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 23,203 complaints for TESLA
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
Vehicle lost power while driving on a busy freeway and came to a complete stop and would not restart resulting in it being struck by a vehicle in the rear. More information available in the collision center pre estimate scan and full estimate.
Crash
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
Recently brought my 2021 Ford Explorer with 100,000 miles in for what I thought was a wheel bearing issue. The mechanic reports the entire rear end is gone and needs to be replaced. I’ve owned at least 4 Explorers all driven well over 170,000 without ever having this issue. This car also spent the first 3/4 months I owned it at the Ford garage getting the electrical replaced and “brains”. Th... Read more
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
Steering is sticky while driving at highway speeds. Starts mild and increases stickiness over time. Has gotten worse over the years.
Incident date: Nov 1, 2024
Headlight brightness has diminished to levels below safe operation of vehicle in darkness. Changing bulbs, adjusting beam pattern and restoring outer shell of headlight assembly did not increase brightness. Internal reflectors, which cannot be cleaned or replaced, have lost their effectiveness over time. Driver, pedestrian and all other driver’s safety are at risk. Independent observation and mu... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
The Stibilitrack in the truck went out just after 20 minutes of driving in 34 degree rainy weather at 65 mph. Found out that it was the passenger front bearing reluctor had chipped away, which is what the wheel speed sensor reads. Once one those go out, you lose Stibilitrack and ABS. I believe that this is a significant safety issue, and a poorly engineered/designed system. The rear system reads g... Read more
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
There is a recall for the engines and air bags on theys cars handa said so.
Incident date: Dec 19, 2024
There is a recall for the engines and air bags on theys cars handa said so.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
The vehicle suddenly started to smoke and burn by itself when driving on the super crowded highway. I immediately stopped the vehicle and found that the burning site was the bottom of the front-left head of the vehicle (please see the images attached). The mechanician I visited after judged that the fire may due to failed electrical parts or system. He suggested to visit a Toyota dealer for recall... Read more
Fire
Incident date: Jan 1, 2023
Good morning and thank you for providing an online form for issues with motor vehicles. The vehicle in question is a new motorcycle. I have found that I am often tailgated or followed closely by other motor vehicles on local roads and the interstate. I drive at, or near, the speed limit at these times. While no crashes have occurred, this problem has always occurred with this vehicle. I note that... Read more
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Dec 27, 2024
Incident date: Dec 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Toyota Rav4. The contact stated that the battery had died. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was jump-started. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the 12-volt battery. No warning lights illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V734000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
I’ve been to the Honda dealership twice. My passenger brake light is flickering and I’ve noticed other Honda vehicles on the road with the same passenger brake light out. I’ve googled and many people are having the same problem. Honda can’t seem to fix the problem because they don’t have staff. they complain. The appointment line is over booking them. I have recently been pulled over and... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
Sudden Loss of Electrical Power Steering - it is the exact problem listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 14V153000 . When the VIN number is scanned it does not list this vehicle as falling under the recall, but it is the same year, make, & models as those that do. The steering failure occurs randomly, several times a week, including today.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
Manual transmission barely responded to acceleration with gas pedal to the floor (LITERALLY the gas pedal was engaged as far as it would go). The sluggish response was present in all five gears. To restate, the car was extremely sluggish - it barely accelerated. This has been an episodic issue that has occurred about six times over the course of 8 months. In additional details, I put in the date o... Read more
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2021 Toyota Highlander. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V865000 (AIR BAGS) however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.
Incident date: Dec 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2024 Porsche 911. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V809000 (Wheels); 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 manufacturer was made... Read more
Incident date: Oct 24, 2024
The Power Liftgate does not open, and it took me 16 minutes to open it. It is a safety issue.
Incident date: Oct 24, 2024
The Power Liftgate does not open, and it took me 16 minutes to open it. It is a safety issue.
