Your One-Stop Shop For Safer Trucking

4. How many complaints must be received before NHTSA will look into the situation?

There is no set number. It depends on the vehicle population and severity of the consequences. Sometimes one complaint is all it takes to open an investigation.

5. How can I file a complaint?

There are four ways:

1. Telephone: Call our Vehicle Safety Hotline at 888-327-4236 from anywhere in the United States including the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. A NHTSA representative will record your complaint information. Representatives are on duty from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. EST Monday through Friday. Spanish-speaking representatives are available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Individuals with hearing impairments can make a direct inquiry to NHTSA by calling our teleprinter (TDD) number, 800-424-9153.
2. Mail: Send a letter describing your complaint. We may still need to contact you directly for more detailed information, so please include a phone number where you can be reached. We can also send you a postage-paid complaint form so you can provide the necessary information about your complaint and return it to us. Call 888‑327-4236 to obtain the form. Send all correspondence to:
   
   U.S. Department of Transportation
   National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
   Office of Defects Investigation (NVS-211)
   400 Seventh Street SW.
   Washington, DC 20590
3. Fax: Fax your letter or complaint form to 202-366-7882.
4. Internet: Electronically submit your complaint by visiting www.safertruck.gov.

6. As part of filing a complaint, why do you request authorization to send my personally identifiable information to the manufacturer of my vehicle?

Providing personally identifiable information to the manufacturer is optional and NHTSA will respect a driver’s request to remain anonymous throughout the process. However, in order for NHTSA to engage in meaningful dialogue with the manufacturer about the problem you are experiencing, it is very helpful if NHTSA can provide the VIN to the manufacturer. That way, the manufacturer can identify the options that were built into the truck and better understand the influence these options may have on the safety problem. Sometimes it may be necessary for the manufacturer to talk directly to the driver of the vehicle to fully understand the safety problem. Other times it is a matter of properly identifying all vehicles that possess the safety problem. Sharing this information with the manufacturer can increase our ability to get a manufacturer to recall a vehicle.

BACK

Download PDF for print