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.

2,215,138 Total Complaints
138,663 Reported Crashes
56,255 Reported Fires
8,561 Reported 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

How to Read NHTSA Consumer Complaints › How NHTSA Investigations Work › Used Car: 7 Recall Checks to Run First › The Takata Airbag Recall: Full Story › OBD-II Codes Explained › All Articles ›
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Showing 22,185 complaints for TESLA

TESLA MODEL Y (2024) — POWER TRAIN Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
Tesla Model Y 99,000 km It is known issue with many driver of same model and milage that Wire Harness connected to Oil pump gets hot and damage. This can also cause fire. Many people have been complaining about similar issue on Facebook group.
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — LANE DEPARTURE: WARNING Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
1. ABS TRACTION control on, PCS system activated, Secondary brake collision activated and will be available upon inspection. 2. happened mid street with cars in traffic and my daughter in the back seat 3. They are stating transmission but do not want to check ABS system faults. Car was new off the lot unsure why this problem got triggered. I went to Toyota Alhambra and Longo Toyota they do not w... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — SEATS Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Feb 2, 2026
Safety complaint: intermittent uncommanded rear-seat folding while driving; rear (3rd-row) seat belt anchorage integrity. Issue 1 — 2nd-row right seat: Since the purchase, the right-most rear passenger seat in the 2nd row intermittently activates its seat-folding motor while the vehicle is moving. In each event, a passenger was seated in that seat with the seatbelt fastened. The motor engages (... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2022) — TIRES Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Dec 27, 2025
A tire experienced a sudden bead-area blowout while the vehicle was traveling at freeway speed. There was no pothole, curb, debris, or roadway impact. The failure occurred approximately ten days after installation. Inspection shows failure at the tire bead adjacent to a wheel defect. The wheel was represented as new at installation but shows evidence of prior material removal and cosmetic recondit... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2020) — SERVICE BRAKES Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
On Feb. 2, While driving slowly in a school zone, with no cars in front of me, my car proceeded to abruptly brake over and over 5 times. The warning came on the dash "front end collision". I also had NO CONTROL over the car! I was extremely fortunate not to be rear ended during this event. At that time I immediately called my Genesis dealer who asked if it was snowing and often this can occur! Wh... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2020) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The full self-driving (FSD) stopped working although it was fully paid for at the time of vehicle purchase. Along with that, the car stopped receiving/installing over the air software updates, the lane markings in the display disappeared, and the automatic cancelling turn signals stopped working (requiring me to manually cancel them). I took it to Tesla service and was told that the car needs a ... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2020) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Feb 3, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The full self-driving (FSD) stopped working although it was fully paid for at the time of vehicle purchase. Along with that, the car stopped receiving/installing over the air software updates, the lane markings in the display disappeared, and the automatic cancelling turn signals stopped working (requiring me to manually cancel them). I took it to Tesla service and was told that the car needs a ... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2021) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
ESL emulator is bad. Keeps no crank Steering lock Also sunroof water spouts are not working as they should they do no open to release water.
TESLA MODEL 3 (2020) — ENGINE Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The thermostat has been sticking, and needs to be replaced after only 30,000 miles.
