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 22,185 complaints for TESLA
Incident date: May 25, 2025
I was traveling at highway speeds on a highway with no vehicles or other obstacles in front of me. I had adaptive cruise control on. Then, the emergency brakes deployed for no reason (so called “phantom braking”), decelerating the car quickly. I turned off adaptive cruise control as fast as I could and nothing bad happened. But the situation was dangerous, as if a car was close behind me it co... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2017 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V031000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms par... Read more
Incident date: May 25, 2025
See attached document for complaint.
Incident date: Jun 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Sorento. The contact stated that while attempting to unlock the vehicle with the key, the front driver side door opened; however, the other doors failed to open as intended. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The contact stated that on another occasion, the interior lights failed ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2025
On 05.29.25 my 2021 GMC Yukon Denali with 24,000 experienced engine issues and ultimately a total failure. While driving at 65 miles an hour the engine light began blinking and a thumping/knocking noise began on the front passenger side of the vehicle. I was 1 mile away from the GM dealership and went there immediately. They called me two hours later confirming the engine failure and that it wo... Read more
Incident date: Jun 17, 2025
As I was driving onto the highway I reached to about 70 mph. The vehicle said “service electric system” on the dashboard and instantly the vehicle lost power and turned off. It then shifted from drive to park without warning as I was still on the highway. I pulled over safely without causing an accident and turned the vehicle completely off.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2025
As I was driving onto the highway I reached to about 70 mph. The vehicle said “service electric system” on the dashboard and instantly the vehicle lost power and turned off. It then shifted from drive to park without warning as I was still on the highway. I pulled over safely without causing an accident and turned the vehicle completely off.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Nissan Rogue. The contact stated that after receiving an oil change at an independent mechanic, the controls on the left side of the steering wheel used to enable the crash warning settings was depressed but failed to work as intended. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 14,304.
Incident date: Jun 17, 2025
The contact owns a 2020 Cadillac CT6. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V148000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked before slamming into gear. No warning lights were illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission was sh... Read more
Incident date: Jun 14, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware that the electronic power steering was not functioning properly, requiring increased effort to maneuver the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed a failure with the Power Steering Control Module. The ve... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
I purchased a 2016 Ford Fusion S new from the dealership in 2016. Earlier this year, multiple indicator lights turned on including "Service AdvanceTrac", ABS light, steering and hill assist lights. As time progressed, the Power Steering has become more of an issue to a point now that it is difficult to make tight turns going at low speed. I never received a recall notice, but when I did a search ... Read more
Incident date: Dec 14, 2024
Description of Incident: While driving on the highway, my 2019 Jaguar E-PACE suddenly and without warning lost power, putting myself and others at serious risk. The vehicle went into limp mode with no prior indication of any issues. Once the failure occurred, a warning message appeared on the dashboard stating “Gearbox Fault,” and the transmission temperature began to rise rapidly. This fail... Read more
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
Driver side leaf spring broke
Incident date: Mar 15, 2025
The contact owned a 2021 Kia Seltos. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that on another occasion while driving at slow speeds and approaching a stop sign, the engine seized. The contact was unable to coast to the side of the road and the vehicle failed to restart. The vehicl... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
I have had this happen twice, once on city streets going to work the car was not in auto pilot and it went from 40mph to 0mph instantly. If there was a car behind me I would have gotten slammed into. The second time, my mother was in the passenger seat and I was on the freeway going about 75 to 80mph and it was on auto steer and the car went from the speed I was going to almost 0 and I instantly t... Read more
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
Backup camera failure , missing rearview image when car gear is shifted to R, increasing the risk of crash and injury. When reversing the backup camera does not display any image/video feed on the screen, only the collision warning system is displayed.
Incident date: Jun 7, 2025
I have a daytime running light that went out on the driver-side front. It is an LED light designed to last for 30,000-50,000 hours. I have an estimate of more than $1,700 by Port Lavaca Dodge in PL, TX to replace the light from the dealer. I also purchased an extended warranty but it specifically excludes bulbs. I have also seen at least 2 other Dodge Durangos in our small town with the same b... Read more
Incident date: May 31, 2025
The issue with the frame having issues causing a safety concern and interior damages. When the frame over flexes it will stress other components, walls, trim, and cabinets.
