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: Jan 5, 2025
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
Incident date: Jan 5, 2025
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
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
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.
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
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
Incident date: Jan 31, 2026
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
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Brake line on driver rear rusted and leaking above brake hose. Cannot drive vehicle safely with this leak. Would leak brake fluid each time I step on brake pedal. Problem magnified when car is on and brake booster is working. Vehicle not at dealer or mechanic yet, but link to video of driver rear brake line leaking on 1-31-2026: [XXX] Service Campaign 991 [XXX] ) was completed less than two yea... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
Steering wheel is sticking to left, I thought it was lane assist but I turned it off and it stay In position having to over correct the steering wheel. I have a video since it happened multiple times now, I was able to record it during a roundabout.
Incident date: Dec 31, 2025
Immediately after delivery, the instrument/infotainment display malfunctioned, froze, and became unresponsive. Apple CarPlay failed, and phone calls distorted or dropped. After reporting the issue, I discovered that this VIN is subject to Safety Recall SC359B, with a recall date of December 17, 2025, and a status of RECALL INCOMPLETE / NO REMEDY AVAILABLE. This recall existed prior to the sale. ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
when I use blinker windshield wipers turn on and sometimes when I call or somebody calls my cell phone I can hear them, but they cannot hear me. does not happen all the time, but I was concerned since there was a recall on certain toyota corolla that says a short circuit may develop in the OCS sensor, preventing front passenger air bag from deploying and my son who is a mechanic said both of these... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Verified by dealer failure of multipurpose camera unit . As documented by Honda dealership the failure is due to internal electric defect (DTC U3000-49). This is a safety related electronic system and is not result of wear, misuse, or maintenance- related issues.
Incident date: Dec 1, 2025
Verified by dealer failure of multipurpose camera unit . As documented by Honda dealership the failure is due to internal electric defect (DTC U3000-49). This is a safety related electronic system and is not result of wear, misuse, or maintenance- related issues.
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle went into an unknown mode and made abnormal sounds. The driver pulled over to the side of the road. The driver attempted to park the vehicle, but the gear shifter failed to move to park(P). The driver then turned off the vehicle and was able to shift to park(P). The vehicle w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
I recently purchased this 2016 RAM 1500 from a family member. I was driving at highway speeds between 60-80 MPH in heavy rush hour traffic. The vehicle suddenly lost power & died at highway speeds. I was in the middle lane & almost crashed to the vehicle to my left & from behind as I intended to swerve to the median. Upon calling the dodge dealer from the side of the road, they confirmed that they... Read more
Incident date: Jan 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while reversing, the rearview camera displayed a blank image, an upside-down image, or the message "Please Contact Dealer" was displayed. The contact stated that the dealer replaced the radio three times, but the failure persisted. The contact later received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (Back Over Prevention); however... Read more
Incident date: Jun 21, 2025
The contact owns a 2026 Volvo XC60 MHEV. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the instrument panel went dark and became inoperable. The failure had occurred on several occasions. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the instrument cluster was inoperable and needed to be replaced; however, the part was not... Read more
Incident date: Apr 18, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Dodge Ram 2500. The contact received a recall letter related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). The contact stated that while driving at 20-25, the brakes were applied, but the front wheels locked up and crashed into the rear of a Chevrolet SUV. There were no reported injuries, airbag deployments, or fire. A police report was filed. The steeri... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
While driving, my 2018 Mazda CX-5 experienced a sudden and complete loss of engine power without warning. The engine shut down while the vehicle was in motion; however, electrical systems such as the radio, heat, and electronics remained operational. The vehicle lost propulsion, creating a serious safety risk in traffic. The vehicle had recently been serviced at an authorized Mazda dealer for com... Read more
Incident date: Jan 19, 2026
I suspect there is a design flaw with the gas tank. Everytime I put gas in the vehicle, and I go to multiple gas stations, the automatic shut off on the gas pump will stop pumping gas when the tank is full but the aperture to my gas tank regurgitates a great deal of gas onto the ground. Even when pumping at the slowest speed, I manage to spill 4 plus ounces of gas onto my car and the ground. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
We received notice of our 2025 Toyota Sienna second-row seat rails suspect welds in early December via mailed letter from Toyota. The recall notice was posted on Toyota's website on October 7, 2025. We called our dealership on December 13, 2025 and received no information other than the remedy was not available. It is now the end of January and as far as we can find there is no remedy. Toyota expl... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