TESLA
MODEL S
(2018) - ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
Dec 27, 2024
Incident date: Oct 24, 2024
The contact owns a 2020 Ford Expedition. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with a failed catalyst converter. The contact was informed that the catalyst converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure had occurred ... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Failed water pump and coolant leak. Numerous vehicles are failed for the same reason at each local shop and Ford dealer we’ve contacted for a quote. Repair costs are expected between $5,000 and $6,000.
TESLA
MODEL X
(2016) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM:CHARGING:CABLE/CORD:ACCESSORY
Dec 27, 2024
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Unknowingly my cars ICCU failed. I went to charge my car on December 23. The EVSE then immediately tripped the breaker. The EVSE gave an error code of a stuck relay fault and made the EVSE unusable. This happened to 2 different Juicebox chargers and both are not permanently disabled and need to be replaced.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Unknowingly my cars ICCU failed. I went to charge my car on December 23. The EVSE then immediately tripped the breaker. The EVSE gave an error code of a stuck relay fault and made the EVSE unusable. This happened to 2 different Juicebox chargers and both are not permanently disabled and need to be replaced.
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Automobile approached and stopped at stop sign. When accelerator pressed to continue, car remained in place, shuddering (as if transmission were slipping),and making significant noise. Car would not shift out of gear, nor move. Operator shut off car and then restarted car. Car started normally and was in park without shuddering. Expectations at busy intersection was that it was my turn to mov... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
Automobile approached and stopped at stop sign. When accelerator pressed to continue, car remained in place, shuddering (as if transmission were slipping),and making significant noise. Car would not shift out of gear, nor move. Operator shut off car and then restarted car. Car started normally and was in park without shuddering. Expectations at busy intersection was that it was my turn to mov... Read more
Incident date: Oct 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle sputtered. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to b... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
Currently own a honda odyssey 2019. The transmission is unstable at times. From a speed of 25-30mph, it performs hard shifts i think from the 3rd gear. We can really feel the jerk of the van along with a sound like metals slipping or something. It doesn't always happen therefore the dealer could not fully diagnose it and called it normal or wait for it to get worse. Yeah right!
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
I purchased my vehicle in July 2024 brand new. I started to experience an engine shudder at about 4500 miles with the truck coasting or on the accelerator around 1500 RPMs. It first began at lower speeds around 40 mph, but now I feel it at high speeds as well. I brought my truck back to the dealership three or four times and they told me that the shudder was due to the active fuel management syste... Read more
Incident date: Dec 27, 2024
not maintaining oil pressure, my ford is a 2017 1.0l ecoboost motor with a stick shift, i found a recall, Recall Reference Number: 23S64. for this motor but it only covers cars with automatic transmission, mine is a manual transmission, from my research they both have the exact same motor, 98500 ish miles. sitting almost 2 years because it wont hold oil pressure. what is the difference between t... Read more
Incident date: Apr 16, 2024
Recently, I have noticed a strong gas smell emanating from the rear driver’s side of the vehicle. Upon further research, I discovered that there was an open recall affecting Mercedes E-Class vehicles of the same year for a similar issue. However,my vehicle’s VIN is not included in this recall. Given that my vehicle is experiencing the same problem described in the recall, I am concerned about... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
Have a problem with my call losing all power in my jeep while sitting at an intersection waiting for the light to change. Almost got rear-ended cause my car just suddenly lost power. Power finally came back in 20 or 30 seconds but I had people honking horns and I'm was frazzled. Now I have this Service Shifter error on my dashboard and the PNDR lights all are on and red..Came on Jeep automakers. D... Read more
Incident date: Dec 18, 2024
The contact owned a 2021 Honda Pilot. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH and while attempting to stop depressing the brake pedal, the vehicle accelerated independently. The contact confirmed that the accelerator pedal was not depressed accidentally. No air bags deployed. The contact crashed into unknown private property in a parking lot. No injuries were sustained. No police report was fil... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
The contact owned a 2016 Jeep Patriot. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled which caused another vehicle to crash into the front passenger side of the contact's vehicle. The failure occurred on several different occasions where the vehicle would stall. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The air bags were deployed. No injuries were sustained. A ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
Horn stopped working. When I lock the car the horn makes noise notifying it is locked. I took it into the dealership they think it’s is the clock spring. Then I looked online and found this information. “The 2017 Subaru Outback was subject to a recall related to the steering column, specifically the clockspring. This recall (NHTSA Campaign #10V-283 / WVR-28) addressed potential issues with the... Read more
Incident date: Aug 22, 2024
At the beginning of December 2022 (a year after I purchased my brand new vehicle), two of the ignition coils misfired. I was driving down the highway and suddenly my car lost power and then cut off. I was able to start it again, but it would not drive faster than 25mph and would randomly lose power again. On December 7th, 2022 I took it to Hyundai and they were able to replace the two coil packs u... Read more
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
Sunroof randomly shattered while driving.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
Sunroof randomly shattered while driving.