Incident date: May 27, 2025
The stability control is not available.
Incident date: May 27, 2025
The stability control is not available.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
Hello I bought a Tri Glide U from Harley Davidson July of 2024. I found out the hard way that if you are in traffic that come to dead stand still and you are in the wrong gear when you go to take off it will kill the motor. Ok now here is the problem with the trike when you pull in the clutch it will not start and the gears on display disappear so now I don't know what gear I'm in. Harley need... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
on 5/20/25, I had my Tesla repaired as I had suspension issues. They repaired my car to rectify my suspension for both my front and rear tires. Then on 6/12/25, I was driving on the highway and going about 70-75 mph when I heard a huge pop. No warning indicators came on and something did not feel right. I figured nothing else came of it. I was about 30 miles away from home and when I got home, my ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
On my way to work on the highway and my rear differential blew apart sending pieces all over the high way had to get it towed home.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
On my way to work on the highway and my rear differential blew apart sending pieces all over the high way had to get it towed home.
Incident date: May 20, 2025
I have searched the prior recalls and I’m having the same problem that were said to be fixed. I would like the car check again for the recalls that said to be fixed and checked for all reacalls . The car turns of unexpected without warning . At random times the low power mode is always on and when I push down in the pedal it doesn’t respond well at all . I have invested countless money into fi... Read more
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
Incident Summary: On [XXX], I was in an accident and dropped my Tesla Model 3 at Tesla’s North Phoenix Collision Center in Nov 2024. I received the car back in Dec/Jan. Immediately, I noticed dangerous swaying, bouncing, and veering when hitting dips—especially on the freeway. The car was unstable and unsafe to drive at high speeds. In Feb/Mar, Tanner (assistant manager at the collision cente... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gasket and vehicle stopped working.
Incident date: Oct 15, 2024
Cooling system broke down at 140k miles. Water pump, EHRS failure EGR Cooler. Engine head gasket blown needs engine replacement 144k miles $9000 repair. Problems confirmed by dealership. Engine light never came on for cooling system, water pump coupling repair. Engine light did come on for head gasket and vehicle stopped working.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
Repeated failures of accessory battery resulting in powertrain failures. One incident disabled the response of the accelerator. Acceleration was only achieved by releasing the brake pedal and the vehicle slowly accelerated up to approx 35 mph. Battery has been replaced/repaired by dealer 4 times already, with a 5th pending shortly. Accessing the battery to jump start the vehicle requires lifting ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 1, 2025
Repeated failures of accessory battery resulting in powertrain failures. One incident disabled the response of the accelerator. Acceleration was only achieved by releasing the brake pedal and the vehicle slowly accelerated up to approx 35 mph. Battery has been replaced/repaired by dealer 4 times already, with a 5th pending shortly. Accessing the battery to jump start the vehicle requires lifting ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
This is a large scale problem with Tesla due to their "easy entry" which automatically moves the front seats to fit the drivers saved positions. Due to Tesla not properly securing the wires under the seat, they get crimped over time causing an error of "safety restraint system issue." There have been thousands of reported Teslas with a simple Google search. The service center also stated to me thi... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
Motorcycle suffers from "jerky throttle", causing inconsistent acceleration or deceleration without throttle input. This has resulted in near collisions with two vehicles. Issue presents itself more prominently in RPM ranges of 4,000 or below. High RPM jerkiness is still present but less impactful. The manufacturer has been contacted and is aware that the problem is widespread.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
Motorcycle suffers from "jerky throttle", causing inconsistent acceleration or deceleration without throttle input. This has resulted in near collisions with two vehicles. Issue presents itself more prominently in RPM ranges of 4,000 or below. High RPM jerkiness is still present but less impactful. The manufacturer has been contacted and is aware that the problem is widespread.