When charging my Silverado EV at Level 3 DC Fast chargers it is not charging at the same Voltage / Power as it has been in the past at the same stations (roughly half the power). I have taken it to the service center for diagnostics but they were unable to isolate the component that caused this problem, only reproduce the problem. Further details below. What component or system failed or malfunc... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
Part 3 SUBARU STRUT ISSUE I called the service department at Peltier Subaru and told them what happened and that I should be reimbursed for the tire. I was told that I needed to bring the tire in so that it could be inspected, along with the car to make there wasn’t something else going on. I talked with the service manager and he talked with his manager, who okayed a reimbursement verbally to... Read more
Incident date: Dec 30, 2025
Part 3 SUBARU STRUT ISSUE I called the service department at Peltier Subaru and told them what happened and that I should be reimbursed for the tire. I was told that I needed to bring the tire in so that it could be inspected, along with the car to make there wasn’t something else going on. I talked with the service manager and he talked with his manager, who okayed a reimbursement verbally to... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
I am reporting a suspected safety defect involving the Motor Generator Unit (MGU) used in the eTorque system on my Ram 1500. The vehicle experienced an MGU failure that resulted in abnormal electrical behavior, warning messages, and impaired drivability. The vehicle was inspected by an authorized Ram dealership, which confirmed the MGU has failed and requires replacement. The MGU is currently on... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The AC charging for this car stopped working around [XXX]. After 3 trips to the dealership for repair I brought it back a 4th time and because the dealership was unable to repair it they gave me a loaner to use while they tried to figure out the problem. During this time they removed the entire battery from the car, dropped the suspension, experienced the car not being able to go into gear (rever... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
My 2018 Volkswagen Atlas V6 experienced a catastrophic engine failure at approximately 116,000 miles. The vehicle has been at a Volkswagen dealership for approximately six months (since July 2025) while repeated diagnostic attempts and repairs were made. I was ultimately informed that the engine requires full replacement. No clear warning was provided prior to failure, and the prolonged diagnosis ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
2023 GMC SIERRA DENALI ULTIMATE 1500 WITH 6.2 V8 AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS 65 MPH THE CAR LOST PROPULSION AND SAID IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. CAR WOULDN'T SHIFT BACK INTO DRIVE. BARELY MADE IT OFF THE HIGHWAY WITHOUT AN ACCIDENT. CAR WOULDN'T RESTART. CAR BROUGHT TO DEALERSHIP AND WAS TOLD IT NEEDS A NEW ENGINE AND I WOULD BE WITHOUT MY TRUCK FOR A MONTH. CAR CURRENTLY HAS 20,200 MILES ON IT. PLUS NO LOA... Read more
Incident date: Dec 25, 2025
My daughter, the driver of this vehicle, noticed a noise. The check engine light came on. Over a short period, the noise from the engine progressively worsened. We brought the car to a certified mechanic. The mechanic's initial determination was that the engine would need to be replaced. It was determined that the engine was faulty, failing due to oil leakage that led to excessive oil consumption.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
My vehicle started having issues with misfires approximately 2 years after I bought it in January 2020. I bought it new from the dealership in Salinas California. I took it to Morgan hill Honda for repairs. It’s had 2 misfires and I took it in for a Fuel pump recall. About 2 weeks later all my lights in my dash come on. I took it in to get looked at and they said it’s the turbo engine, $3k to ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 1, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Edge. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V572000 (Back Over Prevention); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the rearview camera was inoperable. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the contact was informed that the rearview camera could be replaced at the owner's expense; however, th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
The contact owns a 2014 Audi A5. The contact stated that after each rainfall, there was a large amount of water inside the trunk of the vehicle, creating mold inside the trunk. The vehicle was taken to an auto body shop, and holes were discovered in the trunk and were filled. After another rainfall, the vehicle was taken to an Audi dealer, and the dealer stated that the trunk was cleaned, but the ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
Vehicle equipped with Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised v 14.2) software exhibits unsafe automated following behavior. The system maintains following distances that are too short at steady speeds, including behind stable lead vehicles with no braking or traffic disturbances. Tesla’s own Safety Score system flags this behavior as “following too closely,” indicating elevated collision risk.... Read more
Incident date: Jan 27, 2026
Vehicle equipped with Tesla Full Self-Driving (Supervised v 14.2) software exhibits unsafe automated following behavior. The system maintains following distances that are too short at steady speeds, including behind stable lead vehicles with no braking or traffic disturbances. Tesla’s own Safety Score system flags this behavior as “following too closely,” indicating elevated collision risk.... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