Incident date: Dec 12, 2024
The instrument cluster failed to present information upon start up. Multiple restarts did not resolve the issue.
Incident date: Dec 7, 2024
I have had gas in the oil 3 different times now. I had went over to lafontaine on [XXX] , and they said it was because I was 500 miles before an oil change. I knew that gas and oil didn’t mix so I fought for the car to stay at the dealership and the whole time I was being told I was crazy and not to waste the technicians time after the 2nd time of it being there. I then for the 3rd time went to ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
Steering torque sensor failed Can not be driven . Subframe rusted out. Unsafe to drive.
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
“Power steering” “esc off” “service traction control”
Incident date: Dec 25, 2024
On [XXX], while driving on the highway about 30 miles from Columbus, Ohio my 2013 Mercedez Benz ML350 suddenly stalled and lost power. There was no prior warning. Luckily, we were in the outer lane with no car close behind us so my husband slowly guided the car to the side road. The car has since been towed and is currently at the Service Department at Mercedez Benz of North Olmsted, Ohio, 44070, ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 24, 2024
my vehicle suddenly experienced decreased acceleration on the highway. A warning message appeared on the dashboard indicating reduced acceleration. When placing the vehicle in Reverse, the vehicle was not able to move in reverse. The dealership diagnosed it as a valve body needing replaced.
Incident date: May 22, 2024
On October 27th, my Jeep started shaking violently as I was driving on the highway. I brought the Jeep to the dealership, they test drove it, and the mechanic did not experience the shaking so I was told “that’s just what Jeeps do”. I then researched Jeep shaking and found the Death Wobble is a common problem among Jeeps and there are several ways to fix it. I took my Jeep back to the d... Read more
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
Wheels on these cars commonly crack and break online. Mine have a visible crack in one of them and is losing air due to quality of wheel from Chevrolet
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
The dashboard fails and stops working, the shift to park wont engage and the key is not working to start the car. I have reported it to the dealer and to GM and they refuse to acknowledge the issue. The Feldman service person says it will eventually be a recall and will not help until then. They wont even let me pay to have it fixed they wont acknowledge it at all.
Incident date: Dec 22, 2024
Failed catalytic converter. I have had this part repaired multiple times and there is still a leaking issue. I have receipts from both auto repair shops and the dealership showing that this is an ongoing issue.
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
VW has implemented a so-called and unwanted safety feature called "Hill Assist" which locks the brakes on manual transmisson models which has many times nearly caused an accident. This system locks the brakes when the clutch is activated and brakes are applied and can prevent the car from moving forward for two to three seconds, or cause a vehicle stall. This system activates for two to three se... Read more
Incident date: Dec 20, 2024
Was driving in the car for a while and the dashboard just turned off. Could not see speed or any other safety controls.
Incident date: Dec 23, 2024
While driving down the road under any condition the brakes start to apply themselves ultimately leading the vehicle to not being able to pull itself. The more throttle you give it the more the brakes apply. I believe this is the same as the 2002-2004 chevy hydro boost recall. Also around the same time the resistor for the blower motor caught fire while driving down the road.
Fire