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
Page 40 of 44,908 (2,245,377 complaints)
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
On September 2, 2026, I purchased a used 2020 Audi Q5 with disclosed Lemon Law Buyback title branding. Approximately two hours after taking delivery, the vehicle began exhibiting a pronounced vibration/judder in the drivetrain when turning the steering wheel at low speed, approximately 1-5 mph. Initially occurring only at full steering lock, the symptom has progressively worsened and now occurs du... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
On September 2, 2026, I purchased a used 2020 Audi Q5 with disclosed Lemon Law Buyback title branding. Approximately two hours after taking delivery, the vehicle began exhibiting a pronounced vibration/judder in the drivetrain when turning the steering wheel at low speed, approximately 1-5 mph. Initially occurring only at full steering lock, the symptom has progressively worsened and now occurs du... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Ford Explorer. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V347000 (Structure); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact reached out to the local dealer and stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact stated that th... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The vehicles power steering randomly stopped working. I checked the fuse box 10amp and 125amp battery connection and no power issues with it. There is power to the rest of the vehicle.
Incident date: Jun 1, 2026
The fuel pump that is located within the fuel tank and under my seat somehow got a crack on a less than 5 year old car. I've had several people and mechanics tell me that that is rare with a car of that age. I am a safe and careful driver and purchased the car used directly from a Kia dealership. I have spent the past month trying to get a good will approval and they have denied twice even when I ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 3, 2026
My 2019 Ford Ranger with 10 speed transmission has been harsh shifting and will not always find the right gears. It will sometimes Surge forward or at other time not respond to acceleration. It has 100,000 miles. Never used it for towing or hawling heavy items.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The vehicle suffered an Auto Idle Stop failure at a red light. The engine shut down normally, but failed to automatically restart when the brake was released. There were no dashboard warning lights, and I was forced to manually shift the vehicle into Park to restart the engine in active traffic.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The vehicle suffered an Auto Idle Stop failure at a red light. The engine shut down normally, but failed to automatically restart when the brake was released. There were no dashboard warning lights, and I was forced to manually shift the vehicle into Park to restart the engine in active traffic.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The vehicle suffered an Auto Idle Stop failure at a red light. The engine shut down normally, but failed to automatically restart when the brake was released. There were no dashboard warning lights, and I was forced to manually shift the vehicle into Park to restart the engine in active traffic.
OUTDOORS RV
GLACIER PEAK
(2015) - TRAILER HITCHES
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 19, 2026
The contact owns a 2015 Outdoor RV Glacier Peak Trailer. The contact stated that after arriving home from a long trip, while the fifth wheel trailer was being backed into the driveway, the contact discovered that the pin box plate and cap on the fifth wheel trailer had flexed and was not secured. The contact was concerned that the fifth wheel trailer could have possibly separated from the towing v... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
The rear middle seat child seatbelt retractor on my 2020 Lexus GX 460 failed internally — the belt became stuck and would not retract, rendering the child safety restraint position unusable. The failure was severe enough that the dealership (Tri-County Lexus, Little Falls, NJ) determined the vehicle was unsafe to drive with the affected seating position in use and grounded the vehicle pending re... Read more
Incident date: Aug 26, 2026
The contact owns a 2012 Ford Focus. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V331000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the part to do the recall repair was denied. The contact stated that upon further inspection, the front driver’s side door failed to remain closed. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the contact was advised that the vehicle could not be repaired ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 2, 2026
Car was taken In for service and tech noted was low on oil and looked as if was burning oil and advised of a recall. My VIN for my 2023 didn’t come back as effected but clearly is having same issue as the recall on the others with same year and make.