While driving after dark, a different car traveling in opposite direction almost caused head on collision while driving in the wrong lane. Driver of the Santa Fe attempted to activate horn on vehicle to alert other vehicle that they were traveling in the wrong lane/direction, but horn failed to sound. Driver was narrowly able to avoid physical collision as a result. Driver took vehicle to dealersh... Read more
Incident date: Dec 16, 2025
Component/System Failure: The electronic throttle control system malfunctioned. The vehicle is reporting powertrain diagnostic trouble codes P2118 and P2101 through the Hyundai manufacturer mobile application (Bluelink), indicating an electronic throttle actuator / throttle control motor issue. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: This malfunction poses a safety risk... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
The rear camera goes out/ screen flickers and turns black for a period when in reverse. It doesn’t happen every time but it happens often and at different times of day or different weather/ temperatures. I have not been able to determine associated factors ( humidity, temperature, etc). It does seem to be more frequent when first starting car after awhile (a few hours) but not always the case... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
My wastegate solenoid in my turbo is over-boosting. I have replaced it once and it’s still an issue. I also am leaking coolant heavily. Ive seen 2013 ford escapes engine’s like mine have recalls stating 1.6L Engine Overheating & Fire Risk: A major recall involved 1.6L engines where a cylinder head cup plug could fail, causing coolant loss and potential fire. Another recall addressed fuel lines... Read more
Incident date: Oct 16, 2025
My wastegate solenoid in my turbo is over-boosting. I have replaced it once and it’s still an issue. I also am leaking coolant heavily. Ive seen 2013 ford escapes engine’s like mine have recalls stating 1.6L Engine Overheating & Fire Risk: A major recall involved 1.6L engines where a cylinder head cup plug could fail, causing coolant loss and potential fire. Another recall addressed fuel lines... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2023 Toyota Rav4. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V595000 (Electrical System); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. Th... Read more
Incident date: Jan 17, 2026
The contact owns a 2026 Rivian R1T. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the messages "Service Parking Brake - Vehicle Unable to Drive" and "Secure Vehicle to Keep from Rolling" were displayed. The vehicle was towed to a service center, where an unknown repair was performed; however, the failure recurred two weeks later. The contact stated that upon verifying the vehicle service hist... Read more
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2007 Dodge Caliber. The contact stated that the ECU had been hacked. While driving on the highway at 70 MPH, the brakes applied without application, but I was able to move to the right lane. The vehicle was able to pull over safely, and it stalled. While parking with the foot on the brakes, the vehicle suddenly accelerated and crashed into a small pole. There was no reported f... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Jan 25, 2026
On my 2023 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro Hybrid at 72,241 miles, the vehicle started making a knocking noise. Engine turned off and wont start at all. Had the truck hauled to toyota dealership for service. After them having it a week, they called to let me know that the engine is completely locked up. Metal Shavings in the oil and motor wont turn over at all, even with a rachet on the crank bolt. Luckily ... Read more
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
Sagging sunroof shade.
Incident date: Jan 26, 2026
This has been ever since I got my van. Sometime when I drive my lights come on and it goes into limp mode. Most of the time. When I start my van my lights will turn on. I have to turn my car off . Then start again to get my van riding correctly. The other day I was making a U-turn and my engine stalled and I was almost hit by a truck.
Incident date: Jan 13, 2026
While traveling 60 mph on a divided highway went to pass another vehicle. Had no throttle response the engine had completely turned off, locked up seized up. I’m not sure what caused the engine to just lose all power. Had to go back to the lane and luckily there was a turnoff where I was able to turn off the highway.
Incident date: Jan 1, 2016
All safety and most computer related features in the vehicle have failed. Cruise control, backup cameras, all other cameras, the navigation (assuming this is also impacting the projection of remaining battery life as my car always thinks it is at my home), warning signals for approaching obstacles/dangers, cruise control of any kind does now work, lane departure warning has failed, and automatic w... Read more
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
I habe a 2021 Yukon Denali and i have had engine failure on the road. Lifter issues and rod issues. i have paid out of pocket to fix it because my truck wasnt part of the recall. But i had the first failure in November 2024. Second failure January 2026.
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
Technical Service bulletin was issued for my 2021 Highlander car in February of 2021 for a well documented transmission issue (whine and grind noise). We are now put in a position that requires us to replace the transmission at a substantial cost. This expense is budget crushing and any assistance in getting Toyota to assist with the expense would be greatly appreciated.
Incident date: Jan 23, 2026
The Electronic Park Brake (EPB) fails to release when the car is shifted into gear. The park brake dashboard light remains on, and the brake does not release. The problem is intermittent but has occurred multiple times in the first 2 months and 2,000 miles of owning the newly purchased vehicle. The vehicle was purchased in Nov 2025, and in Jan 2026 it was taken to the authorized Toyota service ... Read more