TESLA MODEL 3 (2022) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
The just went off on the dash and they stoped working abs traction control emergency brake light is on and idk what the problem is I scanned it and nothing
TESLA MODEL 3 (2022) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
When cabin heat is enabled, visible vapor/smoke emits from the front trunk area under the windshield cowl and is pulled directly into the cabin through the HVAC intake. The vapor has a chemical/sweet odor consistent with coolant or refrigerant. Smoke enters the passenger compartment, especially when stopped or idling. This occurs repeatedly in cold temperatures and stops immediately when HVAC heat... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2022) — VISIBILITY/WIPER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 24, 2026
When cabin heat is enabled, visible vapor/smoke emits from the front trunk area under the windshield cowl and is pulled directly into the cabin through the HVAC intake. The vapor has a chemical/sweet odor consistent with coolant or refrigerant. Smoke enters the passenger compartment, especially when stopped or idling. This occurs repeatedly in cold temperatures and stops immediately when HVAC heat... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2019) — POWER TRAIN Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 GMC Sierra 1500. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle shuddered while in first gear. The contact stated that the transmission sounded strained and shifted rough before slamming into gear. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, no cause for the failure was found. The dealer diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the vehicle was... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2019) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2026
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? The steering system failed due to corrosion and water ingress affecting both the steering rack and the associated steering wiring harness. These components were replaced by Tesla and are no longer available for inspection. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? The steering syste... Read more
TESLA CYBERTRUCK (2024) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
The ownership of my 2022 Hyundai Veloster N has been defined by an unresolved safety recall that has left the vehicle undriveable and in the dealer's possession for a month. My attempts to address the issue began in September 2024, when I brought the car in for the High-Pressure Fuel Pump recall (NHTSA 24V528). The dealer performed a software update but declined to replace the pump. The situation... Read more
TESLA CYBERTRUCK (2024) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 28, 2026
One day my car would not charge. At all. Luckily, I was at home when this happened, but had it happened to me or worse, my wife it could've been a very scary or dangerous situation. Either one of us could've been stuck with no way of charging. It's like a gas car with no way of putting gas in. The car would not charge from home or other chargers, including Tesla superchargers. When I described... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
On 10/20/25 as a rideshare driver one of my riders told me that the right side back seat was lifting. I could not believe what the rider was telling me until one of my family members told me the same thing. I immediately for safety reasons parked the car and started searching about any problems with the gas tank, for my surprise there was a serious safety problem in the car where the gas tank was ... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2018) — VISIBILITY/WIPER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
windshield wipers stoppped working while driving during snow event. leaving no visibility.
TESLA MODEL Y (2020) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Ram Promaster 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 local dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall r... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2020) — VISIBILITY/WIPER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 8, 2026
Observed intermittent center display/infotainment computer (MCU) crashes/reboots where the center display becomes blank and then restarts. In recorded events, when reverse was selected during an MCU reboot interval, the rearview camera image did not display until the reboot completed. Recorded rear camera unavailability during reverse was approximately 10–17 seconds. MCU crash/reboot behavior w... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2026) — BACK OVER PREVENTION Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Compass. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the infotainment screen began to display a pixilated and distorted image. Due to the failure, the rear-view camera failed to operate while in reverse(R). The failure persisted, and several lines appeared on the infotainment screen before the screen went blank. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, and a diagnos... Read more
TESLA MODEL S (2015) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2026
I am submitting this complaint to report a significant and unusual mechanical failure involving my 2021 Ram truck. The vehicle experienced a failure of the heater core assembly, which resulted in engine coolant leaking directly into the passenger compartment. This failure caused coolant odor and fluid intrusion inside the cabin and required extensive disassembly of the dashboard and HVAC system t... Read more
TESLA MODEL S (2015) — LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2026
Tesla Model S has a notorious back hatch latching failure. It’s a flawed design that every replacement is a “when” and not “if for failure. As an owner its failed be about 4-5 times in 5+ years of ownership. The hatch back latching issue causes cruise control as well as their Autopilot steering navigation feature to be disabled when latch starts acting up or failing to fully close, which a... Read more
TESLA MODEL S (2015) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 29, 2026
Tesla Model S has a notorious back hatch latching failure. It’s a flawed design that every replacement is a “when” and not “if for failure. As an owner its failed be about 4-5 times in 5+ years of ownership. The hatch back latching issue causes cruise control as well as their Autopilot steering navigation feature to be disabled when latch starts acting up or failing to fully close, which a... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
Rear view camera does not work correctly. It has been fluttering for about 3 years, works maybe once a month.