Incident date: Aug 28, 2026
I placed my child into the back seat of my 2025 Audi Q7 and secured the child in the car seat. The key fob was inside the vehicle in the back seat, and the vehicle was turned off. After placing my child in the vehicle, the Q7 unexpectedly locked with both my child and the key fob inside. I did not intentionally lock the vehicle. I attempted to regain access to the vehicle, but the doors remained... Read more
Incident date: Dec 1, 2024
The contact owns a 2018 Ram 2500. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V896000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC). The contact stated that while driving 55 MPH, excessive force was needed on the brake pedal to stop the vehicle. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a local dealer where the HCU unit was replaced with an identical unit. However, ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 31, 2026
The contact owns a 2010 Chevrolet Traverse. The contact stated that the vehicle intermittently failed to start and occasionally stalled while driving. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road and restarted after a while. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with ignition switch failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by phone, but no ass... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE HYBRID
(2025) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
First Incident – XXX Weekend ([XXX]) Accelerating at an on-ramp to a major highway (I-37S) in [XXX], vehicle suddenly lost power. Speed dropped from 60 mph to 45 mph, then 28 mph, in a 65 mph zone during rush hour traffic. No apparent cause: had ¾ tank of fuel, a clean maintenance history, and no prior issues. Managed to reach the shoulder and, after several minutes, able to exit the highway. V... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE HYBRID
(2025) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
First Incident – XXX Weekend ([XXX]) Accelerating at an on-ramp to a major highway (I-37S) in [XXX], vehicle suddenly lost power. Speed dropped from 60 mph to 45 mph, then 28 mph, in a 65 mph zone during rush hour traffic. No apparent cause: had ¾ tank of fuel, a clean maintenance history, and no prior issues. Managed to reach the shoulder and, after several minutes, able to exit the highway. V... Read more
HYUNDAI
SANTA FE HYBRID
(2025) - ENGINE
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Jul 4, 2026
First Incident – XXX Weekend ([XXX]) Accelerating at an on-ramp to a major highway (I-37S) in [XXX], vehicle suddenly lost power. Speed dropped from 60 mph to 45 mph, then 28 mph, in a 65 mph zone during rush hour traffic. No apparent cause: had ¾ tank of fuel, a clean maintenance history, and no prior issues. Managed to reach the shoulder and, after several minutes, able to exit the highway. V... Read more
Incident date: Jul 28, 2026
Subaru has a known problem/design with their LED daytime running lamps on the Ascent model. Dealerships are seeing a high failure rate of these LED lights, and it is always with the left side headlamp assembly. The LED strip quits working. In my case my car has about 42,000 miles on it with estimated 1,500 hours of operation. LED lights are designed to last a minimum of 30,000 and up to 100,00... Read more
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2017 Volvo S60. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to be locked, and it was possible that the door could open while driving. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V849000 (Latches/Locks/Linkages); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer confirmed the failure and determined that the battery drainage had caused the failur... Read more
JEEP
GRAND CHEROKEE
(2021) - STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and attempting to use the key fob to open the hatch, the hatch failed to open. The contact opened the hatch manually, and a bolt became loose, and the hatch struck the contact on the back. The contact’s back was sore from the impact and hurt while moving. The service center where the vehicle was pur... Read more
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FLTRXSTSE
(2026) - STRUCTURE:BODY
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
On August 27, 2026, after riding approximately 6 miles and less than two hours after taking delivery of this brand-new 2026 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide ST (5 miles on the odometer from the factory), VIN [XXX], I came to a complete stop at [XXX]. When I attempted to turn right after stopping, the handlebars suddenly locked or jammed, preventing the motorcycle from turning. The bike continued o... Read more
Crash
1 injured
HARLEY-DAVIDSON
FLTRXSTSE
(2026) - STEERING
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 27, 2026
On August 27, 2026, after riding approximately 6 miles and less than two hours after taking delivery of this brand-new 2026 Harley-Davidson CVO Street Glide ST (5 miles on the odometer from the factory), VIN [XXX], I came to a complete stop at [XXX]. When I attempted to turn right after stopping, the handlebars suddenly locked or jammed, preventing the motorcycle from turning. The bike continued o... Read more
Crash
1 injured
Incident date: Aug 19, 2026
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: A high-pressure fuel injector (cylinder 2). The failed injector and engine wiring harness are available for inspection on request. The vehicle is currently at an authorized dealer. WHAT HAPPENED: While driving at approximately 35-45 mph under light throttle in normal traffic, the engine began misfiring without warning. The misfire worsened rapidly over several seconds and t... Read more
Incident date: Aug 19, 2026
COMPONENT THAT FAILED: A high-pressure fuel injector (cylinder 2). The failed injector and engine wiring harness are available for inspection on request. The vehicle is currently at an authorized dealer. WHAT HAPPENED: While driving at approximately 35-45 mph under light throttle in normal traffic, the engine began misfiring without warning. The misfire worsened rapidly over several seconds and t... Read more
FORD
F-150 HYBRID
(2021) - FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 26, 2026
On XXX, my 2021 Ford F-150 PowerBoost, VIN [XXX], stalled while I was turning from [XXX] onto [XXX]. My wife and daughter were in the vehicle. The engine lost all power in the intersection. No collision occurred. This is the exact failure described in open safety recall Ford 25S75 / NHTSA 25V455 (low-pressure fuel pump). I had already reported the unrepaired recall to NHTSA on XXX. I took the truc... Read more
FORD
MUSTANG MACH E
(2024) - ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Aug 1, 2026
Ford completed OTA for software update. After that happened, wireless phone calls no longer work.
