, 2026
Elections power steering failed and could not steer . Corrosion on plugs ram had to replace every part of power stering
Incident date: May 29, 2026
My 2015 Toyota Sienna has “Sticky” steering. When on a curve, like an highway curved ramp, the steering locks in place. I have to pull the steering wheel back to keep the car on track. When it sticks I can literally let go on a curve and it will hold it’s position. Even when driving straight this occurs. The steering wheel will stick in place requiring me to turn it to get the steering wheel... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2026
I park the car, it is park. Remove key fob, get out of the car, shut the door, push the lock on the fob, it will auto start, open door punch on the brake , it then turns off and I can lock the car. If I push the break several times before getting out this does not happen. This vehicle was purchased about 2 years ago, used.
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
The problem is in the power-locking manual tailgate’s exterior release switch assembly. Water intrusion into the switch can cause a short circuit, leading the tailgate to unlatch while the truck is in Park. Once moving, momentum and air pressure can cause the tailgate to open further, potentially dumping cargo onto the road and creating a hazard.
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
On June 17, 2026, at approximately 4:30PM, while driving to work for an event, my vehicle suddenly applied the emergency brakes right after a message appeared on my dash warning me to brake. There was no vehicle Infront of me that should have caused my car to brake so hard and suddenly. I have contacted the dealership and American Honda about the situation. I have read online reports of similar is... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2024
On June 17, 2026, at approximately 4:30PM, while driving to work for an event, my vehicle suddenly applied the emergency brakes right after a message appeared on my dash warning me to brake. There was no vehicle Infront of me that should have caused my car to brake so hard and suddenly. I have contacted the dealership and American Honda about the situation. I have read online reports of similar is... Read more
Incident date: Apr 23, 2026
I am having the same issue as the GM Safety Recall N232426400 - where it says it is a common issue in 2020-2024 Chevy 1500's (which my truck is a 2022 Chevy). Where the tailgate will drop by itself. I looked into this recall and my truck is not included. However, it just rained heavy and now my truck's tailgate is dropping on it's own. This is a safety risk due to loading the truck bed and having ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 15, 2025
6/12/26 ( 2023 Chevy Silverado - 6.2 liter engine) While driving at approximately 40 MPH on a two lane road, the truck shut off. After multiple attempts, the engine failed to restart. The transmission locked up in park and would not release. This required the truck to be dragged up on the flat bed wrecker instead of rolling freely. Prior to this instance there have been several issues with the el... Read more
Incident date: Sep 1, 2024
6/12/26 ( 2023 Chevy Silverado - 6.2 liter engine) While driving at approximately 40 MPH on a two lane road, the truck shut off. After multiple attempts, the engine failed to restart. The transmission locked up in park and would not release. This required the truck to be dragged up on the flat bed wrecker instead of rolling freely. Prior to this instance there have been several issues with the el... Read more
Incident date: Jun 13, 2026
My 2024 Jeep Gladiator is subject to Recall 21D (NHTSA 26V-363). The recall warns of a fire risk while parked due to overheating of an electrical connection. Owners have been instructed to park away from structures and other vehicles, but there is currently no remedy available. I am concerned about the safety risk and the lack of an available repair.
Incident date: Mar 1, 2026
This happened twice but the second time could've caused a serious accident. I was turning left through an intersection and the vehicle on the opposite side of the road was turning left (we were going opposite directions) When the other vehicle got "close" to me (not close enough to crash) my collision assistance/automatic emergency braking stopped my car in the middle of the intersection with othe... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2026
Vehicle had previously undergone the GM 6.2L engine recall inspection on October 17, 2025, and was determined to have passed. On June 13, 2026, at approximately 80,390 miles, the vehicle suddenly lost propulsion while being driven with five children in the vehicle. The vehicle became inoperable and required towing. Dealer subsequently diagnosed engine failure and has ordered a replacement engine. ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
Tesla Model 3 Full Self-Driving (Supervised) feature I was using Self-Driving mode in my Tesla Model 3 while traveling on [XXX]. The vehicle suddenly turned right without warning, struck a mailbox, broke the right-side mirror, and came to a complete stop. There were no vehicles in front of or behind my car at the time of the incident. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION AC... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Accelerator lag from any speed or stop. The care will take several seconds to hunt for the correct gear before shifting to accelerate. Or it will delay acceleration for several seconds while your pressing the accelerator. No SES indicator active. Mechanics can’t find issues. Other owners on forum a report the same sluggish behavior. These 1.5 turbo cars seem to need a software fix that they a... Read more
Incident date: May 21, 2026
Steering is sticking after the car is driven for about 20 min. No warning lights or signs are given when this happens. This is a very dangerous safety issue; causing loss of control of vehicle and sometimes causing to veer into the oncoming traffic lane. This started happening 2 months ago when turning left. Dealership service dept could not find it at that time to fix. Sticky steering got worse o... Read more