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — VISIBILITY/WIPER Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
After downloading Tesla’s update (no. 2025.44.25.4) software my heater (with the window defrost functionality) in winter stopped operating. I made my update while at my nearest Tesla service compound (location verifiable per system location log) on 01/25/26 when that same day software began throwing HVAC error codes with blowing cold air, when previously my heat ran well. This is not coincidenta... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Feb 2, 2026
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
After downloading Tesla’s update (no. 2025.44.25.4) software my heater (with the window defrost functionality) in winter stopped operating. I made my update while at my nearest Tesla service compound (location verifiable per system location log) on 01/25/26 when that same day software began throwing HVAC error codes with blowing cold air, when previously my heat ran well. This is not coincidenta... Read more
TESLA MODEL S (2017) — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Feb 1, 2026
January 23, 2026, Truck wouldn't start, would crank but not turn over. We lost power steering. We're stranded and had it towed to chevy dealership. System code reported the fuel pump control module had failed. For some reason, GM did not include Chevy Silverado in their list of vehicles in the 2025 fpcm recall. We're lucky we weren't on the freeway when this part failed. We would have been goin... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2025) — SERVICE BRAKES Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Dec 10, 2025
Experienced sudden unintended acceleration causing my car to speed up, lose control, and crash into the vehicle in front of me.
Crash
TESLA MODEL X (2022) — SERVICE BRAKES Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
This recall affects the brake hydraulic control unit ("HCU") on my RAM 2500. I already had this part replaced back in 2022, and it went bad again in the Summer of 2025. I'm trying to sell the truck, but the incessant error messages and bell ringing makes that impossible. Nobody is going to buy a truck in this condition. Ram has known about this for years, and the recall was issued 14 months ago. S... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2022) — VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
On January 31, 2026, at 10:30 PM, I was driving from Fort Lauderdale to my home in Boca Raton, Florida. I was using FSD supervised mode. Close to my home, a big red image suddenly appeared, the car started accelerating fast, and I had no control over the car or its steering wheel. The car hit several electrical posts and only stopped after the airbags engaged. My wife was in the passenger seat. Th... Read more
Crash
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2025
Apple Play/radio do not turn on once the car is started. I brought it to the dealer and was told that there were no updates available at this time and I would have to replace the unit.
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2025
The incident occurred while the vehicle was being operated with Tesla driver-assistance features enabled, including lane assist and cruise control. The driver experienced unexpected vehicle behavior that felt inconsistent with normal steering response. Although the driver maintained hands on the steering wheel, the vehicle appeared to react in a manner that was not anticipated, contributing to lo... Read more
Crash
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — LANE DEPARTURE: ASSIST Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 5, 2025
The incident occurred while the vehicle was being operated with Tesla driver-assistance features enabled, including lane assist and cruise control. The driver experienced unexpected vehicle behavior that felt inconsistent with normal steering response. Although the driver maintained hands on the steering wheel, the vehicle appeared to react in a manner that was not anticipated, contributing to lo... Read more
Crash
TESLA MODEL Y (2024) — STEERING Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
my truck lost steering 3 times already and i brought to dealership twice with them telling it can't be fixed! first tine jan of 2024 and also jan of this year
TESLA MODEL Y (2024) — LANE DEPARTURE: BLIND SPOT DETECTION Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
Tesla's full self-driving software continues to malfunction. On January 30th at 9:50 a.m. mountain standard Time I was parked at work and discovered my vehicle was left unlocked with a partial window unrolled. This was my first indicator of many faulty problems signaling the vehicle was not operating properly. The vehicle has a proximity sensor via Bluetooth that locks and unlocks the vehicle on t... Read more
Crash 3 injured
TESLA MODEL Y (2024) — FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING Feb 1, 2026
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
Tesla's full self-driving software continues to malfunction. On January 30th at 9:50 a.m. mountain standard Time I was parked at work and discovered my vehicle was left unlocked with a partial window unrolled. This was my first indicator of many faulty problems signaling the vehicle was not operating properly. The vehicle has a proximity sensor via Bluetooth that locks and unlocks the vehicle on t... Read more
Crash 3 injured
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — ENGINE Jan 31, 2026
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
DRIVING ON FREEWAY NO WARNING LAMPS ON DASHBOARD. EXIT FREEWAY TO GET GAS AND THERE IS MINIMAL ENGINE PERFORMANCE AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ILLUMINATES. CYLINDERS ARE NOT FIRING, NO COMPRESSION. ENGINE FAILURE CONFIRMED BY HYUNDAI SERVICE DEPT AND INDEPENDENT MECHANIC.