Incident date: Oct 4, 2025
The contact owns a 2015 Ford Taurus. The contact stated that while reversing, the back-over prevention camera screen displayed an image that immediately turned upside down and then switched to a black screen. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The contact previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V695000 (BACK OVER PREVENTION). The contact stated that the vehicle h... Read more
Incident date: Sep 2, 2026
I am submitting a safety complaint regarding my 2022 Ram 3500/Thor Class B RV, VIN [XXX], with only approximately 6,858 miles, which I brought to a dealer in the Inland Empire for Recall [XXX]. Before taking my truck to the dealer, there was no known coolant leak. The vehicle was in good condition and operating normally. I left the truck with the dealer specifically for the recall service. After ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM SAFETY & TELEMATICS FAILURES: 1.ELECTRICAL & ELICTRICAL DEFECTS: The vehicle's primary infotainment and factory navigation display module suffers a total software and hardware failure. module suffers a total software and hardware failure. While operating on public roadway, including [XXX] entering [XXX], the tracking telemetry completely losses spatial orientation. mapping ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM SAFETY & TELEMATICS FAILURES: 1.ELECTRICAL & ELICTRICAL DEFECTS: The vehicle's primary infotainment and factory navigation display module suffers a total software and hardware failure. module suffers a total software and hardware failure. While operating on public roadway, including [XXX] entering [XXX], the tracking telemetry completely losses spatial orientation. mapping ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 1, 2026
CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM SAFETY & TELEMATICS FAILURES: 1.ELECTRICAL & ELICTRICAL DEFECTS: The vehicle's primary infotainment and factory navigation display module suffers a total software and hardware failure. module suffers a total software and hardware failure. While operating on public roadway, including [XXX] entering [XXX], the tracking telemetry completely losses spatial orientation. mapping ... Read more
CHRYSLER
TOWN AND COUNTRY
(2016) - POWER TRAIN
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2016 Chrysler Town and Country. While the contact’s spouse was driving, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission pump failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 16V461000 (Power Train); to the dealer, however the ... Read more
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2021 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle stalled and failed to restart. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V099000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); and the recall repair was previously performed on the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to the dealer but was not yet diagnosed due... Read more
Incident date: Aug 15, 2026
Component failure: potential thermal (heat-related) breakdown of the EPS control module, steering rack electronics, or associated wiring harness. Description: After approximately two hours of continuous highway driving, a critical Red Steering Wheel Warning Light illuminates intermittently in the center dashboard. This indicates a severe system fault and imminent threat of total loss of power s... Read more
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2024) - SERVICE BRAKES
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
1. 50% of my braking results in grinding stop where it jumps and doesn’t stop all the way at first, this is even driving at slow speeds of 25 mph. 2. When my truck was set on cruise control approx 70mph and all of a sudden started decelerating on its own and nothing I did made it accelerate. I had to coast/slow brake to pull over, cut the car off and then restart it to begin driving again.
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2024) - VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
1. 50% of my braking results in grinding stop where it jumps and doesn’t stop all the way at first, this is even driving at slow speeds of 25 mph. 2. When my truck was set on cruise control approx 70mph and all of a sudden started decelerating on its own and nothing I did made it accelerate. I had to coast/slow brake to pull over, cut the car off and then restart it to begin driving again.