Incident date: Jun 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made... Read more
FORD
TRANSIT CONNECT
(2019) - POWER TRAIN
Jun 18, 2026
Incident date: Apr 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford F-150. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V237000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
Engine Stalls: the engine stalls unexpectedly while driving at highway speeds and city/street speeds. Loss Of Power: Sudden loss of motive power creates an immediate crash hazard. Starting Issues: the car struggles to start or cranks excessively after refueling. Erratic Fuel Guage: The fuel gauge fluctuates wildly and gives inaccurate readings. Malfunction Indicator: The Check Engine Light is ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 10, 2026
Vehicle is experiencing severe, dangerous transmission malfunctions matching Ford Safety Recall 26S28 / NHTSA 26V237. Multiple times while cruising at highway speeds, the vehicle has abruptly downshifted into 2nd or 3rd gear without warning, causing violent engine revving, sudden loss of forward momentum, and severe steering wheel shaking. These incidents occurred in rainy, low-visibility environm... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
Vehicle is experiencing severe, dangerous transmission malfunctions matching Ford Safety Recall 26S28 / NHTSA 26V237. Multiple times while cruising at highway speeds, the vehicle has abruptly downshifted into 2nd or 3rd gear without warning, causing violent engine revving, sudden loss of forward momentum, and severe steering wheel shaking. These incidents occurred in rainy, low-visibility environm... Read more
Incident date: Jun 15, 2026
Vehicle is experiencing severe, dangerous transmission malfunctions matching Ford Safety Recall 26S28 / NHTSA 26V237. Multiple times while cruising at highway speeds, the vehicle has abruptly downshifted into 2nd or 3rd gear without warning, causing violent engine revving, sudden loss of forward momentum, and severe steering wheel shaking. These incidents occurred in rainy, low-visibility environm... Read more
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
The contact owns a 2022 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V720000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); 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
Incident date: Sep 10, 2025
Brake vacuum, pump failed while driving which made the brakes not work. I had it towed to a dealer and they found that the pump was internally damaged. Pump was then replaced. There was no warning this was about to happen and it happened suddenly. One moment the car had brakes and the next there was no braking. A very dangerous situation and we were lucky to not have a major accident.
Incident date: May 15, 2026
It's a sunny day in Florida and approximately at [XXX] while traveling straight on a public roadway, the vehicle directly in front of me moved into the left-turn lane, completely clearing my lane of travel. As I actively accelerated to pass the turning vehicle, my Honda’s Collision Mitigation Braking System (CMBS) inadvertently activated despite my lane being completely clear and unobstructed. T... Read more
Incident date: May 15, 2026
My 2018 Chevy Cruz has developed a sticky or tacky surface discovered when I was cleaning my interior. I used warm water and soap to clean all plastics. Tried to dry off my dash with paper towels and discovered the issue . My car has been garage kept since its purchase so I have no idea as my previous vehicles never had this issue.
Incident date: May 15, 2026
We were in a severe car accident and our airbags did not deploy in our vehicle. We were going about 45 miles an hour and had windshield cracking and severe, severe damage to our vehicle. This was a front side, head on impact.
Crash
3 injured
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
Windshield cracked majorly after being hit by a small rock on the highway. Even after having it replaced and the camera recalibrated, 7 safety warnings of the ADAS come on. Reportedly, the frontcamera has failed, which is concerning in a car that has less than 50k and is just about 4yrs old. I believe this is a larger issue, the windshield truly should not have broken that easily and the camera fa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2020
The steering is not functioning properly. This is sealed system and no where else I can get it. This a safety issue and I haven't seen any car steering failing like this. Even cars as old as 20 year has no such issues. This is huge slap on of $3k+ on consumer. The cars is hardly 5 year old.
FORD
BRONCO SPORT
(2021) - POWER TRAIN
Jun 18, 2026
Incident date: May 17, 2026
From date of purchase… when truck accelerates from dead stop, drive train shudders for several seconds before fully engaged. Suspect issue related to software, hybrid enterface with drivetrain, torque converter not locking up. Dealer verified condition with test drive. Concluded it was operating normally. I don’t buy this explanation. Is it going to fail me entering traffic? Will it get progre... Read more
Incident date: May 28, 2026
The truck has had three alignments and it still pulls to the right.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The truck has had three alignments and it still pulls to the right.
Incident date: May 17, 2026
When sitting at idle, the engine miss & spark knock at times. When start driving down the road the throttle seems hard to Press & takes a little time to reach up to road speed. The truck does not get good gas mileage at all. I had the spark plugs & wires changed still don't help.
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
When sitting at idle, the engine miss & spark knock at times. When start driving down the road the throttle seems hard to Press & takes a little time to reach up to road speed. The truck does not get good gas mileage at all. I had the spark plugs & wires changed still don't help.
Incident date: May 6, 2026
When sitting at idle, the engine miss & spark knock at times. When start driving down the road the throttle seems hard to Press & takes a little time to reach up to road speed. The truck does not get good gas mileage at all. I had the spark plugs & wires changed still don't help.