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — WHEELS Jan 31, 2026
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
While making a left turn at normal turning speed, the steering system became unresponsive. The steering wheel was able to move; however, there was no corresponding movement of the front tires/wheels. The front wheels appeared to remain stuck at approximately a 45-degree left position and did not return toward the straight-ahead position despite steering input. It is also possible that the steering... Read more
Crash
TESLA MODEL 3 (2020) — Tether, Lower Anchor (on car seat or vehicle) Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
Rear-facing child can loosen the Chicco KeyFit 360 installation through normal leg movement. The rear-facing belt/LATCH tensioning and release mechanism is positioned directly behind the child and is exposed. Light kicking or leg extension allows the child to contact the latch/tension area, releasing belt tension and loosening the entire seat installation. This occurs despite correct installation ... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2018) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
Lost all power due to failure of DC/DC Converter, Part # 433123464 (or LR131043). This problem is widespread and the replacement parts are on backorder. Land Rover cannot provide an ETA for delivery of parts to dealerships as of 1/30/2026. This failure occurred immediately and the vehicle came to a complete stop while driving.
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — ENGINE Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
I took my truck in to be repaired for an incompetent tow truck driver wrapping a chain around the pinion yoke to put my truck on a flatbed because the alternator failed. Once the pinion seal repair was completed, the repair shop told me there were codes popping up on how it was running. The codes were related to the timing and were likely the cam phasers needing to be replaced with the timing. It... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — STEERING Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
The front control arms are creaking and I’ve read that many of models built in 2018 have this problem as well. It is unknown if it is a safety concern or not.
TESLA MODEL X (2022) — SERVICE BRAKES Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
I bought my 2017 jeep with 29,000 miles on it. I had an issue with the rear driverside brake locking up around 40,000 miles. I feel this is a safety issue due to how hot the brakes got and at times would be smoking. It being the weekend and my only vehicle, repaired myself for approximately $280. I have had to replace several coil packs around $50,000 miles. My main complaint today, at 66,000 mil... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2022) — SERVICE BRAKES Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
I am writing to formally document a life-threatening mechanical failure involving my 2022 Model X on January 30, 2026. While my wife was operating the vehicle, it suffered a simultaneous and catastrophic collapse of all primary safety systems. During operation, the vehicle experienced a total loss of steering and braking control. This was accompanied by a rapid cascade of critical system alerts o... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2022) — STEERING Jan 30, 2026
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
I am writing to formally document a life-threatening mechanical failure involving my 2022 Model X on January 30, 2026. While my wife was operating the vehicle, it suffered a simultaneous and catastrophic collapse of all primary safety systems. During operation, the vehicle experienced a total loss of steering and braking control. This was accompanied by a rapid cascade of critical system alerts o... Read more
TESLA MODEL 3 (2018) — UNKNOWN OR OTHER Jan 29, 2026
Incident date: Jun 21, 2025
I was driving on the highway when my sunroof suddenly shattered out of nowhere. There were no vehicles directly in front of or beside me, and the weather was clear. The sound was extremely loud, sounded like a gunshot and it happened completely out of nowhere. There was no visible impact from rocks or debris. Instead of a small crack, a large hole was left in the sunroof. This appears to have been... Read more
TESLA MODEL Y (2023) — POWER TRAIN Jan 29, 2026
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
Jerking shifting hard stalled in traffic
TESLA MODEL X (2019) — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM Jan 29, 2026
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
While the vehicle was parked, the trunk opened and the alarm sounded. Using the buttons on the trunk, I shut the trunk and locked the car. A few moments later, the trunk opened and the alarm sounded again. This continued for 40 minutes. Today, if I place a battery in the main black key fob, the trunk will open with the car running. I have an appointment next week at the dealer, however, most ... Read more
TESLA MODEL X (2019) — SEATS Jan 29, 2026
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
The front passenger seat sensor failed. Without the sensor properly detecting weight, the airbag will deploy no matter the weight of the front seat passenger. Tesla has fixed the sensor placement in newer models as the service tech told us this is a common issue in later models where the only fix is to pay over $5k to replace the entire seat otherwise the airbag will go off no matter what.
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