FORD
MAVERICK HYBRID
(2024) - UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: Sep 1, 2025
1. 50% of my braking results in grinding stop where it jumps and doesn’t stop all the way at first, this is even driving at slow speeds of 25 mph. 2. When my truck was set on cruise control approx 70mph and all of a sudden started decelerating on its own and nothing I did made it accelerate. I had to coast/slow brake to pull over, cut the car off and then restart it to begin driving again.
Incident date: Aug 10, 2026
Anti-Lock Brake Module Internal Failure - Code C2200-49 The truck ABS does not work, tractions control is disabled, and Cruise Control does not work. There were no lights or warning until the day I went to start the vehicle and then the abs, traction control, and brake light came on and stayed on once the truck was started. With researching this issue, it seems to be a widely known issue for sev... Read more
K&N
REPLACEMENT FUEL FILTER
(9999) - FUEL SYSTEM, OTHER:FUEL FILTER
Sep 4, 2026
Incident date: May 4, 2026
I am reporting a failure covered by NHTSA Recall 26E048 and K&N's handling of my safety report. I installed a K&N 81-0300 fuel filter on my 1999 Yamaha YZF600R in early April 2026. About one month later, the motorcycle became unable to idle. The filter's internal rubber O-ring, washer, or gasket disintegrated, sending black debris into the carburetors and clogging the pilot jets. On May 4, 2026, I... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain with three children as passengers, the vehicle developed a braking/engine problem. The brake pedal became very hard, and the vehicle subsequently became undrivable and would not start. I received no advance warning through the GMC app indicating that the vacuum pump was failing. The vehicle was towed to a GMC dealership. The dealership diagnosed a failed vacuum p... Read more
Incident date: Aug 24, 2026
While driving my 2019 GMC Terrain with three children as passengers, the vehicle developed a braking/engine problem. The brake pedal became very hard, and the vehicle subsequently became undrivable and would not start. I received no advance warning through the GMC app indicating that the vacuum pump was failing. The vehicle was towed to a GMC dealership. The dealership diagnosed a failed vacuum p... Read more
Incident date: Aug 8, 2026
Rod bearing failure, diagnosed by Honda Service. At a stop light, vehicle starting making very loud noises (video proof). I pulled over right away and had it towed to not risk an accident or more damage. Honda(same place that the vehicle was purchased at did most preventive maintenance) diagnosis: "Engine Major Miscellaneous | rod bearing failure. removed timing covers and confirmed t belt is ... Read more
Incident date: Jul 3, 2026
The contact owns a 2018 Honda Odyssey. While the contact's wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle drove over a pothole and the driver's- and passenger's-side curtain airbags deployed. The air bags deployment frightened the contact’s wife, and the steering wheel was jerked, and the vehicle crashed into the concrete median. The contact stated that the front driver's side tire was fl... Read more
Crash
Incident date: Sep 3, 2026
The shark fin antenna has a plastic cover that is only held on by 4 plastic clips. Hi winds or car wash can compromise the cover by breaking at least two of the plastic clips allowing air to get underneath the cover and then the cover falls off. I consider this a safety issue due to the fact that if your on a highway and it comes off it can crash thru another vehicle’s windshield causing a colli... Read more
Incident date: Aug 14, 2026
The windshield wiper reservoir leaks fluid. The reservoir has been filled by the dealership and I was informed it is a safety hazard to not have it repaired. After some research, this is a common issue in 2016-2018 BMW X5 models.
Incident date: Sep 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2025 Kia Sportage. The contact stated that while performing a normal inspection on the vehicle, the body side molding from the front to the rear on the passenger’s side of the roof had detached. The contact stated that the driver's side of the vehicle had started to detach from the rear. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Incident date: Aug 18, 2026
Was exiting I275 onto Westbound Route 32 when the brakes were unexpectedly applied by the vehicle’s safety system. No vehicles were in front or beside me. Very alarming when it happened. This also happed two other times at slower speeds.