Incident date: May 5, 2026
The vehicle’s ABS system is engaging autonomously, causing the car to brake without any driver input. The dealer stated it was: BRAKE ACTUATION UNIT AND HYDRAULIC POWER UNIT BLEEDING AND PROGRAMING
Incident date: May 5, 2026
The vehicle owner took the vehicle to the dealer Greco Chevrolet of Fort Lauderdale The dealer reported no vehicle failures. The braking system melted due to right temperatures. The dealer reported DTC C0072 Brake System Temperature too high. Report stated front rotor temperature reached greater than 1112 degrees Fahrenheit, and that the rear rotors reached greater than 932 Fahrenheit. The re... Read more
Incident date: May 5, 2026
My 2017 Ford F-150 is subject to safety recall 25V236 / 25S37 for a faulty brake master cylinder that can leak fluid and cause a loss of front braking function. I contacted the dealership to have the safety repair completed, but I was informed that the necessary replacement parts are on indefinite backorder with no estimated arrival date. No interim safety defect remedy or loaner vehicle has been ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
The vehicle will severely vibrate when traveling 60mph or higher. Faster speeds increase the vibration intensity. I used a vibration meter on the steering wheel and drove on a smooth highway. Multiple tests/results were all similar, the vibration meter would register up to 10.3 and avg in the mid 4s and 5s. A 5.8 equates to a Level VI Strong Earthquake on the Mercalli Intensity Scale. The vibr... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2026
transmission lifter problems like all other GMC 2018 YUKON XL CONTACTED GMC DEALER BACK JANUARY 20,2026 GOT TRANSMISSION FIXED MYSELF TRUCK AT JOE BULLARD DEALSHIP MOS 8DAYS THEY ARE TRYING TO CONTACT U FOR APPROVAL TO FIX HONOR YOUR PRODUCT PLEASE.
Incident date: Sep 6, 2025
While traveling on US Highway 95 between Lewiston and Riggins, Idaho, a 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with approximately 18,000 miles experienced a sudden loss of engine power while descending a mountain grade with multiple curves. The driver reported hearing abnormal engine noises immediately before the loss of power. At the same time, the brake pedal became extremely hard to depress and the vehicle... Read more
Incident date: Sep 6, 2025
While traveling on US Highway 95 between Lewiston and Riggins, Idaho, a 2024 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro with approximately 18,000 miles experienced a sudden loss of engine power while descending a mountain grade with multiple curves. The driver reported hearing abnormal engine noises immediately before the loss of power. At the same time, the brake pedal became extremely hard to depress and the vehicle... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) - WHEELS
Jun 17, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
While driving, the vehicle suddenly began handling abnormally. In response, we safely pulled over as quickly as possible. Before we could fully stop, the wheel catastrophically failed. The rim cracked around the entire circumference, the tire completely separated from the vehicle, and the vehicle lost stability and struck the guardrail. As a result of this incident, the vehicle sustained substanti... Read more
Crash
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Jun 17, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
While driving, the vehicle suddenly began handling abnormally. In response, we safely pulled over as quickly as possible. Before we could fully stop, the wheel catastrophically failed. The rim cracked around the entire circumference, the tire completely separated from the vehicle, and the vehicle lost stability and struck the guardrail. As a result of this incident, the vehicle sustained substanti... Read more
Crash
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2021) - ENGINE
Jun 17, 2026
Incident date: Jun 12, 2024
Purchased the vehicle from a local dealership with 80k miles. Less than 5 months later, we’re being told that we need a new engine due to coolant leaking into to the engine.
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
On the 2013 Ford edge I own the backup camera fails frequently and without warning. Sometimes the camera will not work at all when the transmission is placed in reverse, other times the camera will fail while during the process of backing up. Problem - does not work at all: When the car is placed in reverse the camera projects a blue screen then states the camera is not available, this happens wh... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
On the 2013 Ford edge I own the backup camera fails frequently and without warning. Sometimes the camera will not work at all when the transmission is placed in reverse, other times the camera will fail while during the process of backing up. Problem - does not work at all: When the car is placed in reverse the camera projects a blue screen then states the camera is not available, this happens wh... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2026
My car started skipping or stalling when I'd press the accelerator. Then the check engine light came on. I took it to an Independent mechanic and it showed high pressure fuel pump or system. The spark plugs were changed, but the problem remained. I checked and noticed that there was a recall for that particular problem. I called the dealership and they said my VIN wasn't attached to it. But I do t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 16, 2026
I was completely stopped at a left turn. The rear collision sensor went off for no reason. The seat belt locked up so aggressively I could not get a breathe in and it ripped my insulin pump patch right off my stomach. If I was a couple hours away from home my blood sugar would go through the roof and cause ketones which could be fatal. Luckily I was 20 mins away from home. Being a [XXX] since [XXX... Read more