TESLA
CYBERTRUCK
(2024) — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:CATALYTIC CONVERTOR
Jun 12, 2025
Incident date: Apr 25, 2025
The contact owns a 2021 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the driver heard an abnormal sound coming from the rear of the vehicle. The contact stated that the failure recurred while the vehicle was idle. Additionally, the contact stated that the driver had noticed an abnormal exhaust odor coming from the outside of the vehicle. The vehicle wa... Read more
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
CV joints failing. 61k miles and getting a shaking front end wheel driving. A failure could cause an accident or other safety odor for the drivers and others. I’ve seen many reports of the same failures but no recalls yet. Ford should take care of this issue.
Incident date: Jun 12, 2025
Backup camera seldom works. It will often display an error once gear is shifted into reverse that the camera is unavailable. Other times it will glitch into a blue screen and then display the error message, or it I’ll work with no issue. This issue began about three weeks ago.
Incident date: Jun 2, 2025
Multipurpose front windshield camera stops working and many safety features are affected by this camera. Lane departure warning is not working, lane keeping assistance not working, blind spot warning not working, brake system warnings. The vehicle has been inspected by the dealership and they confirm that the cause of all this problems is the Multipurpose front windshield camera. There was no warn... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the A-pillar trim on both sides of the windshield started to detach. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 24V031000 (Structure) and 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that par... Read more
Incident date: Jun 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Honda CR-V. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the steering wheel failed to turn in the intended direction. No warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the steering wheel jerked in the opposite direction and seized. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the vehicle had not yet been diagnosed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2018 Freightliner XC-R Raised Rail Rear Engine Motor Home Chassis. The contact stated that while in reverse(R), the rear wheels were moving in the opposite direction other than what was intended. Due to the failure, the contact needed assistance from another person outside the RV to safely maneuver the RV while reversing into a parking spot. The manufacturer was notified of the ... Read more
Incident date: Jun 9, 2025
The contact owns a 2013 Ford Edge. The contact stated that upon attempting to reverse out of the driveway, the back over prevention rear view camera display failed to function properly. The contact stated that the image displayed was upside down. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed. The contact was informed that th... Read more
Incident date: Feb 9, 2025
My engine slowed down on the interstate. My steering wheel was visibly shaking and I lost the steering access control. The truck threw an Cylinder 6 error code. At the mechanic, they identified that at least one of my camshaft lifters had failed. If I had continued to drive my vehicle, the engine block would have eventually locked up.
Incident date: Feb 9, 2025
the check-engine light started coming on just over mile 100k, codes came back as a cylinder misfire. Due to faulty coolant supply systems, the coolant would be used up very quickly, which could cause the engine to overheat and become dead in the water, effectively endangering anyone driving it. The vehicle has had several repairs to the engine, all for the light to come on several times more.
Incident date: Jun 11, 2025
When I apply my indicator in one direction and begin my turn, the indicator automatically turns off at a certain point. Immediately afterwards, the OPPOSITE indicator automatically flashes about three times. This happens about half of the time I’m making a basic 90 degree turn. It has happened regularly since I purchased the car in December of last year. It is a safety issue since the people b... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2025
Intake manifold actuator fails prematurely. Code P2007 and P2005
Incident date: Jun 5, 2025
The contact owns a 2019 Ford Explorer. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the brake pedal became inoperable. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal failed to function properly, and the contact had to depress the brake pedal with added force to stop the vehicle. The contact also stated there was an abnormal sound while depressing the b... Read more
Incident date: Jun 5, 2025
Unknown. Car was going 100 mph. Driver, my son , was killed in this car accident. This year make AND model is known for throttle acceleration issues with brake afail override non existent until later models. Case number [XXX] sterling heights police department INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Crash
6 injured
2 deaths
Incident date: May 27, 2025
The primary safety restraint system, specifically the driver's side airbag, failed to deploy during a significant frontal impact collision. This severely compromised my personal safety, as my head struck the steering wheel with force, leading to injury and pain. Had the impact been more severe, the lack of airbag deployment could have led to much more serious, potentially life-threatening, injurie... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: May 27, 2025
head on collision/hit the side of another car head, 2024 subaru impreza was smoking before vehicle stopped moving after impact (was slung in the opposite direction), not even five minutes after exiting vehicle it caught flames starting a the front of the engine that spread to the hood
Crash
Fire